I would like to introduce all of our followers and members to some of the young wild horses that we managed to rescue.  Jack and Dan have spent quite a bit of time with them and we now feel that they are ready to go to new homes.

"Dan"

Dan, gelded and ready for a new home

The next pictures are of “Brewster”, he is still a stud colt but we will have him gelded shortly.

"Brewster"

Brewster loves his oats

The next two boys are already gelded and ready for homes.

"Preacher"

Preacher and Jack

"Timmy"

Adorable Timmy

Then we have the three ladies of the outfit that were rescued and have a chance at a wonderful life.

"Jordy"

Such a cute young filly

"Flicka"

Our girl Flicka just loves anyone that will rub her

Then we have our last lady, the little mare we call “Kit”.  She is ready to foal within the nex 7-10 days.  We will keep kit safe and protected until we are sure that her and her new foal we be able to go to a loving home.  Kit still needs some work and that is another reason we are going to spend more time with her.

"Kit" our soon to be mom

Again I would like to thank Dan, Jack, Karen and all our other supporters that have spent time with these young horses, quieten them down to the point that they are now able to find a new life.

Some of the other horses have already found new homes and potential adopters will be screened and must fill out an adoption contract.  The adoption fee is $300.00.  We would also request that anyone that does decide to adopt a rescued wildie, spend at least a day at our rescue farm, with the handlers in order that you are sure that you really want to adopt one of these beautiful young horses.

Wild horses are very smart and once they learn to trust you they become a very loyal companion to their owner.  “TRUST” is the word.  You must earn any horses trust in order for them to become a good partner for you, but this especially true for the wild horses.  Trust me, as I know, I have two of them myself and they are superior mountain horses and friends.

I would like to add another point here about the outrageous  number of horses allowed to be caught this year, with most of them going to slaughter.  The reponse has been overwhelming and I am struggling getting back to everyone.  I handle most of the correspondence and spokesperson duties right now, by myself.  I certainly try to get back to everyone but sometimes I have some that slip through.  To those that have written and not received my personal response, I apologize, but never the less your words and support are greatly appreciated by WHOAS and the wild horses of Alberta.

Bob.

Curiousity at a safe distance

Well the final count of the number of wild horses caught and reported to the SRD is 218. This according to our estimations is over 40% of the wild horses that once roamed free. We feel that this is an atrocious number of the magnificent wild horses to be removed from their natural environment for so many frivolous  reasons.  This number is still being endorsed as the “proper” number by the SRD to be removed. How callous.

Some of the lucky ones

 We would like to clarify some of the errors stated by the minister in charge of the SRD, Frank Oberle, in the typical response letter to concerned Albertans. In his letter he admits that horses were indigenous in North America but became extinct. He then states that what we call wild horses are just descendants of horses that have escaped captivity or turned loose. Because of this SRD considers them as an “exotic” species and therefore vermin and not be be protected. It is amazing, however, that some of the leading archeologists, biologists and geologists consider that the horses are an indigenous species of animals to North America. There is even now some speculation as more is learned about North American native history that the horses may never have become totally extinct. This research is still in its infancy.

He further states that the government considers them feral and that they fall under the Stray Animal Act and Horse Capture Regulations. This allows the SRD to designate on crown land (our land) where the wild horses can live. Also that those getting the capture licenses are screened to assure that captures horses would be treated in a humane method. Further, he states that the staff monitor theses regulations and the capture. He also notes that only 30 horses on average are captured each year.

Since WHOAS inception in 2001, we have maintained that these regulations do little to properly protect the wild horses. Having been told to our face, by officials of the SRD, that they can interpret the regulations as they see fit. This was quite evident this year when basically the regulations were completely disregarded in order that the SRD’s magic number (218) could be removed. This included the monitoring of pens, capture ratios and any other component that stood in the way of this level of numbers to be removed and mostly sent for slaughter.

Mr. Oberle states that from 2009 when there were 650 horses, to 2010 where he says there were 1,000 feral horses identified in the Eastern slopes. This is completely impossible biologically. We have learned that the way the numbers are calculated by SRD is by a multiple factor. Therefore if they fly over a particular area and see a large number, they just multiply this times the total area where they think wild horses may exist. This manner of counting where representatives have even stated on public television and in newsprint are accurate is obviously flawed. In my years of studying the wild horses there are large tracts of land where you do not find the wild horses. But they include these areas in their count as having a population.

In his letter of rebuttal to concerned Albertans, Mr. Oberle again states that horses are eating the forage and damaging the rangeland making less available for cattle and other wildlife. In our studies and observations this is just conjecture on the part of those opposed to those who want to see the wild horses eradicated.

Deep grass for all

The above picture shows horses in a meadow sharing it with deer and both species have used this area all year. The most damage we see to grasslands and stream banks is in areas where herds of cattle were moved in and left to graze over the summer months. Do not forget that in an area that has maybe 400 head of horses left, over 10,000 head of cattle are moved in for the summer and fall months. In our travels in valleys that used to be lush and used for prime wintering grounds for elk and deer, the grass has been eaten down by the cattle, therefore the elk and deer are unable to winter in these areas. Also noted is the fact that wild horses are grazers and are always on the move, never settling down in an area to destroy the grasslands, like cattle do.

Then he states they impede forest regeneration by damaging young seedlings. This is completely false.

Damaging the trees?

This is the claim of the large logging companies in their arguments against the wild horses. It is proven that horses do not eat pine trees and in fact by grazing in these areas they actually help the growth of the seedlings. Now if the logging companies, West Fraser and Spray Lakes, want to claim damage to the envirnoment they only need to look at what they are doing with their clear cutting.

Cutting right into the muskegs

Botanists studying forests and forest growth talk about the need for diversification throughout. In doing their clear cutting, the logging companies destroy the mosses, other plant life and untold numbers of small creatures including bird habitat. Then they replant the forest with alleged money-making species of trees (pine) therefore changing the forest forever. Soon you may only see the natural forest in a national park, since the SRD is allowing clear cutting even in areas like the Kananaskis. 

The last point the minister states that because of the increased numbers they are moving eastward and becoming hazards on public roadways. This point is completely ludicrous. For one thing, the horses are not moving east and they do not stay on roadways, always moving quickly across them. Now ask anyone hauling the camper or holiday trailer traveling the forestry roads what the most dangerous animal on the roadway, when you find whole herds of cattle laying in the middle of the road. The cattle also have to be driven off the road in order for a vehicle to safely manoeuver through them.

So the minister’s letter is full of conjecture and unsubstantiated facts provided to him presumably by our public servants who have their own private agenda working with big money interests and not in the interests of most Albertans. If one wants to use  their arguments against the wild horses, WHOAS would like to offer up some conjecture in regards to the clear cutting practices that is endorsed by the SRD officials. When you clear massive areas of mature forests, scientists around the world claim that this leads to global warming. Governments criticize the cultures in the equatorial areas for their clear cutting efforts and the effects this is having. Why not look in our own backyard. What about the winds? Has anybody noticed the increase in the ferocity of the winds in this part of the province? Could it be because the forests have been extensively removed that wind patterns have changed? We could go on and on with conjectures like this, as the government and industry does against the wild horses but our point is do not use arguments against that wild horses that are unscientific and unfounded.

Bob

Rescued

WHOAS is happy to finally say that the efforts of some of our members and with the cooperation of a couple of the horse capture permit holders, nine young wild horses were purchased with our funds. Some of these have already found homes of WHOAS members where they are under loving care and doing well.

The gentling

Through the hard work of Dan, Jack and Karen, six other horses are being gentled to enable them to be adopted out to homes of other WHOAS members. We have five young colts and fillies and one pregnant 3-year old mare, that are well on their way to being socialized with humans.

May baby coming

Although we would have liked to have saved many more, unfortunately we do not have the land necessary for us to give temporary homes to the number we would have liked to. We are working hard toward securing a piece of land that we can develop into a wild horse rescue centre.

Getting familiar with us

Enjoying their new home

As soon as we feel that these beautiful young horses have been gentled enough to be handled by loving owners, we will actively be searching for adoptive parents.

Good food

Again we want to thank all our members and supporters for allowing us to at least rescue these few and to Dan, Jack and Karen for all their hard work and diligence.

Bob

March 1, 2012, was supposed to have brought to an end probably the worst capture season to ever been inflicted against the wild horses of Alberta. This unfathomable attack to decimate the wild horse herds by the SRD resulted in around 180 wild horses that have been removed from their natural environment with most going for slaughter. The government of Alberta keeps misleading the public and the media about the true reasons for this uncalled for event. Even the minister, Mr. Oberle, is blind to the actual facts about the history of the wild horses and the part they play in the natural ecosystem as it exists today. Instead he produces a form letter to those that write based on misinformation being provided to him by those who have ulterior motives for having this many horses removed.

This is a typical letter from a concerned Albertan over the SRD’s attack against the wild horses this winter:

“Dear Mr. Oberge,

Now this is the standard form letter sent by Mr. Oberle’s office, the minister who is responsible for the future of Alberta’s natural resources, including wildlife and the wild horses.

“Thank you for your email of March 15, 2012 regarding free roaming horses in Alberta. I am pleased to provide the following information. 

Horses indigenous to North America became extinct several thousand years ago.  Although some people refer to free-roaming horses on today’s landscape as “wild,” these animals are descendants of domestic horses that have escaped captivity or have been turned loose and allowed to run freely.  As soon as horses escape captivity – whether from early European explorers or by stock ranchers – they are defined as an introduced or exotic species.

The Government of Alberta considers free-roaming horses to be feral and protects them through the Stray Animals Act and its associated Horse Capture Regulation.  Under this legislation, Sustainable Resource Development designates areas of Crown land where licences may be obtained to capture feral horses.

People who apply for horse capture licences are screened to ensure they use safe and humane methods of capture, have a satisfactory level of experience in capturing horses and have adequate facilities to care for captured horses.  Sustainable Resource Development staff monitor horse‑capture operations to ensure horses are treated humanely and if any branded horses are captured, the department notifies Alberta’s Livestock Identification Services.  On average, 30 horses have been captured in each of the past few years.

Alberta’s increasing feral horse populations are resulting in a number of impacts on resources.  In 2010, more than 1,000 feral horses were identified in the south of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes – up significantly from the 650 in 2009.  This growing number of horses compete with native wildlife for habitat and can damage rangeland and reduce the forage available for livestock.  They can also impede forest regeneration by damaging young trees.  Feral horses pose a public safety risk on Alberta’s highways, which was especially apparent last winter when heavy snow conditions drove the animals east toward public roadways.

Be assured it is our government’s intent to help ensure the survival of these animals while balancing their impact on the environment.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this information about feral horses.

Sincerely,

Frank Oberle, Minister”

This letter also quotes the Stray Animal Act and the Horse Capture Regulations as a means to manage the wild horse herds. Several spokespersons for that department have said that this is all that is needed to provide the wild horses with proper protection.

How come these regulations have been completely disregarded this year and last?  No fees were charged to the horse capture permit holders. In fact, many were encouraged by SRD to partake in the trapping of the horses and we believe even assisted in purchasing new corral panels for capture pens. Even the fact that the pens had to be checked to ensure the safety of the captured horses was not followed. Horses were left tied to trees and who knows what other torture they may have gone through before being herded into trailers and hauled away to the meat buyers.

Signs of a struggle

 In our travels even after March 1st when the season was supposed to have ended, we found capture pens still active.

Still baited

Hopefully, these atrocities against these wild horses that belong to all Albertans who inhabit our public lands will through public pressure not occur again. Just a note that upon hearing how the SRD counts the horses, they use formulas based on what they see in one area and multiply it to include all the lands they believe the horses may inhabit. This does not work.

Struggling for existance

Despite this year’s attempt to satisfy the needs of some government officials to meet their own agenda, and prejudices against the wild horses, some still are able to remain free and survive under difficult conditions.

Some remain free

Our wild horses should represent to us a proud history of the association between the horse and man as we settled and developed Alberta. They should not be considered a nuisance by a very few as they truly belong in the land in which they inhabit.

Proud and free

We thank all of you who have supported us and the wild horses in our attempts to ensure their survival. Please do not stop in your efforts of trying to change the attitudes toward the wild horses by the SRD and the Alberta government.

Bob