Whispering Winds Animal Sanctuary

08/26/2024

This guy was born here. Mom hangs out every so often but I haven't seen the other baby in a while. This guy shows up every day, drinks water I leave out for him and then off to hunt bugs. He's so cute

08/26/2024

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

08/26/2024

As many know, our South Steens herd was decimated. Originally they were going to take 760 but decided to take 874.
The AML (appropriate management level) for Steens is 159-304 for horses on the range post gather. They are planning on returning 70. AML? I’m assuming because they think there’s enough still out there. So far only nine were found.
They also took horses from what’s called the Hollywood area, the well-known and treasured herd that many photographers have photo-documented for a dozen years… ones that you know well over the years on our various pages. Obviously, no need to make a list of who is caught because basically they all were. Unfortunately, there are a number of horses on the range we’ve documented but don’t see in the corrals. We will eventually start building a list of horses found on the range. 
The two I get most questions about are the Voodoo band - yes, they were all captured it sounds like, and hope that they are released to the range. As for Shaman, for now still mystery. 

I would like to share something I wrote a few years back about my thoughts about wild horses, and our vast public lands they roam….

Keep the West WILD
I do what I do for the mustangs and b***os- first.
But make no mistake, I am also a friend of ranchers, as well as state-level local BLM personnel and offices. Together we can work on the path best for all, which includes the wild ones. State-level BLM are not the lawmakers, they simply carry out directives from DC. I have known those locally as compassionate and caring individuals who love the lands they work, and all which roam there. They are valuable to me as they are a direct conduit to lawmakers in DC where change happens.

I am also a friend of the concerned people around the world for our wild horses and b***os. With worldwide voices, I am hoping some day to help see through better protection and sound management in Washington DC and eliminate the pendulum swings of over-control which harms the viability of wild herds. I’m about the bigger picture, not what some rancher did somewhere, or the state 4-5 year prescribed gathers which have been written in the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act. I am after working for change for the least invasive, least, costly, and least deadly solution and which should be on the range. The best tool for the toolbox is wild mare contraception. Anything else goes against managing them in the most holistic sense. It begins with large-scale public awareness- the way mustangs and b***os are regarded- or disregarded... but ultimately management is coming from “big BLM”- the Bureau of Land Management in DC.
That is the bigger picture.

I am not a political person. I also do not work for anyone in any organization. I am a simple girl who lives out west and do what I do for the wild ones. But I often look at decisions by those at those levels who could not tell the difference between a mare and a stallion, let alone comprehend their complex society. Heck, they may not even truly know the feeling of a sunset other than what's been seen on a postcard or in the movies. Yet they often make decisions by the unfeeling swipe of a pen, potentially casting irreparable damage onto our landscapes and wildlife. From mining, renewable energy, and other forms of development, to zero’ing out whole wild herds, or attempting to destroy the natural wild society as well as genetics by trying to permanently sterilize wild mares. They don't realize their stories or histories, or bonds .... they might only understand that a protected species are simply a roadblock to what they call “progress” …. and money.

Best thing in my mind for those in DC making uniformed and rash decisions about our range lands and American mustangs, is to peel them off their brand new squeaky leather ergonomic office chairs- take them by their fragile pale manicured hands still soft from lotion- walk them from their air-conditioned offices and away from the view of sprawling buildings littering the landscape, and artificial manicured lawns with sprinklers running like it’s limitless- farther from the concrete and congested metal and rebar jungle..... disband them from their iphones, GPS systems, and brief cases, and out of their BMW's and Jaguars and into an off-roading jeep with minimal amenities.

Then require them to remove and discard their ties, blazers, and argyle socks, and drive them to the high desert of the Great Basin Region... pristine wilderness of amazing distant views, and large varieties of wildlife.... the last of our 'still' wild west, the last of our open spaces. Wild places quickly shrinking due to insatiable needs for monetary gain or collateral... our wild lands... going green, but rather paving over wild paradise- the diverse Great Basin region.

Then, have them stand on that ridge top overlooking the high desert and the beauty of America's wild horses.... wild and free ranging mustangs shaped by the natural environment to survive in the land of extremes. Further, patting them down for other forms of communication or intelligence, removing the second GPS, and simply with a couple instant soups, encouraging them to live nomadically a while with the wild horses, returning to innocence and beauty of simplicity yet dynamic wilderness out west. Maybe then will the sense of natural order and what we would be losing, begin to fill up the capillaries in their heads with truth, goodness, and integrity, previously hell-bent on destroying a national treasure and symbols of the struggle to be free. The agency in DC as many of you are aware, have stepped up with mustang and b***o removals, using up wild lands for “green” energy, and attempting time and time again to sterilize these wild and natural horses … a complex society that operates on hormones.
Permanent sterilization of any kind changes wild horses because it changes their hormones, which are a directive to behavior and hierarchy. The use of contraceptives, instead, have the least negative impacts to wild herds while suppressing population growth. While we can't relax and let the dust settle, but thank goodness to so many of you and wild horse organizations who stood up and spoke up- now ridiculous and heinous component of over-control via permanent sterilization has been beaten now on several occasions in several west states. As for keeping an eye on our wild lands, I recommend following page Basin & Range Watch here on fb to see what's happening in the Great Basin region and actions needed to protect our open spaces.

Opinions and views vary greatly – often the extreme view points take center stage by the small but most vocal groups on social media- from the “slay & spay” proponents to the “do nothing” groups. Since I started taking notice of this plight of the wild horses (2004 - Burns Amendment of the 1971 WHB Act) and studying wild horses on their legal ranges, I have found that the truth and the correct path to realistic solutions is right down the middle. So I work with all kinds of entities, organizations, and personalities to share knowledge and find the most fluid path to keeping the west wild... and our goal of protecting the wild ones with the least critical impacts to lands and wild herds. A valuable lesson I've learned in terms of protecting our wide open public lands, is that by protecting the wild horses and b***os on these official Herd Management Areas as the principal species on HMA's (designated since 1971), we also protect the wide open spaces they roam, from development and human encroachment. Essentially by keeping the “wild” in our west, the result is we keep our beloved west- WILD, because once it's gone it's gone. This can happen by soundly protecting and upholding the law of 1971 as it states to manage wild horses and b***os as naturally as possible.

Bottom line, my work is focused on the bigger picture- at the federal level in DC and counter their historical record and desire to undermine herd areas and have them all level playing fields for 'multiple use'- where all untouched lands without protection are developed, utilized, purchased, traded, or given away so to speak, or used as collateral. In these economically challenging times, there will be little unspoiled country if they continue turning a blind eye... or implement the proverbial snake eye “in the name of progress”. The flip-side of this modern day range-war is knowing that keeping legally protected wild horses out there and adhering to the laws set forth, we are keeping diverse and vast ecosystems and portions of our west untouched... keeping the west wild.

About the photo: Outback small band of wild horses of the mustang range in SE Oregon trotting over to get a better look with the alpenglow on the highlands of Steens. The video from this time can be seen here (this band is near the end): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPno1kn_VQs

Keep the WILD in the WEST and our WEST WILD!
Mustang Meg

Want to be a voice? Who to contact:
https://www.facebook.com/share/tgrtcaic46HcQyJ8/?mibextid=WC7FNe

MustangWild
PO Box 785
Lebanon, OR 97355
www.youtube.com/mustangmeg vid
www.mustangmeg.com social media
www.mustangwild.com web

08/26/2024

08/25/2024

Thank you, Renae at Blair Haven Farm Equine Rescue & Sanctuary. I absolutely love this so much. Wearing it today

08/25/2024

08/24/2024

Oh my Lord. This woman is going over the edge. Look at this threat against another person she thinks she's superior to. This, people, is what all of us that rescue have been having to put up with lately. The threats of rumble?! This needs to be reported not only to FB but funny thing is, this is all talk. She can't do anything bully keyboard bully

08/24/2024

Be on the lookout for rattlesnakes! Rattlesnakes give birth August to September to live young. They can be more dangerous because their rattles have not developed yet but they are just as venomous as adult rattlesnakes. Keep an eye out for your pets on trails and go to a veterinarian immediately if your pet is bit.

08/23/2024

Boy, this describes her to a T...Psychopath

Psychopaths and sociopaths both have challenging behaviors and are sometimes referred to interchangeably, but they have several differences:
Impulsivity
Sociopaths are more likely to act impulsively and erratically, while psychopaths tend to be more strategic and think before acting.
Relationships
Sociopaths may have difficulty forming stable relationships due to their volatile nature, but they may be able to form attachments with like-minded people. Psychopaths may also have difficulty forming attachments and may struggle to have mutually emotionally intimate relationships.
Conscience
Sociopaths may have a weak conscience and try to justify their actions, while psychopaths typically lack a conscience.
Empathy
Psychopaths have a profound lack of empathy and remorse, which can make them more prone to violence. Sociopaths may still have a little conscience, but they may lack empathy for other people's suffering or hurt.
Appearance
Psychopaths are often able to maintain the appearance of a stable, normal life, while sociopaths tend to be more erratic.
Self-control
Psychopaths have more self-control than sociopaths and may be able to blend into society more effectively.

08/23/2024

Dawn. There's quite a few of us standing with you that have been victims of these brutal attacks. We aren't the problem. Whatever you need, we're here. This is a very unstable group and I fear for my life and the lives of my animals. If anything happens to any of us, you know where to look. Perfect example is the laughing icon on this post. This person thrives on other people being attacked.

08/23/2024

Still missing

Lauren St. Hilaire said she realized her horses were missing after she returned from a trip. She scoured her 30-acre property, but when she reached the edge, she noticed her fence was cut.

08/22/2024

Please continue to share. These horses were forcefully taken from this home. Let's find them

On Saturday, August 17, three horses were found missing from a Katy, Texas property. All are believed to have been stolen and reported to authorities,

08/22/2024

Please listen. Scott is very experienced in wild horse management and knowledge. He has excellent suggestions and information

Send a message to learn more

08/22/2024

I hate this All gone All dead All killed at the cruel hands of the Mexican slaughterhouses.

08/22/2024

The boys are so funny. Mr T followed me out to feed. A moment of curiosity, then even Black Jack decided it was time to eat.

08/22/2024

Shaman, wild stallion of SE Oregon/Steens Mountain To many of us, he's a tie to Native American spirituality and Mother Earth. He's a Medicine Hat wild musta...

08/21/2024

Repost for full story

08/21/2024

Little Cashew ate some alfalfa out of my hand this morning. Yavapai stood close, too. But, Smokey and Black Jack are still not sure. It's super hot here today so I fed them early, and will feed them in the stall tonight. They like it there. But, at 111 here today I'm not going to do much more. Their water was full and it needs to be a down day for everyone. I may see if I can hang a fan in the adjoining stall next to them as long as it doesn't spook them out. Definitely dog days of summer! (Photos from yesterday. Letting them hang in the stall today)

08/21/2024

08/21/2024