Wild Horse Preservation League

13/08/2024

13/08/2024

12/08/2024

All they need is freedom & water! Come to the Carson City, Nevada Capital today (Monday) and help us ask for it! 10 - 12! 🎉 Be their voice 🎉

11/08/2024

08/08/2024

If you are unable to attend tomorrow, you can still help!

> ACTION to do now!
> CALL THE NDA 775-353-3608
> Let them know politely that you want the Sunnyhills area wild horses in South Reno relocated to another part of the Virginia Range in the cooperative spirit of our range management agreement.
>
> ACTION to do now!
> Call the Nevada Governor 775-684-5670
> Tell them the same thing!
>
> Go on the website gov.nv.gov
> Constitute Services
> Contact the Governor
> Share My Thoughts
> Hit Submit
> This established a permanent record!

03/08/2024

This time it's official - the new album "For The Black Sheep" will be released on all the streaming platforms on August 9th - I'm interested to hear what you think!

18/07/2024

Come join us on Saturday July 27 for a night of fun and music to raise money for the wild horses. Have some great pizza, enjoy a frosty cold one from the bar, listen to music, pick up some merchandise, and take part in our 50/50 raffle.

Tickets available here: https://tinyurl.com/ynruzdex

22/06/2024

"The popular narrative that horses were brought to the Americas by Europeans is now being questioned. New evidence suggests that horses were in the Americas independent of European contact. Some native nations have contended that horses have been around since time immemorial, but unfortunately oral traditions and traditional knowledge frequently aren’t regarded as legitimate until Western science validates these claims.
It now looks like archeology is catching up with what some Native nations have always known,
providing yet another example of how Indigenous knowledge and Native ways of knowing must be given equal consideration with
Knowledge from a Western scientific paradigm.
While this new evidence doesn’t confirm that horses have been in the Americas since time immemorial, it does demonstrate that the adoption of the horse is independent of European colonization.
“Native accounts contradicted the timeline centered on the Pueblo Revolt, suggesting some tribes had acquired horses much earlier, but “oral tradition was discounted,” says Comanche historian Jimmy Arterberry, a co-author of the Science study. “The end result has been to discredit the antiquity of the relationship between Native people and horses,” adds University of Colorado, Boulder, archaeologist William Taylor, also a co-author.”"
History is not there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from it. And if it offends you, even better. Because then you are less likely to repeat it. It’s not yours for you to erase or destroy.

09/06/2024

The last round of comments are due before BLM finalizes the Bald Mountain Mine (Juniper Project) expansion. You can find documents HERE. Publication of the Notice of Availability by the U.S. Enviro…

09/06/2024

This gentleman called to say he has excess feed for sale. Gunnar Garms 775-233-2282 Orchard grass with volunteer grain big bales trying to sell

02/06/2024

After five years of research, a new report shows that fertility control is a feasible alternative to feral horse management.

31/05/2024

Blue is incredibly excited about the developments at the Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center in Gardnerville. In 2007, the Historical Society created a beautiful exhibit of Nevada's Wild "Mustangs" in the museum's old brick building in downtown Gardnerville. The exhibit offers extensive information about the historical bands of wild horses, yet, unfortunately, much of it depicts horses from the Dayton area and the Virginia Range.

Our excitement matched Blue's when we were invited to participate in updating the exhibit to better represent our local historic bands of Mustangs. We are eager to assist in bringing their vision to fruition! The aim now is to enrich the display with more details about the Carson Valley's wild horse history.

Presently, there's a magnificent mural by renowned artist Beverly Caputo adorning the wall, featuring mountains and wild horses. However, it portrays pintos and Appaloosas, which are not representative of our local herds. We reached out to Beverly Caputo, who was enthusiastic about the idea of updating the mural. We are looking forward to the inclusion of Blue, Blondie, Brad Pitt, Socks, and Shorty in the new mural!

The project will require time and resources are scarce. One proposal is to install a large TV screen to showcase photos of our local horses, both contemporary and historical. Another feature will be an exhibit detailing the 1969 Hay-drop, when local ranchers rescued a group of 30 snowbound wild horses by fundraising with a winter-long hay airlift via helicopter. This national campaign raised significant funds to aid the starving wild horses hidden in the hills of Pine Nut Mountains. Prominent local rancher John Ascuaga of Nugget Casino and Jack's Valley Ranch, along with Justice of the Peace and mustang advocate Max Jones, who piloted the hay drops, led the effort, supported by donations of hay from local ranchers. Donations of time and money were received from the Sheriff's Posse, Ed and Jeanine Court Helicoptor service, Duane Mack, Don Parks, Herb Witt (local ranchers) Leanard Ludel, Harvey's Casino and so many more and the local children had bake sales to help the cause. It was an amazing effort.

Donations came in from every state in the nation and Canada. Our wild Mustangs brought the community and the nation together.

We will be appealing to any locals who may have old photos or other items that can tell the story of the history of the old mining and ranching days when the ancestors of our local wild horses were used to allow us to make copies.

HELP NEEDED:
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If you would like to donate to this project, you may donate at wildhorseadvocates.org (note that it is for the museum project) or mail a check to PNWHA, P.O. Box 2843, Gardnerville 88410 (again, please Note that it is for the Museum Project. You may even Zelle donations to [email protected] EVERY $10 donation will be truly appreciated! You also may donate direct to the Douglas County Historical Society.

All funds donated for this project will be used for this project and any excess will remain with the Carson Valley Douglas County Historical Society for continued upkeep of the museum.

Let's make this a wonderful exhibit our community can brag about, with photos from our local artist like John T. Humphrey - Photography, Cheryl Broumley Photography, Maria Marriott Photography, Mary Cioffi, Kim Steed, and more and a fun place to have an event and get-together when it is complete for all of us who have supported our wild horses of the Pine Nut Mountains.

31/05/2024

Oh my! This could be the photo of the year! Our friend, wildlife photographer superstar Misty O'Neil Epstein, was about 35 miles outside of Las Vegas photographing wild horses, when these two stallions engaged in a "You stay away from my family, and I'll stay away from yours" greeting. It didn't last long.

19/05/2024

I’m getting lots of solicitation for campaign funds. I’m responding:
“I’ll donate when you stop the Bureau of Land Management from rounding up our wild horses off our public land! Cut their funding 🌿”

30/04/2024

16/04/2024

31/03/2024

The range today. Not a good day to visit. Jeep trails are in bad shape! Only John Humphrey is out and took this photo so the rest of us would know to stay home!

19/03/2024

At every meeting where we join our opposition and discuss wild horses on public lands, they try to paint a picture of starving horses, serious overpopulation. and destruction of watering holes. They call it a "crisis." We will be the first to say that every range is not the same. There are areas where wild horses are getting fenced out of water sources and they must travel long distances from food to water. This is not every range, this is not our range. In the Pine Nut Mountains there is an abundance of water, even during drought conditions. We were told the Department of Wildlife asked some property owners to fence off their springs to prevent wild horses from accessing. In fact, some springs already were fenced with barbed wire. Fortunately, the other hat I wear is Realtor. I was blessed to be the listing agent to sell thousands of acres of off-grid properties where our wild horses roam in the Pine Nut Mountains of Nevada. Also, the second blessing was that the land was owned by fellow wild horse advocates, Chris and Camille Bently. This gave me an excellent opportunity to educate buyers about our wild horses without any of the usual fears of the seller telling me to just shut up and sell. They loved it when the buyers would keep the watering holes open for all wildlife.. Not only did they patiently wait for some buyers to come to the table as funds were donated to put the lands into conservation easements, but they then donated hundreds of acres to the cause, all the lands put into the conservation were blessed with springs and/or year around water. Some people complained I had a conflict and should not be listing these properties. I agree, I did. My love for our wild horses certainly made me take extra time to educate potential buyers about wild horses but also allowed me to but extra effort in attracting wild horse friendly buyers. The only one who could righteously be concerned about a conflict was the seller, and they did not appear to be troubled with this at all. For months I searched for these parcels of land, some with my truck, some with the jeep and the most difficult with the side by side. It was what I did wearing my real estate hat, but the discoveries of so much water in the hills was just surprising, as BLM had told our group there was not enough water in the hills to justify more than 26 horses together with wildlife. When I asked about that little untrue fact, they said they meant on BLM land. Most, certainly not all, of the water sources were on private property much was on BLM. The horses don't care who owns the land the water is on, as long as they have access.

The next conversation that is mentioned at every meeting is that wild horses claim ownership of the water sources and refuse to allow other wildlife to drink. This has been mentioned to me by many BLM representatives, wildlife people and hunters for years. I scratch my head with confusion. Certainly, the horses on the Fish Springs range cannot be the only well-mannered wild horses who don't mind sharing. Or perhaps it is because we always have an abundance of water.

Then I think about who our "experts" are and maybe this is something they are not seeing. Hunters study wildlife so they know how deer, elk or whatever else they are hunting travel. This way they know where to find them and where to set up their tree stand or blind. But they really have little interest in the actual family dynamics or behaviors. Wild horses have habits, rules and behaviors that are most likely reserved for them. Like wolf packs do, they have a huge family bond, and the band stallion takes his job as protector very serious. No one gets to mess with his family. They also have rankings, like wolves. Some members of the herd are higher ranking than others. Some individuals are higher ranking. If you observe long enough you can witness this. I watched a lead mare from one band walk hundreds of feet across the range to meet with another lead mare from a different band. Both mares were high ranking and they stood in the middle between the two bands, sniffing noses, and having a long discussion. It lasted a good ten minutes. No bachelors came to steal them, their band stallions did not snake them back home. It almost was if their was a decision to be made and the queens were discussing it. They turned and returned to their families and they lead the bands away in two different directions with the band stallion following behind. I found it unusual and remarkable. I had never seen this before or since. But unless you really knew the bands, like we do, it would have just seemed like two horses greeting each other. We don't really know what the discussion was about but later that night every band in the area appeared on the same hill on Blue's Ridge in Blue's valley. This is only remarkable because Blue never allowed any other bands in his valley at that time. Predators were active at that time and we lost over a dozen new foals in a matter of weeks. About 50 horses, including Shorty who always stayed to the south was present and the bachelors stayed on the perimeter of the herd. Was this a coincidence? This happened over and over for days, the bands spread out all day and joined on the ridge at sunset. Were they joining together to have more ears and eyes to watch out for the predator? Did the lead mares make this decision to protect their foals?

Wild horse advocates don't just study travel patterns and eating patterns, we study the family dynamics. Since we are not living in the herd, like a sheep herder, we truly believe there is so much more we are not noticing. But this small herd is the perfect size to observe and learn.

When wild horses go to drink at the watering hole the rules they live by are obeyed. If a low ranking band is drinking and a high ranking band appears, the low ranking band will allow the high ranking band to either share the watering hole or they will completely leave and stand to the side, returning when the high ranking band gets enough to drink. Yes, some days the high ranking band may decide to teach the low ranking band a lesson, and they will drink and take a long nap. The lower ranking band will also take a nap waiting for permission to drink. On a normal day one band may be at the water hole and other horses will approach. If it is a pond and they are the same ranking, one band will drink from one side and the other band on the other side. If they are a young bachelor band they are low ranking and annoying to the band stallion, they will not be permitted to even approach the pond.

Blue and Lady are very high ranking herd members. No matter how many horses are at the pond, if Blue and Lady appear, they make an opening and allow them to drink if they want to. As Blue gets older, a senior citizen, he may approach or he may stand on the hill if a high ranking band stallion is drinking to protect his mare.

For the most part, wild horses are like kids in kindergarten, they stand in line and take their turn for water. They are polite. I am sure they also expect other wildlife to obey their rule. They may move out of the way if a mountain lion was to approach, but they have been seen drinking side by side with coyotes, deer and antelope. I am equally certain that if there was a shortage of water, the high ranking stallion would not permit any other animals to drink until his family was done. That said, when I hear the story that wild horses do not allow other wildlife to drink, I have to pause and wonder. For how long? They won't stay there all day. They have to leave to go eat. So if the horses chased off the antelope because they broke the rule and came to water before it was their turn, does not make horses evil or are we just not understanding the dynamics of wild horse/wildlife behavior. Are they just teaching the deer and antelope the rules? We as wild horse observers have learned their rules. I hope hunters and BLM representatives read this and look a little closer for the actual wild horse behavior they are witnessing.

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