MAY 26, 2008
Jere has gotten both the fillies to eat out of the bucket, while he was holding it for them. They like the grain, probably for the molasses in it. This surprised us, as we thought they wouldn’t pay any attention to grain.
They will also stand still when someone comes into the pen. We have been spraying them with water in the afternoon, because it has been so hot. They seem to really like that on their rump, not on their head.
One of the main reasons we are enthusiastic about this project is that these wild horses are part of our heritage, here in the west. But for the Mustang, the iconic wild horses of America, the stakes are much higher.
The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) oversees the wild horses in ten states. They estimate they have over 33,000 Mustangs in these herds. In addition they have about 30,000 horses in holding facilities in several states that have been previously rounded up. In the past, people adopted 7,000 to 8,000 horses annually. But with the economy letdown, the adoption has slowed to only 3,000 horses so far this fiscal year. These figures are staggering. And even more staggering is the fact that the BLM will spend a majority of its annual budget—about $26 million of the $37 million—caring for the animals in captivity.
Now, the Mustang Heritage Foundation is stepping into the fray. They have created the Extreme Mustang Makeover in several different states and the excitement is growing. Both older horses that can be started riding and younger horses that will be shown in hand will be coming to the contest in Ft Worth, TX. There are cash prizes and scholarship money up for grabs by the trainers. But most importantly, this is your chance to adopt a part of the West and to get a really nice well trained horse in the bargain. These Mustangs can be adopted in a silent auction on September 20, 2008 at Ft Worth. If you are interested, please contact us and we can give you details.