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Yahoo!In the past two centuries, America’s wild horse population has decreased from two million to fewer than 25,000. These shocking numbers are attributed to failed policies meant to protect the species along with limiting land allocations. An alarming number of wild horses are being driven off their public land by means such as helicopter roundups, leading them into government holding pens that do not ensure long-term survival for the animals. Along with affecting the wild horse population, taxpayers are suffering the consequences of the roundups; the current removal policy is costing more than $39 million in tax dollars per year.
Return to Freedom, a refuge for wild horses located in Lompoc, is devoted to “preserving the freedom, diversity, and habitat of America's wild horses through sanctuary, education, and conservation, while enriching the human spirit through direct experience with the natural world.” They provide a sprawling, 300-acre roaming ground for the 200 wild horses and burros they have rescued.
Return to Freedom is a part of the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, which is a coalition of organizations working together to execute responsible and ethical wild horse management policies. One of the organization’s monumental victories this year came on July 17 when the ROAM Act (Restoring Our American Mustangs) passed in the House of Representatives. ROAM bans helicopter roundups and will reclaim lost land for the wild horses.
To celebrate its ongoing success in the preservation of the wild horses of America, Return to Freedom will be holding a fundraiser on Saturday, September 26, at the Bella Vista Ranch in Carpinteria. The event will include performances, gourmet food, wine tasting by Wild Horse Winery and Sculpterra Winery, a silent auction, vendors, and activities for children. The event will be emceed by GaWaNi Pony Boy, a renowned horse behaviorist and an author of 10 best-selling books. All of the proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit Return to Freedom in its pursuit of wild horse conservation.
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Return to Freedom will be holding a fundraiser on Saturday, September 26, from 1-6 p.m. at the Bella Vista Ranch in Carpinteria. For more information, call 737-9246 or visit returntofreedom.org.
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This is and has been a very political subject that has gone for ages. Reducing the lands of the wild horses and stealing them from the Indians was a way to further decimate the Indian populations.
Moving the Indians to smaller and smaller locations, fencing areas where the horses roamed freely has taken its toll. Why? Because the ranchers and hunters think that the horses are over grazing on our Federal frazing areas. the many Asociations that have tried to protect these wild horses do need our cooperation and help.
Most of us in urban areas are not aware of this threat to wildlife.
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bajamama (anonymous profile)
September 16, 2009 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Now that I live in Nevada, I'd like to weigh in on this issue. There are some who would argue that most of the wild horses here in Nevada are not from the same gene pool as the horses from the 1800s. In other words, they are feral horses--formerly domestic horses gone wild. I've seen them several times, in the Virginia Range outside of Reno and in central NV near Eureka. I agree, they are beautiful magnificent creatures and are an important part of Nevada's heritage. On that basis, they truly represent wild Nevada. But are they deserving of the special status given by Nevada and Federal legislators? Not to be politically incorrect, but I am very skeptical.
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fhopson (anonymous profile)
September 17, 2009 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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