| Story and Photo by Laura Leigh, |
| Horseback Magazine Special Correspondent, |
 RENO, (Horseback) – I have spent literally thousands of hours on the road trying to document the hands-on care of America’s National Treasure, the wild horse by the agency tasked by Congress to manage these beings “humanely.” |
My travels have included documenting wild horses on the range, at roundups and holding facilities. |
I do this work because I am passionate about the subject. These animals speak to my soul. The convoluted process that has them literally trapped both fascinates and disgusts me. |
When I am at roundups, or facilities that house our horses, I may express my opinions but I am never “out-of-line.” I obey rules, no matter how ridiculous. |
At the Silver King roundup I was “grabbed” hard by a beautiful Albino stallion. His gaze was riveting. When he shipped we followed him from Pioche, Nevada all the way to Gunnison Prison in Utah. |
As I inquired about his adoption, to go to sanctuary with some of the others, I exchanged emails with a woman I met once. |
Dona Bastian runs the BLM facility at Gunnison. |
In the course of her emails to me she told me I had to make sure to tell them when I was coming to pick up the stallion. She informed me that they needed to notify SWAT. |
I need a application for adoption and also payment before the animals are
picked up. Do you have an approved adoption application? I know you said
you was working on it with John Neil. Also, the pickup is by appointment
only. We have to have a clearance, and also SWAT notified in advance.
Let me know!
Thanks,
~* Dona *~ |
Dona A. Bastian
Wildhorse & Burro Specialist
Gunnison Prison Facility Manager
Utah State Office |
BLM Investigated About Horses At Slaughter Auction |
Wild horses are federally protected and cannot be sold in slaughter auctions. Feral domestic horses are not covered by the same laws. The two groups can look identical. |
Animal advocates and Congress want the Bureau of Land Management to explain the criteria they use to determine which horse gets to live and which horse will die. |
BLM’s policy came under fire after 172 mustangs from the 2010 Nevada roundups were sent to a slaughter auction in July. The auction was attended by buyers from slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. Animal advocates say the horses are federally protected mustangs. |
"From my earliest memories, I have loved horses with a longing beyond words." ~ Robert Vavra
