I Love Horses Day
Hold on to your horses! An annual "holiday" dedicated to equine lovers around the country is right around the corner! July 15 is I Love Horses Day! Yehaw!
America's Wild Horses in America Need Help
It is believed horses were brought to America by Spanish explorers in the 1500s and horses have been a part of American life ever since. And over the years, horses have been utilized for work, for play and for pleasure. But these iconic American symbols that once roamed free, face serious threats today.
More than 22 million acres of wild horse and burro habitat have been lost since 1971. Humanely controlling and managing the wild horse population is not an easy task. And according to the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, the efforts used to manage the population are alarming:
The federal government uses low-flying helicopters to "terrorize and stampede wild horses into trap pens" during round-ups. Injuries, abortions, trauma and death are often the result of these often secret, inhumane events.
Tight-knit members of families are often separated. Foals are separated from their mothers. Some are trampled to death.
Five out of eight wild horses are "stockpiled in government holding facilities."
Many horses and burros are forced to stand out in the sun with no shade or shelter despite record high temperatures.
At least 1,700 of these penned animals were sold for $10 each to a known horse slaughterer!
While the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claims a low mortality rate during the round-ups, the deaths are often attributed to "natural causes."
Since 1971, 270,000 of these beautiful animals have been removed from America's public lands.
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 required the "protection, management and control of wild free-roaming horses and burros on public lands." Congress declared the wild horses and burros as "living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West."
The number of wild horses roaming in the West has decreased by 98 percent since the 19th century. It is estimated only 32,000 wild horses roam free today. The mistreatment and mismanagement of these magnificent creatures is appalling and should not be condoned. Please help keep our wild horses free.
July 15 is also National Pet Fire Safety Day, National Be a Dork Day and National Respect Canada Day.