While our nation’s wild horses usually take center stage, there is another special wild equine who deserves to share the spotlight; the wild burro!
Small but mighty, the wild burro has thrived in the deserts of the American west for hundreds of years. The species, originating in Africa, was brought to America by the Spanish in the 1500s. Since then, donkeys have helped build our country into what we know it as today. Particularly during the gold rush, these animals were used for transportation across the arid landscape of the American deserts as prospectors and their families flocked west in search of gold.
It is important to note that once a wild burro loses its wild status, it becomes a donkey.
This includes wild burros impacted by government roundups today. Immediately following removal by the BLM, our nation’s wild beauties become mere numbers of the global donkey population. Unfortunately, this can put them at risk of inhumane trade markets, like the Ejiao industry, overseas.
Wild burros and donkeys are incredibly intelligent creatures, and due to this, are often stereotyped as stubborn. However, these animals focus on the safety of themselves and those around them by choosing to walk a fine line between curiosity and concern. They rely on natural instinct to prioritize their responses, leading them simply to not do what they sense could lead to a dangerous outcome. Donkeys are also great protectors, making them the perfect companion for a horse or a herd of livestock.
Surprisingly, donkeys can tolerate water loss up to 30% of their own body weight; this is compared to the 10% that humans can face before extreme dehydration occurs. Additionally, these animals have a great digestive system that can process the rough vegetation of the desert without complication. Subsequently, wild burros of the American west thrive in their environments, as they were naturally built to survive in these arid landscapes.
Donkeys are truly amazing creatures, and they need our attention more than ever. We at WBF advocate for American wild burros and our global donkey population, and we hope you will too. These incredible animals need our voices to champion for their protection.
Quiet, patient, and gentle — few domestic animals are more charming or have occupied a more practical role in human civilization than the donkey. But did you know millions of donkeys are slaughtered annually to produce a product called ejiao?
The demand for ejiao, a gelatin made from boiled donkey hide, is rapidly increasing in countries like China and Africa. The ejiao market is leading to the decimation of the global donkey population. This inhumane industry puts our wild burros at risk of being rounded up and sold to potential kill buyers looking to make profit overseas.
Ejiao is used in cosmetic products and for medicinal uses that, despite scientifically unproven, are said to treat dizziness, insomnia, and dry cough. Studies show that gelatins manufactured from ejiao are unnecessary in the production of these products, as ingredients from other sources such as plants, can be used instead.
Last year, congressman Don Beyer of Virginia introduced the Ejiao Act (H.R. 5203) that would prohibit the sale or transport of ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce. This bill would allow the donkey population to heal and take first steps to end the trade of ejiao for good.
This Week’s Call To Action
Write your Members of Congress and Urge them to Support H.R. 5203 aka “The Ejiao Act”
The Ejiao industry is threatening our global donkey population, and our American wild burros are being put at risk. Contact your local members of Congress and urge them to support The Ejiao Act and the protection of donkeys and wild burros.
You can send a letter directly through our Call to Action by clicking the “Take Action” button below. This form will send a pre-written email to your local members of Congress, educating them on the importance of shutting down the trade of Ejiao and urging them to support that the bill is passed into law. We encourage you to add your own comments to this email to personalize it before sending.
You can also share this important cause with your friends on social media by using the hashtag, #IStandWithWildBurros .
We must not forget to love and advocate for these beautiful equines.
A Still from upcoming documentary, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Wild Beauty to Screen at St.Louis International Film Festival
If you are in the St.Louis area, be sure to secure your tickets to Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, screening at the St.Louis International Film Festival! Wild Beauty premieres on Monday, November 7th at 2:30 at the Plaza Frontenac Cinema.
We are extremely proud to bring our documentary to audiences in Missouri and show them the beauty and strength of wild horses in the American west. We hope that by bringing the plight of these animals to screens across the country, we will grow the wild horse advocacy community and bring insight to those who may not know the struggles that wild horses are facing. As Wild Beauty continues its film festival run, keep an eye on our website and social media platforms; new dates and locations are being announced often!
Fifty Triple B Mares Treated with Fertility Control Released
This week, 50 mares from the Triple B complex were released back into the wild after being treated with two doses of GonaCon fertility control treatment. The BLM captured 1,897 horses from this complex this summer during a roundup ending on August 25. Now, some selected mares have been given their freedom back.
The BLM faced considerable backlash as a result of 23 wild horse deaths during the roundup efforts. Sadly, many deaths were from very young foals forced to run for miles due to low flying helicopters chasing them to exhaustion. Several other deaths occurred from broken necks as horses fought to escape the traumatizing gather pens, and from BLM euthanasia due to blindness, old age, and other non-life threatening reasons. This is heartbreaking, as these horses deserved to live out the rest of their lives, no matter how long that may be, wild and free.
The fertility control method that these mares were treated with is highly controversial, as it has been scientifically proven to shrivel ovaries, leading to permanent infertility. This irreversible sterilization is promoted as “reversible fertility control” by the BLM, though scientists and veterinarians maintain otherwise. It is unknown if these wild mares will be able to reproduce again, though we hope that they do not fall victim to the irreversibility of this treatment.
Despite regaining their freedom, these mares have lost their close family members and overall band structures. They are now left without stallions and young foals that provide a diverse herd dynamic within the range. We must hold the BLM accountable for tracking the location of where these mares were captured and urging that they release them back into their home area so that they have a chance of reuniting with lost family members.
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Avianah Abrahams
Joining us this year for our Second Annual Short Story Contest as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader is young actor Avianah Abrahams!
Born in South Africa, Avianah Abrahams is best known for her role as Anna Sewell in 2020’s Black Beauty for Disney+. She continues to collect acting credits, most recently as young Claire in Escape Room 2: Tournament of Champions and Caitlyn in the tv series, Lioness.
We are delighted to have Avianah read one of our winning stories this year and thank her for lending her voice to this competition and the protection of wild horses.
Submit your writings soon; the final deadline has been extended to November 15th, 2022!
Don’t wait! The deadline to enter our Short Story Contest is only a couple weeks away! Submit your short stories now so they can be considered by our wonderful panel of judges.
To learn more about the short story contest or submit your entry, visit our website!
Less than Two Weeks Left to Submit your Short Stories!
We have been receiving many wonderful submissions to our 2nd annual Short Story Contest over the last few weeks. Don’t wait! All entries must be submitted by the extended deadline, November 15th, 2022 to be considered. We cannot wait to read your creative stories about wild horses, and look forward to them being read aloud by equine-loving celebrities as we announce the winners!
Our 2022 Short Story Contest theme is “Connection & Wild Horses”. In order to give your writing authenticity, we encourage you to do your research on their family dynamics and interactions. You can find great information on our “Issues at Hand” page, here. The creative possibilities are endless and we wish you all good luck as you finish writing your stories!
Winning stories will be read aloud by one of our amazing equine loving celebrities from tv shows and movies such as Black Beauty, Heartland, and many more! We also have a selection of exciting wild horse themed prizes for our grand prize winners and finalists, featuring books, jewelry, art, and gift boxes from our wonderful friends in the wild horse world!
We at WBF thank you for standing with wild horses and using your creativity to champion for their protection. The next generation is essential in keeping our wild horses free for years to come.
Stone Cabin Wild Horse Complex Environmental Assessment Continues to Accept Public Comments
The BLM is still accepting public comments on the environmental assessment proposed for the Stone Cabin Complex outside of Nye, Nevada. You can find the BLM’s full press release here. We urge you to submit your comments so voices of wild horse advocates can be considered.
This complex is home to approximately 930 wild horses, and according to this assessment the BLM would reduce the complex down to only 404 wild horses total. There is over 542,000 acres of public land within this complex, which is more than enough land for upwards of 400 horses. WBF supports that the BLM’s “Appropriate Management Levels” are not based on science and most favor the desires of special interests, such as livestock grazing. We cannot let these special interests control how wild horses are managed and protected on our public lands. Those lands are for everyone to enjoy, not profit by large corporations.
This Environmental Assessment also proposes the use of fertility control methods such as gelding stallions and implementing IUDs for mares, which are irreversible and potentially damaging to natural dynamics of the herd. We believe that any fertility control methods used on the range must be scientifically tested and proven to be reversible, in order to prevent a complete eradication of wild horse populations across our west.
The public review and comment period is open until November 23rd, 2022. We urge those passionate about protecting wild horses to contact the BLM and express their thoughts regarding this assessment. Data and information is highly encouraged to be included. We thank you, wild horses thank you. #IStandWithWildHorses
“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.”
–Eeyore (A.A. Milne)
This week we honor and celebrate our nation’s wild burros. These lasting symbols of the construction of the American west deserve our appreciation. Stand with WBF, and stand with these magical equines by urging your members of congress to pass the Ejiao Act and by sharing the story of wild burros with your friends by using #IStandWithWildBurros.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the twenty fourth edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of October 29th, 2022
Wild Beauty Takes Home Awards at DOC LA Film Festival
Our most recent screening of Wild Beauty was at the prestigious Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival (DOC LA), organized by the Parajanov-Vartanov Institute. DOC LA showcases stunning examples of documentary filmmaking in both world and American cinema. The festival was held last weekend, with Wild Beauty receiving two major awards. Ashley Avis was awarded Best Director and Kai Krause, for Best Cinematography. We are so proud to see the overwhelming response Wild Beauty is receiving on the film festival circuit; our wild ones deserve this spotlight.
Wild Beauty Producer, Richard Avis, attended the screening of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West and hosted a Q&A following the film where audience members learned more about the plight of wild horses in our country. There were several wild horse advocates in the audience, and we thank them for attending and supporting Wild Beauty. We believe that initiating conversation about the cause is a great way to work toward solutions. This is why we at WBF urge you to advocate by using #IStandWithWildHorses to tell your stories of wild beauty.
As Wild Beauty continues to make an impact in cities across the U.S. we would like to thank all of you who have supported this film and our mission to protect America’s wild horses.
Three weeks have passed since the massacre in the Apache Sitgreaves forest. Volunteers have found 38 horses dead, leaving 12 missing. Simone Netherlands of Salt River Wild Horse Management Group reports that horses from different bands are beginning to regroup and find safety in the surviving herd members after this tragedy.
The reward for information concerning the shooting currently stands at $35,000. We at WBF want to see the individual(s) responsible for this crime brought to justice, and that begins with contacting Arizona officials and expressing concerns. Wild horse advocates fear that these absolutely inhumane actions will continue to occur if we do not speak out and demand further investigation.
On October 26th, the Forest Service issued a press release regarding these events. In the statement, The Forest Service reports that they do not have investigatory jurisdiction over livestock in the state of Arizona. Unfortunately, due to the Forest Service’s false narratives that these horses are feral, despite a history of living wild in the forest for hundreds of years, they are unable to follow through with proper investigation themselves. This is yet another reason that we must fight for the label of “unauthorized livestock” to be removed from wild horses on our public lands. Fortunately, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests have been supporting the investigation. Our wild ones deserve better protection and we can’t reach this unless the Forest Service, the BLM, and the individuals benefiting from private interests are held accountable for their false narratives.
At this time, the Apache County Sheriff has not issued any updates on the investigation. We urge the county sheriff’s office to speak publicly on the massacre against the Alpine wild horses, especially now that a public statement has been made by the Forest Service. The public deserves to be updated on how officials are handling this situation and what developments are being made.
In the meantime, you can continue to express your concerns for the safety of remaining wild horses in this area by contacting the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest Supervisor’s Office below:
Judith Palmer
30 S. Chiricahua Dr. Springerville, AZ 85938
(928) 333-6280
or by contacting the Public Affairs Officer, Jeffrey Todd at
(928) 333-6263
We at WBF are frustrated with the Forest Service’s lack of commitment to this investigation and we hope to see changes made as we continue to speak out.
Stone Cabin Wild Horse Complex Environmental Assessment Open for Public Comment
This week the BLM began accepting public comment on the environmental assessment proposed for the Stone Cabin Complex outside of Nye, Nevada. You can find the BLM’s full press release here.
This complex includes the Stone Cabin and Saulsbury Herd Management Areas that are home to approximately 930 wild horses. According to the proposed Environmental Assessment, the BLM plans to reduce the complex to a mere 404 wild horses total living on over 542,000 acres of public land. WBF supports that there is no scientific backing to the BLM’s “Appropriate Management Levels” and most reflect low numbers that favor the desires of special interests, such as livestock grazing.
This Environmental Assessment also proposes the use of fertility control methods such as gelding and IUDs, which are irreversible and potentially damaging to natural herd dynamics. We believe that the only fertility control methods implemented must prove to be reversible, in order to prevent a complete eradication of wild horse populations across our west.
Submit a Public Comment on the Environmental Assessment of the Stone Cabin Complex
When given the opportunity, it is extremely important to express your opinions on how our wild horses are managed directly to the Bureau of Land Management. This is the best way to have your voice heard when it comes to future protection of wild horses.
The public review and comment period is open until November 23rd, 2022. We urge those passionate about protecting wild horses to contact the BLM and express their thoughts regarding this assessment. Data and information is highly encouraged to be included. We thank you, wild horses thank you. #IStandWithWildHorses
Ashley Avis Studies Wild Horses During the Production of Wild Beauty
Wild Horses Grace Leading Entertainment Publication, Variety
We thank Variety for publishing a story on Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West this week. Wild Beauty director and WBF founder, Ashley Avis, spoke with Variety about how her research for Black Beauty (Disney+) lit the flame for her passion and dedication to saving America’s greatest symbols of freedom.
Avis explains the importance of bringing wild horses into the spotlight and the ripple effects that she hopes follow the film’s release. Through Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, truths about wild horse management are revealed that prove to be shocking to those who care about our wild world. You can read the full article from Variety here.
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Max Raphael
Joining us again this year for our Second Annual Short Story Contest as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader is actor Max Raphael!
Max began acting at an early age, starring in A Plague Tale: Innocence, Slaughterhouse Rulez, and School’s Out Forever. He is best known for his role as James in Disney+’s Black Beauty. Max recently booked the role as Festus Creed in the Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds in Snakes that is set to be released in 2023.
We are excited to have Max read one of our winning stories this year and thank him for lending his voice to the wild horse cause.
Submit your writings soon; the deadline has been extended to November 15th, 2022!
Short Story Contest Reminder!
We have been receiving many wonderful submissions to our 2nd annual Short Story Contest over the last few weeks! We encourage you to get your entries in soon, you don’t want to be late! All entries must be submitted by the extended deadline, November 15th, 2022 to be considered.
Our 2022 Short Story Contest theme is “Connection & Wild Horses”. Make sure to do your research on wild horses and their interactions to give your writing authenticity. The creative possibilities are endless, and we look forward to reading all of your imaginative stories as we select a winner!
Winning stories will be read aloud by one of our amazing equine loving celebrities from tv shows and movies such as Black Beauty, Heartland, and many more! We also have a selection of exciting wild horse themed prizes for our grand prize winners and finalists, featuring books, jewelry, art, and gift boxes from our wonderful friends in the wild horse world!
Wild horses present themselves as walking shadows at sunset. Though beautiful at any time of day, the simplistic beauty of the outline of a wild horse is unmatched. Kimerlee Curyl captures this elegance in her photograph of four Outer Banks wild horses, titled “12th Night”.
“The farther we’ve gotten from the magic and mystery of our past, the more we’ve come to need Halloween”
– Paula Guran
As we celebrate Halloween, we reflect on the magic that surrounds us every day. Wild horses are truly magical and it’s a mystery why someone would want to take their beauty away. Happy Halloween from WBF.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the twenty third edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of October 22nd, 2022
Short Story Contest Entry Deadline Extended
We have officially extended the submission period for our 2nd annual Short Story Contest! In order to give children & teens a bit more time to craft their best stories, we are now allowing entries until November 15th, 2022.
Top stories will be read aloud by TV & Movie stars on social media, plus receive other amazing prizes! Thank you for using your creativity to stand with wild horses.
Extended Entry Deadline: November 15th, 2022
A still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
More Updates on the Alpine Wild Horses
It has been approximately two weeks since the alpine wild horse herd suffered a horrifying massacre that claimed the lives of wild horses in the Apache Sitgreaves forest. Since last week, fifteen more horses were found dead by volunteers searching the forest for evidence. This brings the total number of deaths to 35, with 15 still unaccounted for and presumed dead. There are many young foals without parents and bands without lead mares and stallions, so it is assumed that these missing horses have also been shot as wild horses do not abandon their family in this way.
The reward for information concerning the shooting currently stands at $35,000. We at WBF hope the individual(s) responsible for this crime are brought to justice. Without conviction, similar crimes might be committed without the fear of implications. Our wild horses do not deserve to be the targets of their offenses.
So far, the Apache County Sheriff has not issued any updates on the investigation. We urge the county sheriff’s office to speak publicly on the massacre against the Alpine wild horses, the public deserves to know how officials are handling this situation and what developments are being made.
Some good news on the Alpine wild horses is that 65 of the 80 horses captured during recent roundups are confirmed to have found safe, reputable homes. These adopters were in contact with the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group who worked to get the horses into secure homes through individuals and sanctuaries. Though the adopters of the other 15 horses are unknown, we hope that these horses have been given refuge as well.
This Week’s Call To Action
Write to Congress and Urge them to Investigate and Bring Criminal Charges to those Involved in the Alpine Wild Horse Massacre.
We urge you to help the State of Arizona, and the wild horses of the Alpine herd..
This month, a historic herd of wild horses in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest known as the Alpine herd was targeted with fatal shootings by an unknown assailant. Thirty five horses have already been found dead, with fifteen still missing.
The Forest Service deems the Alpine horses as “stray livestock,” and therefore has no intention of abiding by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which affords all wild equines a measure of legal protections.
The shocking reality is: this is not the first time a horrific shooting has happened in this same forest — A nearby herd of federally protected wild horses, the Heber herd, has also been targeted with shootings in the past few years, with at least 40 horses killed since 2018 without an individual being brought to justice.
Please stand with these horses now, and send a message to your State Representative and Federal Members of Congress. We must act immediately as this is unfolding.
You can easily write to your Members of Congress using the automated form below, and can customize your message if you would like.
We’ve received hundreds of signatures on this petition so far, and must keep our momentum going to help save the Alpine horses.
To further help the State of Arizona, you can call:
Senator Mark Kelly: 602-671-7901 / 202-224-2235
Senator Kyrsten Sinema: 602-598-7327 / 202-224-4521
According to the advocacy group Advocates for Wild Equines (A.W.E.), on October 20th, 2022, sixteen wild horses were found shot on Bureau of Land Management land in southern Utah. These horses were outside of a Herd Management Area, therefore not federally protected by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The bodies were found just outside the Navajo reservation, where two Navajo men reported them to authorities. It is unknown at this time if they were reservation horses, escaped ranch horses, or truly wild horses who migrated to this area.
The San Juan County Sheriff, Jason Torgerson, reported a small number of live wild horses were still in the area and he voiced concern that they may be targeted. In order to prevent this, Utah officials are looking into finding homes for the remaining wild horses if they ultimately need to be removed from the area.
WBF finds it alarming that atrocities like the recent mass killings of our country’s wild horses seem to be ramping up. We must continue to urge local law enforcement and agencies involved to treat these incidents as serious crimes deserving of serious investigation. We are grateful for the hard work and leadership of A.W.E. in bringing this tragic story to national attention and their dedication in seeking justice for the horses who lost their lives.
Last week, the first Free-Roaming Equid Ecosystem Sustainability summit open to the public occurred in Saint George, Utah. In past years, organizers of the summit excluded wild horse advocates, instead inviting only groups and individuals who oppose wild horses on public lands. This year, organizers reached out and invited members of the advocacy community, including Scott Beckstead, program director for the Wild Beauty Foundation.
Scott reports that while the conversations were based on flawed assumptions about supposed “over populations” of wild horses, there were good opportunities for advocates to present the viewpoint of those who want livestock limited on wild horse habitat and healthy populations of wild horses thriving on public land, free of helicopter roundups and other inhumane management practices. Perhaps more promising were the many constructive conversations between advocates, agency staff, and industry groups to find common ground and reach new understandings. Beckstead reports the organizers expressed their appreciation for his input throughout the event and promised to invite advocates back again to next year’s summit.
We are encouraged by the BLM’s steps toward transparency by releasing these images in a timely manner. WBF supports that your voices as advocates in our Wheatland Call to Action were heard and ultimately pressured the BLM to take this action. Unfortunately, these photos were taken in the feedlots during feeding so we are unable to see the behaviors of the horses outside of this time. We hope to see more photos like this released more often, preferably where the public can see how the wild horses spend their days in these facilities.
Thank you for signing our WBF Petition a few weeks ago in a request for transparency – your voices have been heard.
A still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Wild Beauty Continues on the Film Festival Circuit
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West continues to grace the silver screen in major cities across the country. This week saw Wild Beauty in Utah for the Red Rock Film Festival, and California for Newport Beach Film Festival and DOC LA. Scott Beckstead and Erik Molvar, both experts who appear in the film, were on hand at the Red Rocks Film Festival to answer questions and speak with audience members about wild horses and their plight.
We look forward to Wild Beauty’s upcoming screenings in Missouri for the St. Louis International Film Festival on November 7th and Florida for the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival on November 10th! If you are interested in seeing our elegant documentary on our nation’s wild horses in person, we encourage you to get tickets to these upcoming festivals. Be sure to check our website often as we announce new premiere dates, we could be coming to a city near you soon!
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Fern Deacon
Joining us again this year for our Second Annual Short Story Contest as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader is actor Fern Deacon!
Born in Hampshire, England, Fern has made quite a name for herself in television and film. Fern has starred as Chloe in Ackley Bridge and Agnes in Hetty Feather since 2017. Additionally, she is known as Georgina Winthorp in Disney+ Black Beauty.
We are delighted to have Fern read one of our winning stories this year and thank her for lending her voice in support of our nation’s wild horses.
Don’t wait! The entry deadline is November 15th, 2022 so be sure to get your stories in now so they can be considered by our wonderful panel of judges. To learn more about the short story contest or submit your story, visit our website!
Last Week to Shop our Wild Wild Halloween Collection
You can share your love of wild horses this spooky season with items from the Wild Beauty Boutique for a limited time. Show off your “favorite nightmare” or “Wild horse lover costume” all while supporting WBF. Our limited edition Halloween apparel will only be available for one more week, so make sure to order now before they are gone forever!
To love; to love each other, to love all live, and to love our Earth”
– Anthony Douglas Williams
October 22nd, 2022 is National Make a Difference Day. We at WBF encourage you to make a difference by standing with wild horses this week. Whether it’s by sending a letter to lawmakers, signing an online petition, or donating to a nonprofit like The Wild Beauty Foundation, we thank you for making a difference for our wild horses and the generations to follow that will be able to witness their wild beauty.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the twenty second edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of October 15th, 2022
Our 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Entry Deadline is Approaching!
Do you know a kid or teen who loves wild horses and enjoys writing creative stories? Tell them to enter our 2nd Annual Short Story Contest!
We have a little more than two weeks before entries close, so there is still time to submit your writing for a chance to win!
Our 2022 Short Story Contest theme is “Connection & Wild Horses”, further illuminating the beauty of a wild horse bond. Write an original short story about the connection between two wild horses, a wild horse and a human, or any creative connection that a wild horse might form.
You could write about encountering a wild horse out on the range yourself, or focus on wild horse families. Your story could be in first person, like Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty, or it could be third person.
The creative possibilities are endless. Make sure to do your research to learn about wild horses to give your story extra authenticity!
Once your story is complete, we encourage you to post about it on social media. Tag WBF and use our hashtags for a chance to get featured on our channels! The more you post, the more we can raise awareness for wild horses who need help today.
Winning stories will be selected by a delightful panel of judges and read aloud by one of our amazing equine loving celebrities! We also have a selection of exciting wild horse themed prizes for our grand prize winners and finalists, so be sure to get your stories in soon so you can be eligible to win!
We at WBF thank you for standing with wild horses and using your voice to champion for their protection. We thank you, wild horses thank you.
Updates on the Alpine Wild Horses
It has been a week since the horrific massacre of the Alpine wild horses. Since then, Salt River Wild Horse Management’s official count has found 20 deceased horses, with 30 still missing. These horrible acts of brutality against our nation’s wild horses must come to an end.
Those investigating this shooting suspect that there were multiple shooters and a driver, considering the amount of horses found deceased in one area. They believe the perpetrators knew the habits of these wild horses and used their knowledge to an advantage. It was also revealed that they illegally killed a bull elk on the property during the same time, even opening and closing cattle gates to access different areas of the forest.
A $25,000 reward is currently being offered for information leading to the conviction of the assailants. Advocates are currently on the ground monitoring the situation and searching for missing horses. We must not let these dangerous individuals get away with such a horrible attack on the wild ones of our country.
This Week’s Call To Action
Write to Congress and Urge them to Stop the Massacre of the Alpine Herd, Investigate, and Bring Criminal Charges to those Involved.
We urge you to help the State of Arizona, and the wild horses of the Alpine herd..
Last week, a historic herd of wild horses in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest known as the Alpine herd was targeted with fatal shootings by an unknown assailant. Twenty horses have already been found dead, with at least thirty still missing.
The Forest Service deems the Alpine horses as “stray livestock,” and therefore has no intention of abiding by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which affords all wild equines a measure of legal protections.
The shocking reality is: this is not the first time a horrific shooting has happened in this same forest — A nearby herd of federally protected wild horses, the Heber herd, has also been targeted with shootings in the past few years, with at least 40 horses killed since 2018 without an individual being brought to justice.
Please stand with these horses now, and send a message to your State Representative and Federal Members of Congress. We must act immediately as this is unfolding.
You can easily write to your Members of Congress using the automated form below, and can customize your message if you would like.
We’ve received hundreds of signatures on this petition so far, and must keep our momentum going to help save the Alpine horses.
To further help the State of Arizona, you can call:
Senator Mark Kelly: 602-671-7901 / 202-224-2235
Senator Kyrsten Sinema: 602-598-7327 / 202-224-4521
The Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act Introduced by Lawmakers
On October 7th, 2022 a new bipartisan wild horse protection bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives. The Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 brings amendments to the 1971 legislation of the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Introduced by US Reps. Raúl Grijalva, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources; David Schweikert, Joe Neguse, Steve Cohen, Dina Titus, and Brian Fitzpatrick, this bill would protect wild horses from entering the slaughter pipeline, put a focus on humane management, and promote partnerships with nonprofits and American veterans to better manage the American west’s wild horses. Additionally, the bill would work on restoring western rangeland and increase the Bureau of Land Management’s transparency in their wild horse and burro programs.
This piece of legislation is a much needed revision to The Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, and aims to close any loopholes that the BLM has found since its introduction. Any additional protections to our wild horses and their management is extremely important, and we must let our Members of Congress know that. Now that this bill has been introduced, be sure to let your lawmakers know they should support it and the conservation of our wild world. We at WBF look forward to supporting this bill too, and seeing it through to its passage.
Indian Lakes Holding Facility Offering Public Tours
In last week’s newsletter we covered the completed roundup of the Calico Complex wild horses. The captured horses have since been shipped to Indian Lakes Off-Range Holding Facility in Fallon, Nevada. Indian Lakes, called Broken Arrow at the time, came under fire in 2010 after a roundup of the same complex; with mass deaths at the facility causing public outcry. Horses were left to starve, and suffer from injuries caused by the roundups and/or separation from their families.
Now, in 2022, the Calico Complex wild horses are being rounded up and shipped to this facility for holding again. Incarcerated with the Calico horses are those from the Triple B HMA of Nevada. The Triple B roundup was the first WBF was able to witness live and capture for our Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West Documentary. These horses are dear to our hearts and we hate to see them exposed to the potentially inhumane treatment that occurs in these facilities.
This week, the BLM announced the second public tour of this facility this year, slated for November 4th, 2022. The tour is free for anyone to attend and will provide great public insight into the conditions of the horses in this facility. Since Indian Lakes is privately owned, it is closed to the public until BLM scheduled events open the doors. This can lead to a lack of transparency between the BLM and the public who have a right to know how wild horses from their public lands are being managed and treated behind closed doors. Photography is also welcome during this tour, which is encouraging to hear.
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Calam Lynch
Joining us again this year for our Second Annual Short Story Contest as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader is actor Calam Lynch!
Calam grew up in England and began acting in stage productions during his college years at Oxford. This led him to a career in acting after booking a role in Dunkirk in 2016. In 2020, Calam starred as George Winthorp, a competitive equestrian empathetic for horses in the Disney+ film, Black Beauty. He is also known for Benediction, Derry Girls, and most recently as Theo Sharpe in Bridgerton.
We are so glad to have Calam back as a celebrity reader this year, and look forward to hearing him read one of our finalists’ incredible stories!
Submit your writings soon; the deadline to enter is only a couple weeks away!
The entry deadline is October 31st, 2022 so be sure to get your stories in now so they can be considered by our wonderful panel of judges. To learn more about the short story contest or submit your story, visit our website!
Don’t Forget to Check Out our Wild Wild Halloween Collection!
To celebrate spooky season and all things wild horses, we have a new limited edition line of Halloween apparel from The Wild Beauty Boutique! Perfect for a night of spellbinding celebrations or taking the family out to trick or treat, you can show your support of wild horses anywhere your witch’s broom takes you!
Our limited edition Halloween shirts are available in both adult and kids sizes, so the whole family can show their support for wild horses!
Check out the new Wild Wild Halloween collection from The Wild Beauty Boutique before they’re gone!
An Onaqui mustang stands regaly, overlooking the wild world he calls his home in Sahna Foley’s gorgeous photo. We thank her for sharing this glimpse into wildness with us and for being a passionate advocate for the protection of our wild beauties.
“Wild Beauty weaves together the intoxicating beauty of our wild world with the horrifying realities that exist due to special interests. / Their existence on the lands they call home enrich our lives and future generations, simply, by being wild and free. Protecting wildlife will forever be up to us”
– Kimerlee Curyl
We at WBF appreciate Kimerlee’s kind words on our documentary, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West. Her inspiring advocacy continues to influence change and nurture appreciation for our wild world.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the twenty first edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of October 8th, 2022
Shadows of a wild horse herd from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Next Week: Utah Premiere of Wild Beauty at the Red Rock Film Festival
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West will be making its Utah debut at the Red Rock Film Festival on October 14th! If you are in the Cedar City, Utah area you won’t want to miss the chance to watch Wild Beauty on the silver screen.
After the screening, Erik Molvar and Scott Beckstead will speak on wild horse advocacy and environmental protection as well as answer questions from the audience on these topics.
As Wild Beauty continues its run on the film festival circuit, we thank each and every one of you for standing with wild horses and showing your support for our film. Be sure to keep up with www.wildbeautyfoundation.org regularly to find screenings near you; new locations continue to be added!
Massacre of the Alpine Wild Horses
Unfortunately, another senseless tragedy comes out of the Apache Sitgreaves Forest this week. Simone Netherlands, President of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group stated that volunteers with SRWHMG had found at least 13 Alpine wild horses shot to death, at least 10 missing and believed to be dead, and at least four that have been shot in the face, neck/and or bellies but are still alive and suffering.
Several foals have lost their mothers and are relying on the protection of other band members, undoubtedly putting stress on the dynamics of this herd.
We covered the auction of previously captured Alpine wild horses in last week’s newsletter after SRWHMG expressed their concern that the wild horses they so closely managed were subject to unreputable bidders. Due to their consideration as “feral” by the U.S. Forest Service, there are no limitations on slaughter. Advocates are calling for better protection of the Alpine wild horses and support that they be managed under the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
WBF had the opportunity to behold these alluring wild horses while filming Wild Beauty, and our hearts break seeing the mistreatment that this herd has been subjected to recently. We hope that the individual(s) responsible for these terrible acts of brutality against our nation’s wild horses are found and prosecuted.
This Week’s Call To Action
Write to Congress and Urge them to Stop the Massacre of the Alpine Herd, Investigate, and Bring Criminal Charges to those Involved.
We urge you to help the State of Arizona, and the wild horses of the Alpine herd..
Two days ago, a historic herd of wild horses in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest known as the Alpine herd has been targeted with fatal shootings by an unknown assailant.
The Forest Service deems the Alpine horses as “stray livestock,” and therefore has no intention of abiding by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which affords all wild equines a measure of legal protections.
The shocking reality is: this is not the first time a horrific shooting has happened in this same forest — A nearby herd of federally protected wild horses, the Heber herd, has also been targeted with shootings in the past few years, with at least 40 horses killed since 2018 without an individual being brought to justice.
Please stand with these horses now, and send a message to your State Representative and Federal Members of Congress. We must act immediately as this is unfolding.
Write to Members of Congress using the form below, and to further help the State of Arizona, you can call:
Senator Mark Kelly: 602-671-7901 / 202-224-2235
Senator Kyrsten Sinema: 602-598-7327 / 202-224-4521
Your Voices Have Been Heard: Wheatland Holding Updates
The power of our collective voices has proved to be fundamental in the fight for transparency at the Wheatland, Wyoming private off-range holding facility. We thank each of you who tirelessly contacted the BLM and signed our online advocacy form. Your convincing voices led to great change for the wild horses being held in this facility and a win for wild horse advocates across our country.
In last week’s newsletter we urged the BLM to release a public statement on the conditions at the facility as well as allow photographers and a non-affiliated veterinarian to evaluate horses in holding. It seems that the BLM has followed through with these requests and has since promised the following plans.
Additionally, the Public Affairs Specialist is on their way to the facility to take photos of the horses in pens. These photos will become viewable to the public online and provide insight into current conditions at this facility. The District Manager also cited that the BLM contracted veterinarian would come and examine horses two weeks after their symptoms last present and a State Veterinarian, not affiliated with the BLM, would provide an independent evaluation.
After veterinarian clearance, the BLM will host a tour of the facility’s entirety so members of the public can see the horses and the condition of the facility. The BLM website cites that the facility has also expanded, though instead of increasing capacity, they will use the additional space to spread out the horses and provide better separation for sick and healthy horses. Adoptions at this facility are also set to be scheduled, though they might have to be postponed until the spring due to harsh winter weather conditions.
These are great developments that we have believe have been sparked by the outspokenness of wild horse advocates, and your letters sent to BLM officials through our online advocacy form. By contacting the BLM and requesting insight, the wild horses incarcerated in the private Wheatland holding facility are getting the publicity they need. We thank everyone who signed our Call to Action last week and actively champion for our wild horses, your voices truly make a difference.
The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Holds Meeting
Last week the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board met in Phoenix, Arizona to discuss recommendations to the BLM’s wild horse and burro management programs.
WBF Founder and President, Ashley Avis, submitted comments to the Board last week, citing Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West’s recent debut and the awareness that the film will bring to the public.
The meeting lasted for three days and the Board discussed each element of the BLM’s wild horse and burro management, as well as analyzed public comments on the topics. The Board brought focus to the BLM’s 2022 expenditures, population estimates, and facility reports. Updated information regarding wild horse management is vital public knowledge, and we are encouraged to see the materials being shared and open for discussion with the public.
The BLM plans to release a recording of the annual meeting soon, so those unable to attend in person or virtually last week will have access to the information examined during this year’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting.
Helicopters were grounded October 1st as the Calico Complex roundup came to an end. The complex, comprised of five Herd Management Areas (Black Rock Range, Calico Mountains, Granite Range McGee Mountain and Warm Springs) has a BLM set Appropriate Management Level of just 572-952 horses within the more than 584,000 acre complex.
According to numbers from the BLM, this roundup left a total of 863 wild horses stripped of their freedom and en route to the controversial Indian Lakes Off-Range Holding Facility. Indian Lakes made news for mass wild horse deaths at their facility and inhumane management of animals in their care.
The BLM’s roundup plans cited that 1,036 wild horses were set to be removed, though we are heartened that the removal number was marginally less than originally planned.
There were 26 deaths from this roundup, many from BLM euthenazia due to what they claim as “knee deformities”. Additionally, many young horses were euthanized due to blindness, though otherwise in great physical condition.
We at WBF are discouraged to see roundups of this scale still occurring in the American west. These dangerous and deadly roundups via low flying helicopters are not the humane management methods that the Wild and Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act was created to uphold. We must use our voices to demand the grounding of helicopters in consideration of more humane management practices.
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Claire Forlani
Joining us this year for our Second Annual Short Story Contest as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader is actor Claire Forlani!
Claire Forlani began her acting career at 19 after moving to the US from London. She has since amassed a large filmography, including films like Meet Joe Black, Mystery Men, and Mallrats. One of Claire’s recent roles was that of Mrs.Winthorp, an upper class stable owner, in the Disney+ film, Black Beauty.
We are so proud to have Claire as a celebrity reader this year, and look forward to hearing her read one of our finalists’ incredible stories!
Submit your writings soon; the deadline to enter is less than a month away!
The entry deadline is October 31st, 2022 so be sure to get your stories in now so they can be considered by our wonderful panel of judges. To learn more about the short story contest or submit your story, visit our website!
Celebrate Halloween with The Wild Beauty Foundation!
Just in time for Halloween, we have introduced four new designs to The Wild Beauty Boutique! Perfect for a night of spooky celebrations or taking the family trick or treating, all while supporting your dedication to wild horses!
Looking for a last minute costume? Shirts are available in both adult and kids sizes, so the whole family can show their support for wild horses this Halloween!
“We call it ‘Nature’; only reluctantly admitting ourselves to be ‘Nature’ too.”
– Denise Levertov
Maria Popova of The Marginalian dives deep into the misconception of our relationship with nature and the wild world around us. We too are a part of nature, and this is precisely why we must protect the beautiful natural creations around us.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the twentieth edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of October 1st, 2022
From left; Kimerlee Curyl, Erik Molvar, Josselyn Wolf, Marty Irby, Edward Winters, and Ashley Avis following the Boston screening of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Wild Beauty Wins Best Documentary at Boston Film Festival
The Wild Beauty Foundation is incredibly proud to announce that Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West has been awarded Best Documentary at the Boston Film Festival this past week!
WBF founders and filmmakers Ashley Avis and Edward Winters were joined by Josselyn Wolf, Marty Irby, Erik Molvar, and Kimerlee Curyl at the East coast premiere of Wild Beauty. Following the screening, they participated in an insightful question and answer session with attendants of the event.
We at WBF were delighted to bring the beauty of the western U.S. to Boston, and are honored to have come home with the award for Best Documentary at the event. We hope that the audience was touched by the story of our wild horses and now know the importance of their presence on western rangeland. This is only the beginning of an incredible journey for Wild Beauty, and we cannot be more excited to share this important documentary in more cities very soon. Be sure to keep up with www.wildbeautyfoundation.org regularly to find screenings near you; new locations are added often!
Please support WBF’s efforts to get Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West to as many viewers as possible. We hope to screen our documentary in as many cities as we can to share the beauty of wild horses with everyone!
We thank you, wild horses thank you.
The Wild Beauty Foundation Submits Comments to the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board
This week, WBF submitted comments to the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board for discussion in their upcoming meeting. The board is set to meet October 4-6 at the Bureau of Land Management’s National Training Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
We believe that it is important to comment and share our thoughts with the Board on improving the BLM’s wild horse and Burro program. Without collaboration between the BLM, advocacy groups, and the public, changes cannot be made to how we oversee our nation’s wild horses.
This meeting will be open to the public both in person and virtually via zoom. Join us to hear firsthand how the BLM plans to manage the future of wild horses.
Another Adoption Event at Wheatland Off-Range Facility Canceled
Yet another adoption event at the Wheatland, WY private off-range holding facility has been canceled this month. The event, scheduled for October 7th, would open Wheatland Off-Range Corral to the public and allow them access to adopting select horses at the facility. This week, though, the Bureau of Land Management marked the event as canceled on their calendar, without issuing a public statement. We call on the BLM to release pertinent information regarding the condition of horses at this facility and the reasons for the unannounced adoption event cancellations.
Horses being held in this facility are from several popular HMAs for tourists and photographers alike; Salt Wells Creek, Great Divide Basin, and Adobe Town to name a few. Horses in the Great Divide Basin HMA are a beautiful array of black and bay while Salt Wells Creek horses can be found in stunning dilutes and pinto patterns. The Adobe Town HMA sees an even more diverse collection of horses, with roans and dapple grays dotting the Wyoming landscape.
In April, this facility faced a deadly strangles outbreak, causing cancellations in scheduled adoption events. However, when events were canceled again in early August, this was even more cause for concern for wild horse advocates and supporters. At first the BLM blamed staffing shortages for April cancellations, but later it revealed the true cause was an outbreak of strangles, a highly infectious and contagious upper respiratory infection. When a similar staffing shortage excuse was given in August, the public rightly began to wonder if this was the truth.
During an inspection in June by the BLM’s Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program team, the Wheatland holding facility was found to suffer from staffing shortages, an insufficient number of pens (including inadequate “sick” pens used for caring for sick/injured animals), and a lack of proper shelter and quality hay in several pens. Ironically, the BLM gave itself a “B” grade for the conditions in its holding facilities despite these serious and fatal conditions. The findings of the CAWP team, as well as the high marks the BLM gave itself, sparked outrage among those advocating for proper care and management of our wild horses that have had their freedom taken away from them and who now languish by the thousands in crowded, filthy conditions.
Wild horse photographer and friend of WBF, Carol Walker, sent an email to the BLM in August asking for further details on this facility. In return, she was told that the horses being kept in the facility were still exhibiting signs of the infection, approximately three months after the initial outbreak.
Now, we see a third cancellation in October, once again announced without reason from the BLM. Upon hearing of the cancellations, Walker emailed the BLM. only to receive an automated response directing her to the Wheatland Off-Range Corral website. After public outcry and insistence that the BLM speak out on this matter by Walker, she received an email detailing that horses were still experiencing symptoms of strangles and they could not open the facility to the public.
Strangles, a bacterial upper respiratory infection in equines, has an incubation period of four to five days, but can be implemented as long as two weeks to ensure there is no exposure. The infection spreads in crowded conditions, inadequate housing, poor sanitation, and stress from transportation, among several other factors that are all seen in government wild horse holding facilities. This is why ending the roundups and focusing on on-range management of our wild horses is so necessary. Keeping horses out of these unsanitary and unsafe conditions is vital to their wellbeing, and would save tax dollars spent on these facilities each year.
We at WBF believe the Bureau of Land Management should be responsible for releasing a detailed public statement concerning cancellations, when they occur. In addition to this, updates should be released regularly when a facility is undergoing an outbreak of infectious disease or other illness or conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of the horses. The public deserves to know what is happening to the wild animals that belong to each and every one of us as Americans. By holding them accountable, we can ensure that our government is following the mandates of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and taking the appropriate measures to ensure the health and safety of these creatures.
Contact the BLM and Urge them to Release Information on the Wheatland, WY Off-Range Holding Facility
Without input from the taxpaying public, the BLM will continue to believe it can get away with keeping the conditions in the private off-range facilities a secret. We must use our voices to stand with the wild horses, now trapped in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. At the very least, the Bureau of Land Management must be required to release a public statement updating the American people not only on the condition of wild horses kept at a facility currently dealing with an outbreak of an infectious disease, but also on details regarding changes or cancellations of adoption events.
Every email and every phone call from a concerned citizen matters. We encourage you to contact the following BLM officials and demand that true and accurate information about the conditions of this facility and the horses be provided to the public on a regular and sustained basis. Transparency has never been the BLM’s strong suit, but the situation is clearly dire and the American people have a right to know what is happening.
You can fill out our online advocacy form by clicking the “Take Action” button below. The form has a pre-written message that can be sent as-is, though we do encourage you to customize the message to make it personal to you. Your comment will then be sent directly to the following officials.
The Cloud Foundation to Host “Born to be Wild” Western Gala
Our friends at The Cloud Foundation are hosting their annual fundraising event Saturday, October 22nd, 2022! Aiming to protect and preserve wild horses and conservation of wildlife and western rangelands, the “Born to be Wild” event will feature a night of fun, food, and music to support America’s wildness. The gala will be held at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia; tickets are on sale now until October 10th so be sure to make arrangements soon, you won’t want to miss it!
The Alpine Wild Horses from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Alpine Wild Horses in Desperate Need of Adopters
The breathtaking wild horses that once roamed the Apache Sitgreaves Forest of Arizona will be up for auction this weekend, and are in critical need of secure homes. The U.S. Forest Service, which manages these horses, targeted them for removal earlier this year. Officials deemed these horses “unauthorized livestock”, despite history of horses residing in the forest for over 100 years.
Unfortunately, with many equine auctions, the possibility of suspicious buyers is quite high. This is why the Alpine horses need your help more than ever. In order to keep these beautiful symbols of freedom out of the slaughter pipeline, we need to spread the word to our equine loving friends who might be interested in giving an Alpine wild horse a safe home.
Salt River Wild Horse Management Group reached out to WBF about the Alpine horses;
“As a wild horse protection group it is the stuff our nightmares are made of. They were the picture of horse happiness in their home of abundance, where they were not hurting anyone and not costing anyone a dime. They are cherished there by the public as an amazing recreational resource. This forest is part of our public lands, set aside for all of the public of America.”
SRWHMG has worked tirelessly to document 300 of the 400 wild horses in the forest so far and has formed a local Alpine management group to maintain protection of these horses. They offer humane, cost effective solutions at no cost to the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, and work to keep as many Alpine wild horses out of the slaughter pipeline as possible.
If you are interested in giving an Alpine wild horse refuge and loving care, you can follow this link to the auction website where you can place a virtual bid. You must pre-register for the opportunity to bid on a wild horse. Horses will be listed online Friday, September 30th and the auction will be held October 1st and 2nd, with bidding ending Monday morning. Pickup is at the Navajo County Fairgrounds in Holbrook, but delivery will likely be available for an additional cost.
We also ask anyone who stands with these wild horses to speak out on their management and request that the Alpine wild horses be managed as wild horses, not unauthorized livestock. This would allow the horses to be protected under the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, and would hold the U.S. Forest Service accountable for proper management and adoption practices. Call or email the officials below and urge them to stand with the Alpine wild horses of the Apache Sitgreaves Forest.
Apache Sitgreaves Forest Service:
Jeffrey Todd PIO
(928)235-5764
General office (928) 333-4301
(928) 333 6200
(928) 333 6280
Region3 Forest Service. (They are over the Apache Sitgreaves Forest Service.)
New Report Shows More than 1,000 Wild Horses were Sent to Slaughter in the Past Two Years
In a recent investigation report by the American Wild Horse Campaign, it was revealed that at least 1,ooo wild horses had been sent to kill pens in the past 22 months alone.
It is shown that through the Adoption Incentive Program, a program constructed by the BLM that pays adopters $1,000 to take on up to four untouched wild horses, “adopters” are collecting this payment and selling the horses to middleman buyers who drop the animals in pens destined for slaughter.
Advocates urge that the Adoption Incentive Program is only incentivising those looking to make quick money off of the sale of these animals rather than finding them safe, quality homes. We at WBF support the removal of the AIP and urge the BLM to implement new adoption measures to confirm the safety and wellbeing of wild horses adopted from their care.
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Michael Gladis
Joining us this year for our Second Annual Short Story Contest as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader is actor Michael Gladis!
Beginning his career in New York theater, Michael later brought his passion for acting to the screen. He has starred in numerous film and television productions, though he is best known for his role as Paul Kinsey on MadMen.
Michael is an avid equestrian, and has even adopted a sweet percheron mare named Rosie. In addition to riding and spending time with Rosie, Michael volunteers with a therapeutic equine program assisting veterans and children with disabilities.
We are extremely proud to have Micael Gladis join our Short Story Contest this year, and look forward to hearing his reading of one of the selected finalists’ stories! WBF thanks him for using his voice to stand with our wild ones.
Continue writing; the deadline to enter is only a month away!
The entry deadline is October 31st, 2022 so be sure to get your stories in now so they can be considered by our wonderful panel of judges. To learn more about the short story contest or submit your story, visit our website!
Show Your Support for WBF and Wild Horses Everywhere by Shopping the Wild Beauty Boutique!
As wild horse activists, we look for any excuse to share our devotion to keeping wild horses free with those around us.
By purchasing apparel from The Wild Boutique you can not only display your love for wild horses for all to see, but benefit our work in educating others on our country’s wild beauty too!
All proceeds benefit The Wild Beauty Foundation, and our work on behalf of wild horses and our upcoming educational programs for children.
An Interview with Tara Coyote: How Comanche the Mustang Lead a Journey of Healing and Education
The Wild Beauty Foundation recently sat down with author and founder of Wind Horse Sanctuary, Tara Coyote to talk about her new children’s book, Comanche the Wild Mustang, and the healing benefits she has seen from connecting with a wild horse.
Tara is a passionate advocate for wild horses and through Wind Horse Sanctuary, teaches others the transformational healing work of equine therapy.
There is little comparable to the beauty of a glowing sunset on the range. Moments like this, captured by Tori Gange, showcase the sacredness of our untouched, wild world.
A Still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
A Quote to Graze On
“This brilliant film by Ashley and Ed Winters is a game changer for the future of our iconic American wild horses whose very backs this country was built upon,”
– Marty Irby
We thank Marty for sharing his thoughtful words on Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West at Boston Film Festival this past weekend, and for continuing to be an outspoken advocate for our nation’s wild horses.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
How Comanche the wild mustang lead a journey of healing and education.
Tara Coyote with her mustang, Comanche
The Wild Beauty Foundation recently sat down with author and founder of Wind Horse Sanctuary, Tara Coyote to talk about her new children’s book, Comanche the Wild Mustang, and the healing benefits she has seen from connecting with a wild horse.
Tara is a passionate advocate for wild horses and through Wind Horse Sanctuary, teaches others the transformational healing work of equine therapy. Read our interview to learn more about Tara’s road to becoming an Equine Facilitated Learning Instructor and adopting her heart horse, Comanche, who even helped save her life during her journey with stage four breast cancer.
When did you first hear about the plight of America’s wild horses?
I had my first magical encounter with a mustang about 10 years ago. I immediately recognized that this particular horse I met was a special one. Meeting the mustang piqued my curiosity about the wild horses in general.
What about a mustang in particular makes them a great therapy horse?
Mustangs are such amazing beings. There is something about the fact that they were birthed and raised in the wild that has kept their spirit innately pure, compared to domesticated horses. It’s hard to explain the difference between a domesticated horse and one taken out of the wild, but the mustangs have a characteristic that many people can relate to during challenging times. I believe that all horses are special, but mustangs are particularly authentic to the undomesticated world of nature.
This way of being makes mustang horses able to tap into the human psyche, which is free from the patterning that a domesticated horse might have. A mustang horse is like a clear mirror for a human who is yearning for healing.
What made you want to bring Comanche’s story to the pages of a children’s book?
Comanche has an inspirational story about being taken out of the wild at one year of age from the Reno, Nevada area, being gentled by a wonderful woman, working as a therapy horse at my horse retreat center in Northern California called Wind Horse Sanctuary, then traveling 2,500 miles across the ocean to Kaua’i, Hawaii. Throughout the time I have been fortunate to be with him, he has consistently been a force of strength and healing for me, as well as a beloved horse for hundreds of people at my horse retreat center.
It was through my love of him that I realized how special wild horses are. Sadly, due to the mismanagement of wild horses in North America, future generations of children might not know what a wild mustang is. This caused me to want to speak up and inspire others to know how valuable these creatures are. It seemed like Comanche’s story would help educate people around the world that wild horses exist and that their future is in danger.
What do you hope kids (and adults!) take away from “Comanche the Wild Mustang”?
I hope both kids and adults gain an understanding that wild horses are a vitally important asset for the ecological balance of nature, a curiosity to know more about them and the motivation to take action to insure the future preservation of the mustangs!
Tara Coyote, her dog Xaria, and her horses Comanche and Blue
Tell us a little bit about Wind Horse Sanctuary.
I was trained with Linda Kohanov as an Equine Facilitated Learning teacher. Linda is the best-selling author of ‘The Tao of Equus’ and owner of Eponaquest. After my training with her, I got my first horse, Comanche and started Wind Horse Sanctuary.
WHS used to be a large retreat center in Nevada City, California where groups of up to individuals and up to ten people would come to attend private sessions, workshops, ‘Grief Rituals with Horses’ and stay on the beautiful property. When my health started going downhill, I realized I needed to move back to Kaua’i, Hawaii to heal.
Now that my health has thankfully stabilized, I still offer the Equine Facilitated Learning work, but on a much smaller scale than I did when I lived in California. Here on Kaua’i, I offer private and small group sessions for people interested in doing transformational healing work with horses.
How have horses played a part in your life during your cancer journey?
Horses have been an important part of my healing cancer journey. From the moment of my diagnosis six years ago, all of my horses have shown up in a strong healing and consistent capacity for me.
Throughout my healing journey, except when I was so ill that I was not strong enough to walk out to see them, I have taken care of two to four horses on a daily basis. This simple act of caring and tending for them is remarkably grounding, centering and profound for me.
They are mirrors of clarity to help me discern what is needed to truly take excellent care of myself. Their unconditional love, humorous antics, consistent presence and friendship has been a balm of healing for me in the hardest moments.
In a few words, how would you describe the healing powers of being in the presence of a horse?
Spending time with horses is like having a loving mirror of your soul reflected back at you. It is a peaceful, empowering and sense of returning back home to one’s true authentic self.
Do you have a personal favorite page / part of “Comanche the Wild Mustang”?
Yes! My favorite part of ‘Comanche the Wild Mustang’ kid’s book is when both horses are approaching the Hawaiian Islands for the first time, after being in a Matson shipping container for days, without any exposure to the sun or the earth. It is a colorful scene of seeing the vast tropical glory of the ancient Hawaiian volcanos, smelling the fragrance of the flowers and being thrilled to see land again!
Tara Coyote with her mustang, Comanche
How did you get connected with Comanche?
As I mentioned before, I met my first mustang horse and then realized what remarkable creatures they were. I was determined to find a similar mustang and found him through an online horse listing in the area where I lived. As soon as I went to see him, I knew he was the perfect horse for me. It was love at first sight!
Getting to know Comanche helped me realize what unique beings they are. When I started researching his background of being taken out of the wild as a yearling from Reno, Nevada, I learned about the dire reality of wild horses in North America.
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing wild horses right now?
Due to the over-grazing of the cattle and sheep industry and mining of our natural lands, wild horses are aggressively rounded up by helicopters, placed in holding pens and sold as horse meat or tragically, left to live in horrible living conditions. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was given the responsibility to care and protect them, but unfortunately are choosing profit over proper management of the wild horses.
It greatly saddens me to see family herd members split up, horses dying and living in horse prison camps. These majestic creatures deserve to be honored for the sacred beings that they are.
As wild horses are a symbol of wild and free America, you would think there would be more regard for this iconic image of our country. After all our country was founded on the back of a horse!
How educated are those living in Hawaii about the wild horse cause?
As there really are no wild horses in Hawaii, there is not that much knowledge about the issue that is happening on the mainland of North America. I also find that many people on the mainland do not know about the wild horse issue. This is one of the big reasons why I was driven to write the book about Comanche. There must be awareness about an issue for change to be made!
How can we purchase “Comanche the Wild Mustang?
‘Comanche the Wild Mustang’ is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Wild Beauty Foundation.
Please help me spread the valuable message about the wild horses and my book by visiting your community bookstore and/or library and request for them to order a copy to have in their bookstore and/or library!
Also, be sure to check out the lovely, official Comanche the Wild Mustang apparel line!
Portions of the sale of each shirt goes to Love Wild Horses, to help support the wild mustangs. All items are made by the environmentally conscious, sustainable fashionable and comfortable clothing company Bella+Canvas and are screen-printed by a local family business right here in Kaua’i, Hawaii!
We thank Tara Coyote for being a wonderful creative force in the wild horse community and for sharing Comanche’s story with the world. Her work at Wind Horse Sanctuary is truly inspiring, and we appreciate Tara for sharing her journey with us and being a cherished friend of WBF.
‘WILD BEAUTY: MUSTANG SPIRIT OF THE WEST’ AWARDED BEST DOCUMENTARY AT THE 38TH BOSTON FILM FESTIVAL
Documentary by Director of Disney’s Black Beauty Displays Sweeping Cinematography Alongside Government Corruption Decimating Iconic Wild Horse Populations in the West
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – The 38th Boston Film Festival has announced the awards for the live event program held last week.The Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport sponsored the 2022 film festival including the closing night party at the Lifted Pool Bar.An array of topics highlighted this year’s program including comedy, suspense, drama, historical, environmental, nature and connection.
Several theaters throughout Boston hosted screenings that included three World Premiere Films and three U.S. Premieres including The Wind & the Reckoning written by John Fusco (Hidalgo) which took home 8 awards including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Ensemble Cast; and Bromates from executive producer Snoop Dog which won Audience Favorite.The Opening Night Feature was Don’t Worry Darling from Producer-Director-Star Olivia Wilde.
Participants in the Question-and-Answer session that followed the film in Boston included Avis, Edward Winters, fourteen-year-old Josselyn Wolf, Marty Irby, Erik Molvar, and Kimerlee Curyl.
Taking Best Documentary award is Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West from Director-Producer-Editor Ashley Avis (Black Beauty). The film displays breathtaking cinematography of wild horses living free across vast stretches of public lands, immersing audiences into the intimate world of their closely-bonded equine families; while exposing the terrible injustices they face by the federal Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Dept. of Interior.
Avis and crew attended mass roundups, documenting terrible acts of animal cruelty, violations of the federal Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, misuse of federal tax dollars, and violations of Constitutional Rights as well as Freedom of the Press.
A still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
“After four years of creating this film, I am incredibly proud to have our East Coast debut at Boston Film Festival” said Ashley Avis, founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation who directed, produced, and edited both Wild Beauty and Disney’s 2020 Black Beauty.“It is beyond time for the public to know about the astounding beauty we have in the backyard of our own country; and that wild horses and other native wildlife are being eradicated in favor of special interests.My sincere hope is that we can use our voice as storytellers to raise awareness, and correct this injustice before wild horses disappear completely.It would be a travesty for the next generation to never get to see them, the true icons of our American West.”
“The United States Government is supporting a system that is economically and ecologically unsustainable, which scapegoats wild horses and burros, leaving a number of other species and our public lands as collateral damage,” said Edward Winters, producer of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West and president of Winterstone Pictures.“I am proud of the work our team has done and the passion with which this film was made.We all hope it raises the awareness necessary to create change.”
Ashley Avis and Edward Winters attend the Boston Film Festival screening of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
“Wild Beauty exposes a national scandal,” said Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist and Executive Director of the conservation group Western Watersheds Project. “This film catches the Bureau of Land Management red-handed, removing wild horses from public lands under ’emergency’ roundups while simultaneously authorizing an ecologically unsustainable amount of cattle and sheep to be trucked into the same areas. Wild Beauty is a clarion call for fundamental land-use reforms, so public lands can start being managed for ecological sustainability and the public interest, instead of private profits.”
“This is a film that is both beautiful and alarming, as it enlightens the story of what is going on with wild mustangs in the U.S.,” said Robin Dawson, Executive Director of the Boston Film Festival.“The cinematography is spectacular and the story is told by prominent filmmaker Ashley Avis who informs her audience about a hidden program that will eliminate the existence of wild horses. We can stop this if we take action.”
“This brilliant film by Ashley and Ed Winters is a game changer for the future of our iconic American wild horses whose very backs this country was built upon,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action featured in the film who was honored in 2020 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his work to protect horses. “For far too long the federal Bureau of Land Management’s radical assault on these magnificent creatures has gone unnoticed and unpunished but the BLM’s going to be in serious trouble when the world sees what they’ve done. Many thanks to the Boston Film Festival for their tremendous award and honors.”
From left; Erik Molvar, Marty Irby, Kimerlee Curyl, Ashley Avis, and Edward Winters on the red carpet at Boston Film Fest
“Wild Beauty weaves together the intoxicating beauty of our wild world and the horrifying realities that exist due to special interests,” said Kimerlee Curyl a wild horse photographer who was featured in the film. “May this film reach many, exposing the insanity of this issue, however still, inspiring us to care about these wild creatures and these wild places. Their existence, on the lands they call home enrich our lives and future generations, simply, by being wildly free. Protecting wildlife will forever be up to us.”
“Combining dazzling beauty, hard-nosed journalism, and passionate advocacy, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West reveals the beauty of wild horses in their habitat as well as the corruption and cruelty they endure at the hands of our federal government to benefit the livestock industry,” said Scott Beckstead, director of campaigns at Animal Wellness Action and program director at the Wild Beauty Foundation, who was featured in the film and joined the Q&A at the Breckenridge Film Festival. “We are thrilled to see Wild Beauty honored by the Boston Film Festival and recommend the film to anyone who cares about wild animals, public lands, and responsible government.”
“This documentary is illumination,” said Josselyn Wolf, a fourteen-year-old advocate who is featured in the film, delivering a speech to Congressman Steve Cohen in Washington D.C.“This documentary is a celebration of the unfathomable wonder that exists within our Earth.And this documentary is going to mobilize our nation to prioritize democracy over plutocracy.The tidal wave of change is swelling with every revelation.I am so proud of everything this film has and will continue to accomplish.”
Wild Beauty will next screen at the Newport Beach Film Festival on October 19th and DOC LA on October 21st, followed by the Academy Award qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival and Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival in November.The film had its world premiere at Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado earlier this month, attended by Colorado Governor Jared Polis and First Gentleman Marlon Reis.
More information about festival screenings of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West along with The Wild Beauty Foundation can be found at: www.wildbeautyfoundation.org.
GOVERNOR JARED POLIS, FIRST GENTLEMAN MARLON RIES, AND A RAPT AUDIENCE RESPOND WITH A STANDING OVATION AND EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN FOR AMERICA’S WILD HORSES
A still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO – Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, the long-awaited documentary project by filmmaker Ashley Avis, opened to its world premiere at the Breckenridge Film Festival on September 18 for a large audience that included Colorado Governor Jared Polis and his husband, First Gentleman Marlon Reis, and their family. At the conclusion of the film, the audience, many of whom were visibly moved, gave the film and its makers a sustained standing ovation.
Wild Beauty features stunning cinematography of wild horses living on vast stretches of federal lands in several western states, including Colorado. The film shows herds living peacefully on their habitat and engaging in the behaviors that make them so popular with the American people. Mares caring for their newborn foals and stallions dueling for supremacy are set against stunning landscapes, evoking the strong emotional bond we feel for horses and the love we feel for our wild places.
But the film also includes footage of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helicopter roundup operations that documents the terror and violence experienced by the animals as they are stampeded into traps to be removed from our public lands, primarily to benefit wealthy ranchers and livestock companies.
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West cast and crew at the Wild Beauty panel at Breck Film Fest
While some of the scenes are painful to watch, Avis believes it is important to understand what is happening to the wild horses in the Western United States.
“We wanted to show a distinct juxtaposition between the sweeping beauty of wild horses, their families, and the lands they live on; along with the shocking brutality and cruelty that has befallen them,” says Avis. “The film is very immersive.Audiences get to experience the peace and quietude of nature, the profound interiority of being amongst the wild; and then they are hopefully jolted right out of their seats when that peace is shattered by low flying helicopters, rattling livestock trucks, and utterly outrageous behavior by The Bureau of Land Management.”
Avis and her crew also went undercover at a Texas livestock auction where horses, burros, and even zebras are sold to the highest bidder, with many ending up in the slaughter pipeline to be shipped to Mexico, where they are slaughtered, and their meat is sold to foreign companies.
From left; Edward Winters, Ashley Avis, and Scott Beckstead during the Wild Beauty Premiere
“The auction was one of the most disturbing scenarios that we filmed, knowing the heartbreaking fate that so many of the wild horses and burros were headed toward,” says Avis.“We hoped that by showing the grim reality of what is occurring in our own country, that we can urge Congress to finally pass a federal law to shut down the horror of the slaughter pipeline and give horses and burros the protection they rightfully deserve.”
Best known for directing Disney’s 2020 feature film, Black Beauty – a modern retelling of Anna Sewell’s classic resting on the story’s titular character being captured in a U.S. government roundup – Avis said when she began learning the truth about what is happening to America’s wild herds, she couldn’t stop with that project. She launched The Wild Beauty Foundation in 2020 to use her platform in entertainment to try to help, and also connect with children.
Following the film in Breckenridge, a panel of experts that included Avis, her production crew, experts appearing in the film, and First Gentleman Marlon Reis, spoke to the audience about the message of the movie and more details on the need to reform the federal government’s wild horse and public lands policies.
From left; Richard Avis, Scott Beckstead, First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Ashley Avis, and Kimerlee Curyl at the Breck Film Fest
“I’m all in on this issue,” proclaimed Reis, who remarked on the contrast between the beauty of the horses and the brutality of the helicopter roundups. He told the audience he believed that art has a way of fostering conversations in a way that normal policy debates cannot. Both he and Governor Polis actively worked to convince the BLM from stop the roundup of the Sand Wash Basin horses last year and the Piceance Basin horses over the summer.
The BLM conducted those operations despite those efforts and widespread public opposition, but Reis said he believes Colorado can lead the way by fostering a new working relationship between state and federal partners that reflects Colorado’s core humane values and sets a new path for the wild equine herds.
Wild Beauty screening at Breck Film Festival
Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West was next shown at The Boston Film Festival, and will be screening at DOC LA, Newport Beach Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and Fort Lauderdale Film Festival later this year. More information can be found on the Wild Beauty website.
Avis and her crew are in talks with a number of streaming platforms to begin broad public distribution of the film.
The Wild Beauty Foundation welcomes you to the nineteenth edition of our weekly newsletter!
Read the newest wild horse and burro focused headlines for the week of September 24th, 2022
From left to right; Kimerlee Curyl, Richard Avis, First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Kai Krause, Erik Molvar, Edward Winters, Ashley Avis, and Scott Beckstead during the Wild Beauty Panel at Breck Film Festival
Highlights from the Breck Film Festival
Last weekend, The Wild Beauty Foundation celebrated the World Premiere of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West at the Breck Film Festival. We were extremely excited to show the world what we have been passionately crafting for the past four years… showing you both the spectacular beauty, as well as the shocking truth of America’s wild horses.
Edward Winters and Ashley Avis introducing Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
We at WBF are incredibly proud to have touched so many hearts during the premiere and were honored to receive a standing ovation from the audience as the credits rolled. This is only the start of an impactful journey for Wild Beauty, and we cannot wait for the rest of the world to see both the beauty and tribulations that we captured in the American West.
Edward Winters, Ashley Avis, and Scott Beckstead during the Wild Beauty Panel
WBF would like to give an enormous thank you to Governor Polis and First Gentleman Reis for attending our world premiere!
Governor Jared Polis and Ashley Avis at the Wild Beauty Premiere
First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Scott Beckstead, and Ashley Avis at the Wild Beauty Premiere
After the screening, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West cast and crew held a Q and A panel for those in attendance. We at WBF were proud to have First Gentleman Marlon Reis speak during the panel and offer his support for protecting our wild world and standing with wild horses; both in the state of Colorado, and the country as a whole. We are so grateful to Polis and Reis for joining us last weekend as special guests and hope that their support brings lasting change to the state of Colorado’s wild horse management.
This weekend, we will be hosting our East coast premiere of Wild Beauty at the Boston Film Festival! We look forward to showing the northeast U.S. the elegance and freedom that our wild horses deserve.
Keep an eye on our blog this week for a full recap on Wild Beauty’s debut!
Please support WBF’s efforts to get Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West to as many viewers as possible. We hope to screen our documentary in as many cities as we can to share the beauty of wild horses with everyone!
We thank you, wild horses thank you.
Colorado Elementary School Writes Letters to Lawmakers on Behalf of Wild Horses
WBF founders and filmmakers behind Wild Beauty; Mustang Spirit of the West, Ashley Avis and Edward Winters visited Upper Blue Elementary in Breckenridge, Colorado to teach children about our nation’s wild horses.
After the premiere of Wild Beauty at Breck Film Festival, Ashley and Ed were invited to the Breckenridge elementary school by a local advocate, to guide students in a letter writing campaign on behalf of wild horses. Students chose a lawmaker to write directly to, asking them to stand with our wild horses and stop helicopter roundups.
We at WBF were extremely proud that 80 students used their voice to stand with the voiceless equines of our country and their own state. We hope that lawmakers see the impact that wild horses have on our school age children and the importance of keeping wild horses free so that the upcoming generations can experience their beauty and strength.
If you have been involved in the fight to protect horses, you know that the fight to end horse slaughter and put an end to the slaughter pipeline has long been the “holy grail” of equine advocacy. That’s why it pains us to report that the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, which enjoyed broad, bipartisan support from a majority of US House members, has been killed due primarily to opposition from two veterinary groups, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).
These groups betray their allegiance to the most abusive elements in the equine industry, rather than the horses themselves or the 80 percent of Americans who strongly oppose the slaughter of American horses for human consumption in foreign countries. We urge all of you, especially those who own horses, to reach out to your veterinarians and veterinary medicine contacts to call or email the AVMA and AAEP to register their support for an end to horse slaughter and to urge these groups to start standing for horses, not the kill buyers who prey on our beloved equine companions.
On a more positive note, Congress has moved the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act to finally bring an end to the horrendous practice of “soring” of Tennessee Walking Horses, where trainers and exhibitors intentionally cause intense pain to the front feet and legs of show horses to produce an exaggerated show ring gait known as the “Big Lick.”
Although a federal law passed decades ago is supposed to stop soring, the law has been plagued by an entrenched show horse industry that places blue ribbons above their concern for the horses. The PAST Act will stop counting on those who engage in soring to police themselves, and instead impose serious penalties on anyone who continues this abusive practice.
Please call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 and urge them to support the PAST Act to put an end to the abusive practice of horse soring.
A Still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
Scott Beckstead Educates on the Protection of Wild Horses
Wild Beauty Foundation team member Scott Beckstead voiced his opinions to the press this week on why wild horses deserve to remain free on western rangeland. Beckstead brings to bear his background as one who was raised with horses and livestock, and his special expertise in animal and wildlife law in arguing that our American wild horses are being used as scapegoats for public land damage caused by private livestock overgrazing and that it is cattle and sheep, not wild horses, that the American people want removed from our public lands.
“It’s time to reject the BLM’s false narrative that wild horses harm public lands and embrace an approach that truly protects them. Wild horses and burros belong right where they are.” Beckstead says.
Celebrate National Public Lands Day by Standing with Wild Horses
Saturday, September 24th is National Public Lands day, and to celebrate we want you to share a favorite memory that you’ve experienced on public lands!
Whether it was photographing a band of wild horses, camping under the stars, or experiencing a magical connection with nature, we want to hear how you enjoy public lands.
Wild horses call these public lands home, and without advocacy for the beauty and preservation of these lands, they are at risk of loosing it to livestock ranchers, oil miners, and large cooperations that aim to exploit our lands for profit.
Stand with our greater wild world by sharing your appreciation for public lands and join our #IStandWithWildHorses campaign!
WBF’s 2nd Annual Short Story Contest’s Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader: Beth Behrs
Returning as an Equine-Loving Celebrity Reader for our Second Annual Short Story Contest is actor Beth Behrs!
Best known for her roles as The Neighborhood’s, Gemma Johnson and Caroline on 2 Broke Girls, Beth has graced TV screens across the country since her breakout role in 2011. She currently hosts her own podcast, Harmonics, where she discusses creativity, healing, and wellness.
In addition to her work on popular sitcoms, Beth spends her time with her rescue horse, Belle. Since adopting Belle, Beth has become a passionate activist for equine welfare and protection. She has lended her voice to several equine organizations including WBF, and we are very appreciative to have her participate in our Short Story Contest for a second year.
Continue writing your stories!
The deadline to enter is October 31st, 2022 so be sure to get your stories in soon so they can be considered by our wonderful panel of judges. To learn more about the short story contest or submit your story, visit our website!
Updates on the Cedar Mountain and Calico Complex Roundups
Two significant roundups are ongoing in Utah and Nevada. As roundup season begins to die down, we mourn the loss of freedom that so many of our wild ones are facing.
The Cedar Mountain wild horses of Utah continue to be driven by low flying helicopters as the BLM attempts to suppress the HMA to a population of as few as 190 horses. The BLM has already captured 377 of the 700 wild horses they plan to roundup. So far, the BLM reported that there has been one euthanization of a 20+ year old stallion due to blindness. The beautiful horses within this HMA can be found in almost every color and pattern, making it a popular location for photographers and tourists. With the HMA being reduced to extremely low numbers, the genetics of the herd are at risk of becoming unsustainable, and the future of the herd’s unique horses are in danger.
In the Nevada Calico Complex, wild horses enter the second week of the BLM’s helicopter descent. As of September 22nd, the BLM reports that 639 wild horses have already been rounded up. This is only a little more than half of the approximate 1,000 wild horses the BLM plans to remove. At this time, 17 horses have already lost their lives for reasons such as blindness or preexisting injuries that they would have continued to prosper with if living free on the range. There are several wild horse advocacy groups on the ground in this HMA, capturing first hand accounts on the treatment of wild horses during the roundup efforts. Captured horses are set to be sent to Indian Lakes Off Range holding facility, which has come under fire in past years for mass deaths of wild horses in their care.
We at WBF call for a halt in helicopter roundups, an inhumane management method that causes immense stress and injury risk to wild horses that the BLM claims to protect. By implementing safe and effective management solutions backed by scientific research, we can aim to preserve the beauty of our wild horses for generations to come.
Sandy Sharkey’s intimate photo of a Utah mare and foal pair spotlights the deep family bonds that wild horses create, further proving horses and humans are more alike than they seem.
A Still from Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West
A Quote to Graze On
“He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn,
about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains
that he had never seen came into his dreams.”
– J. R. R. Tolkien
As we venture into the cooling autumn air, take in the wildness around you and use its artistry as inspiration for your next creative journey.
Thank you for being a supporter of wild horses, and protecting the wild beauty of our world. – The WBF Team
Are you a wild horse photographer who would like your work featured in our newsletter or social media pages?
Email a ZIP or link to your photos, along with a short written approval to [email protected]!
Join Us On Our Journey. We’d love to stand beside you.
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