Introducing Rocket!
There’s a new face around here! Rocket, a mustang from the Sand Wash Basin Herd in Colorado, has made his way to Mustang Mission after being in the holding pens for a year and a half. Rocket is twelve years old and was a very successful band stallion when he lived in the wild. Sadly, he was separated from his entire band when he was captured.
A few months ago, one of Mustang Mission’s board members, Mary Ellen MacDonald, approached me with the idea of rescuing Rocket and bringing him to Mustang Mission for gentling and training. He had been one of the first wild horses she had seen when visiting Colorado, and she felt a strong connection to him. I agreed to take Rocket in, and she won his bid during the auction at the end of January. Rocket was a Sales Authority mustang (like Alamo), meaning he was offered for sale without limitations. Horses like him frequently end up in bad situations.
On March 24, Rocket arrived safe and sound! He has settled in very well and is proving to be one of the easiest mustangs to gentle, which I’m thanking God for! I am very excited to have him join my herd of mustangs for several months before he moves to the MacDonald’s farm in West Georgia and joins their herd of horses.
Each mustang that I rescue and gentle is a constant reminder that these horses should’ve remained in the wild. They are captured because of greedy corporations that are heard above the voices of thousands of Americans who want wild horses and burros to stay free. I hope that Rocket is another reminder to you of how important it is to stand up for wild horses and burros. Rocket may be happy and relaxed in his new home now, but he had to endure much pain and loss to get here. That should never have happened.
Rocket, your days of suffering are over. I’m so happy you’re here. ❤️
Rocket in the wild with one of his mares. Photo credit: Mary Ellen MacDonald
I loved reading this, Erin! 😄
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lauren!
DeleteHi Erin
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on fulfilling your dream and rescuing mustang's! I rescued my first one (well my only one so far) back in the 80s. I understand they have to control the herds but as maybe someone with influence, we need to get people in position with common sense who leads these round ups! I'm thinking more of an effort should be made to round up only the younger horses and leave the stallions and lead mares. Just my 2 cents worth. 🥰
Thank you for your efforts!
Thank you so much for your comment and encouraging words! I appreciate it!
DeleteAll wild horses (and burros!) could stay in the wild and never have to be rounded up. The BLM pushes for more and more horses to be removed to make room for the privately-owned livestock, making up false claims about the horses. In the case with the Sand Wash Basin Mustangs being removed under the "Emergency Gather" claim due to a year of drought, the livestock in the basin should've been removed, not the horses. The BLM even allowed more livestock to be brought in to the area later that year. The ranchers presence on public lands also means that they shoot the wild horses' natural predators (the natural management system). Sadly, all the issues with wild horses always come back to the livestock! The poorly-managed livestock ranching on our Western lands are also the leading cause of wildfires, drought, and dust storms. Ending ranching on our public lands is one of the main issues I work on! It's so important!
Here's a link to an article I wrote on the wild horse overpopulation myth: https://mustangmission.blogspot.com/2021/07/are-wild-horses-burros-overpopulated.html
Well anything the govt tries to manage is usually a nightmare.
DeleteBut you also have to realize those cattle are what feeds America! You cant nor shouldn't eliminate them. Balance is the answer. I invite you to check out Range magazine. It gives a pretty good perspective on issues facing us here in the west.
I agree!
DeleteI don't think that livestock ranching in the West should be eliminated - just the ranching on our public lands. Currently, only 2% of the beef Americans consume comes from public lands ranching. The lush off-range pastures that are housing thousands of mustangs and burros in Oklahoma could easily make up for feeding/housing the cattle that supply the 2% if they were removed from the public lands and the horses were released back into the wild. The majority of public lands ranching is backed by huge corporations, many of which are China based. These corporations place livestock on our public lands so that when they starve and die (because cattle did not originate out West, it is much harder for them to live with minimal intervention), they can claim funds from the government as compensation for the lost livestock. Public lands ranching is a money and power thing that the corrupt are involved in. There are only a few ranchers out there that are actually ranching on public lands honestly. Many people are used to the West looking dry and desert-like. That's not how it was before cattle were introduced. I was amazed when I was doing a lot of research and studying and came across before and after pictures of times when cattle were banned from an area and that area was allowed to recover. Vegetation grew back and the rivers recovered.
I hope that makes sense! It's such an incredibly difficult situation. The American Wild Horse Campaign has really good educational page on public lands ranching.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I always enjoy discussing these things with others - I always learn something new!