Too often, humans consider anyone (other animals) or anything (plants) as invasive, “weeds,” while it is our own humankind that encroaches on just about every other species on the planet. Allowing horses and burros to live free of human intrusion is the right thing to do. Even if these equids were not native to our continent, what right does anyone have to disrupt their lives, separate their families, and remove them from the only home they know? To my knowledge, most of us (I’m excepting the true Native Americans here) living in the U.S. today are not indigenous either.

It’s all part of a notion, as Lee Hall explains, that assumes humans have a right to control other animals. If we respected their right to live on their own terms, we wouldn’t create the problems we have now. Sanctuaries should be reserved for dependent animals who can’t survive on their own, and we should protect the freedom of those who can.

As it happens, I found more reasons why free-living horses and burros help, rather than harm, other animals: Unlike cows, who lack upper teeth and often need to pull grass from its roots, equids can graze without disturbing roots. What equids eat can continue to grow.

Unlike ruminants, horses and burrows don’t digest seeds. Their digestive process returns seeds to the land. Horse’s add humus to the soil, which retains moisture and in turn prevents fires.

In winter, equids break the ice with their hooves to open water sources that other animals depend on. In summer, they hoof down subterranean waters that are also used by other animals.

Yet while agribusiness pollutes the environment, the BLM claims free-living equids must be controlled to protect the ecology. I think it’s obvious the BLM is in bed with ranchers and hunters — and now that they’re using horses to militarize the border, they’ve added bigots to the list.

I look forward to the day when other humans get over their self-interests, and consider that other species have interests as well, and that we can live in harmony with the rest of the planet (rather than dominating and exploiting every element possible.)

Horses are no exception, and despite being feral or wild (neither make a difference when considering their interests), surely we can allow them to live their lives without harassment, and leave them space to do so. Is that really such an unfair or unreasonable request?

It’s horses who belong on public lands.

Livestock production produces an environmental crisis, as
ecosystems have been devastated by ranching. Over 300 mmillion acres of federal, state and other public lands are used as feedlots for
cows and sheep, and ranching operations receive subsidies, thanks
to taxpayers. Horses can be protected and the ecology restored by
overhauling the BLM’s agenda, which operates for private gain.

An end to cattle breeding is a decent idea.

Keep the grazing of goats, sheep, and horses off of refuges and public lands. Use the lands to grow crops to feed people directly. These are radical, progressive ideas fitting for a discussion on DV. Rhetoric about “elk season” is offensive.

Instead of controlling them, we’d recognize our obligation to control ourselves, and to respect the habitats that free-living animals depend on. If they aren’t hunted or robbed of their homes, they can adjust their populations within their habitats, according to their food supply.

Most domesticated animals cannot survive on their own. So if everyone stopped eating meat, I think it would be unconscionable to release them to the wild. Since a decline in animal use would be gradual, there wouldn’t be millions of animals in need of our care. I think those who do need care should be protected in sanctuaries, where at least they can live free of exploitation.

Capture/spay/re release programs are allowing them to live without continuing to grow in population. Capture and kill was not slowing the population growth at all. It just left room for more cats to move in and establish colonies after the originals are removed.

The American people do not want THEIR mustangs to be killed, and politicians thinking its an easy fix should note that. I do believe the people working for BLM (at the corrals/horse level) do care about the horses.. The problem is they do not control the fate of these horses.

There needs to be a group in charge of the system who cares about the long term survival for the wild herds, but would be able to make honest and fair decisions about what is in their best interest.

Many mustang would chose their partners over a return to the wild. Mustangs living undisturbed are born and raised in a social society. They are raised by the herd, and are far better minded then the domestics we separate and put in boxes from the day they are born.

Do Mustang folks know what their mustangs are thinking and feeling? If they are doing it right.. yes most of the time they do. If they are puzzled or unsure, they have only to mention it to other mustang folks and solutions and advice streams in. Mustang folks LOVE to share the joy these horse bring.

And yes! One would be committing a grave error if they try to MAKE them do something. However if they trust you, and make no mistake that TRUST MUST BE EARNED. They will go where you ask, and do as you wish.. and in return they will tell you when you are heading into a bad situation IF you listen.

They are the best 4 wheel drive. Standard equipment??
They come with a brain, 2 eyes, 2 ears, and a nose which all work far better then ours, instinct born from hundreds of years of life in the wild… and a heart 10 times bigger then yours. ;D

They may look plain and scruffy to some, but to those who take the time to look inside.. oh how they shine!

Rabbits were released into the wild of Australia for the purpose of hunting them. I believe the same is true of foxes. That of itself would lead me to question the wisdom of human domination.

As long as conscious beings live under human control, their personal interests will be violated. It’s high time, I think, to end the discrimination, and respect their right to be free.

Certainly, using horses to militarize the border is completely unacceptable.

But horses (or bilge dumped starfish), ARE a man made problem. It differs in only magnitude and control compared to active ranching. I don’t think it’s a rancher vs. wild mustang activist issue. unnatural selection and other human folly is literally killing all the life on the planet. I don’t know that it matters though…I’m sure the cane toads and cockroaches and mutating viruses will thrive and just like the cute burro killing off eco systems, it’s not their fault either.

As for all you mustang lovers out there I am with you. i just spent the last two weeks of elk season on a very nice Dun mare that my Brother-in-law rescued as a foal when its dam died up near the picketwire.( at least that’s what he said. it could be the comanche in him that just makes hime happy to come home with other peoples stock)
she was one on the nicest and best riding mares I have ever set. and even tho we were in 6 inches of snow most of the time I swear she gained weight.

Sorry about that, I could not resist it. This welfare ranching you people keep talking about seems to be the ony welfair where you mail a check to the goverment. if you want to stop it just mail the BLM a check for about 20 million cow units and put a stop to the wicked ranchers screwing the public. but you do not seem to want to put your livelyhood on the line ,you FOA’s just want the goverment to step in and do all the dirty work. And what do you plan on having all those ranchers who are certainly not rich do. take tickets at your ski resort?
What you are telling me is that you don’t give a damn about the poor people in Flyover country do you. as long as you have your dreams.

It’s amazing that people would talk about deserve as a burrow wanders through the fragile desert eating everything…or justifies it by pointing out the other more noticeable forms of destruction Humans bring to the world. I’ll agree that mountain top mining is worse than wild mustangs (now anyways), but that doesn’t add “deserve” to the description of horses and burrows.

I don’t hate cane toads, but I kill them when I can…it’s sad and it certainly doesn’t make me feel like Humans are better than them.

True, free-living horses are not feral — they were born free, and they deserve to remain so! That some horses have become dependent on us (like Bob), or they remain with one owner for years, or they enjoy “strutting their stuff” to please their owners, doesn’t mean domestication is good for them. For every “Bob” or horse that rides in a parade, how many millions of horses have suffered or been killed because we have made them “beasts of burdern”?

It’s convenient to ignore the environmental damage of cattle ranching and animal farming — all for an unecessary food — but the so-called science that excuses it is corporate serving nonsense.

How despicable that discimination against nonhuman beings is being used to facilitate discrimination against Latinos, who can’t wait for the impossibility of getting a visa while their families go hungry!

I concur with Lee Hall’s well argued, compassionately considered advice: that free-living animals should remain free. All sorts of animals might have played a part in American history (as pointed to over and over again in the comments thread), and that’s certainly true—but that certainly doesn’t make it ethically right. History should teach us lessons, and guide us toward making better choices in the future. Human domination is a theme that plays itself out in a broad number of ways; humans have attempted to dominate practically everything: the animal kingdom, including our fellow humans, the environment, etc. If we seek to envision a world where justice, peace and respect reign supreme, it seems like that journey should begin with how we relate to every sentient being with whom we share this wondrous, vast planet.

Dustin Rhodes,

Friends of Animals

http://www.friendsofanimals.org