Saving The Salt River Wild Horses

Summary

The Salt River Wild Horses Management Group is working to protect and humanely manage the Salt River wild horses in Arizona through public support and a unique partnership with federal and state governments.

Abstract

The Salt River Wild Horses Management Group (SRWHMG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the humane management of the Salt River wild horses. These horses, a symbol of the Old Wild West, face threats from the federal government and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which have historically used inhumane methods like helicopter round-ups for population control, often leading to the horses' demise. The SRWHMG, with a strong presence on Facebook and its own website, has influenced the humane care of these herds and has been instrumental in implementing humane, medically induced birth control methods. The group operates under a contract with the Arizona Department of Agriculture and has successfully advocated for legal protection of the horses under Arizona Revised Statute 3–1491. The article calls for public support and donations to continue the protection and care of these majestic animals that are an integral part of America's history.

Opinions

The author has witnessed the beauty and majesty of the Salt River wild horses firsthand and emphasizes the importance of their protection.
The government and the BLM have been criticized for their inhumane treatment of wild horse herds, including the use of helicopter round-ups that can cause fear, exhaustion, and even death.
The author believes that the SRWHMG's approach to managing the herds through medically induced birth control is a more humane alternative to the traditional round-ups and auctions.
The article suggests that small monthly contributions from individuals can make a significant difference in the conservation efforts for the wild horses.
The author expresses a personal commitment to the cause by contributing $5 per month and encourages others to do the same.
The SRWHMG's successful partnership with government entities is highlighted as a groundbreaking and exemplary model for wildlife management.
The article conveys a sense of urgency for readers to become aware of the plight of the Salt River wild horses and to support the SRWHMG's efforts through donations and by appreciating the stunning photography of the horses shared by the group.

Saving The Salt River Wild Horses

Last Remnants of the Old Wild West — Horse Tales From the Mountain

Very few people are aware that here in the United States there are roaming herds of wild horses trying to survive. Their main predator has mankind, specifically the Federal Government and the Bureau of Land Management.

If there is a redeeming value to Facebook, it’s the various groups that exist within. One such group is called the Salt River Wild Horses Management Group. This group is found HERE on Facebook or HERE on their website.

“SRWHMG is an accredited non-profit Organization (501c3), under contract with the AZDA for the humane management of the Salt River wild horses. We rely 100% on public support and public donations to carry out our important work.” (From the website)

The group is just under 23,000 strong and only about 8 years old. But they have managed to influence the humane care of these herds.

I lived in Arizona for 46 years, just a few miles from the Salt River, and have witnessed firsthand these beautiful, majestic animals. A favorite pastime was to drag a tube out to the river and float for hours. Along the way, if fortunate, you will witness these beautiful horses grazing in the water as you float by.

The government and the BLM has been perpetrating a lie regarding these herds for years, not just the Salt River herd, but all around the country.

Claiming to be protecting them, they would swoop in with helicopters with the purpose of ‘herding’ them to pens where it was claimed they would be auctioned to private citizens.

So how about we chew on this a minute.

These helicopter round-ups scared these herds, sometimes causing death from the fear. They are cruel and inhumane.

The herds are run ragged until they are so tired they literally drop from exhaustion.

The “auctions” were hiding the fact that these beautiful animals would instead be sold to commercial groups who ship them to Mexico where they are slaughtered. Very few would go to private bidders at these auctions.

I have contributed $5 per month to this group, not much, but it is how I can make a small difference. If there were 100, or 1000, or 10,000 who would do the same, these animals could be saved and protected around the country.

The BLM claims the herds need to be thinned. Those like myself have believed there are better alternatives to helicopter round-ups and auctions leading to their demise … humane, medically induced birth control. The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group has for several years been working toward such a positive solution with both Federal and State governments. They succeeded.

Almost gone forever, today the Salt River wild horses are now protected pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute 3–1491 (aka the Salt River Horse Act). The SRWHMG is under contract with the AZ Department of Agriculture (AZDA) to manage this herd humanely. This partnership with the Federal and State Governments is a groundbreaking, one-of-a-kind program. But it needs support.

I hope this article will introduce you, the reader, to something you probably are not aware of. In doing so, I hope you might choose to offer some form of support for these extraordinary and majestic animals from our past. These wild horses have roamed our land for many, many years and are a part of our country’s history.

The group’s Facebook page and website provide some of the most amazing photographs you will find of our wild horses. Please enjoy them. And please donate.

I do not receive anything for writing this. It is simply a group of people, a non-profit, working to save and care for these beautiful animals that I too support.