04.04.10 Visit to BLM Mustangs

The mellow spring sunshine was deceiving. Out on the sagebrush plain south of Boise a determined wind stampeded tumbleweeds and tangled Mustang manes and tails. Wind whipped, my fingers fumbled to focus the camera lens on the Mustangs.  Oh my god -- Mustangs!  Real Mustangs... pardon me while I revert back to being a 10-year old horse crazy girl.  I think Leslie was as thrilled as I was.  It was Leslie who had arranged this special visit for us -- thanks Leslie, you rock!!

Steve Leonard, BLM Wild Horse and Burro Specialist, went out of his way Friday morning to meet with us at the corrals south of Boise. Thanks Steve!  Steve has been instrumental in developing a program unique to the Boise BLM Mustang project in which local 4-H clubs gentle Mustang weanlings.  You need to go read about it, it's a really lovely story.  I'll wait here. 
















Okay, you're back. Isn't that just the coolest program partnering with local 4-H youth?!   

Boise friends -- did you catch those important dates?  On April 17 you can meet the 4-H trainers and their Mustang students at the Idaho Horse Expo in Boise.  On April 23-25, the weanlings will be available for adoption at the BLM Wild Horse Corrals.

Check out this lovely young cremello, I'm not sure if this youngster is part of the 4-H program or not, but I thought you'd like to see those striking blue eyes.

In spite of recent snow and rain, the corrals had surprisingly dry footing for horses with a case of the morning friskies.  Steve told us that the corrals are scraped out and eight inches of clean sand is put in to prepare for the horses.  One mare had managed to find her way in to a low feed trough but hadn't quite figured out how to get back out.  I was so impressed with her good sense, waiting patiently for a solution. Help arrived. Steve and another BLM staffer removed one side of the low trough (sensible design!) then out she stepped.  

Too bad not all problems are so easily solved.  Steve told us that he has had 14 individuals in the corrals this year that do not appear to be Mustangs; rather, domestic horses which were probably abandoned in the desert.  In the current economy I suppose I should not be surprised by this.  In her March 15th post at the Equestrian Vagabond blog, Merry describes spotting two horses out in an area of the Owyhee rangelands that normally does not have horses; the rancher who uses the grazing allotment she hiked through suspects the two were dumped.  Mustangs? Dumped pets? Hard to know for sure.  Just like any number of questions about Mustangs and how to best manage Western public lands.


Here's what I know for sure: the horses that I saw Friday appeared to be well taken care of; the staff that I met and saw working was competent and compassionate. 

I hope my prints turn out.  I took a number of photos of two greys playing. We also spent a good deal of time admiring four new foals. Of course there were many noble faces, sturdy bodies and interesting colors.  I also hope the April Mustang adoption event goes well!  With luck it won't be so cold and windy later in the month, but just in case I'm going to find a new pair of gloves...   Lynn