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In the heat of summer the BLM targeted nearly 2000 wild horses for removal. In contrast to 2018 that ended as newborn foals were beginning to be born, the 2011 operation was set in July. July is a time when many foals from newly born to months, weeks or just days old would be driven by helicopter, sometimes for as many as 14 linear miles (please note wild horses do not run in a straight line or even in one consistent direction for 14 miles. The distances traveled can be much further).
Documented conduct at the operation included hot shot (electric prod) use on foals, humans kicking wild horses in the head, a constant lack of water at holding and even hitting a horse with a helicopter.
After running daily observations for six weeks enough documentation was compiled to take BLM to court. Federal Judge Judge Howard J McKibben found BLM's defense of their actions to be a "blame the horse affront" and prohibited such conduct, banning helicopter use, for the rest of the operation.
But we did not drop the case and pushed for a
preliminary Injunction. We began to litigate at other roundups while we kept the case active at Triple B.
BLM conducted a review of operations, stating in the background information, it was because of the court ruling. In the review BLM admitted to the vast majority of alleged conduct (the judge did not appreciate that BLM denied what he could see happened with his own eyes in the images and video provided to the court). Yet BLM continued to insist that, even though the conduct occurred, there was "nothing wrong." They still told media and public that even though they electric shocked foals in the face they managed wild horses "humanely."
After multiple court rulings against such practices (every time we went to court, we won) and the unfavorable media attention that came with it, BLM finally issued a version of CAWP.
CAWP IM-2015-15 has not been revised. In 2016 politics, resentments, competitive bickering have all contributed to the lack of pressure on the agency to define metrics. Instead of learning about the framework for progress (built over years of relentless litigation) many fell into old habits of screaming and petitions.
The fight to gain a humane handling policy can be seen as an analogy for the entire program. A system that fails to include the welfare of the horse, even in analysis of use patterns on the range, is failing the intention of the law.
The humane handling policy exists now. There is a lot of work yet to do in order to make it a real tool to stop abuse. Resentment and ignoring progress creates the fastest road to seeing it disappear.
In 2014 resentment of federal authority grew on public land. The political climate in 2016 stocked an already volatile climate.
One of the first things to pay the price for public land politics has always been the wild horse. Is CAWP a potential casualty?
2011, Triple B
Gaps left between the panel and trailer had the mare try to escape. Instead of letting her go attempts were made to get her into the alley by tying a rope around her neck and having a man on horseback pull her. Her head became wedged against the rail, as they continued to pull for ten minutes. Then they decided to push her head back in. The mare stood propped between the trailer door, motionless, for fifteen minutes. She was loaded and never seen again.