Northernhorse.com Blog

When my friend Bob Henderson sent me some info about the wild horses the other day, he included some photos of what appears to be a tornado in one of the areas where he monitors the wildies. He says:

Also when I was out there I came a cross a valley where the Sundre Tornado had obviously touched down.  It was on the North James and we had taken you there.  The path of destruction of this tornado was1/2 mile wide by 2 miles long.  There was not a tree left standing and they were twisted in all directions and even big trees were snapped off like twigs.  I have attached a couple of pictures. There were two small herds of wild horses in this vallley and I pray that they and all other creatures made it to safety.

Thanks Bob for the pictures. Bob has lots of nice photos on the Wild Horse Site. He even has some for sale if you want a nice image for a gift or your own wall or site.

Doreen’s latest blog post starts out:

It has been a busy week for wild foals in trouble.  We got a call from Kathy Bartley of the Bear Valley Rescue Centre stating that some people found a very young wild foal with badly swollen back legs.  They didn’t want to see the baby get torn apart by wolves and so they phoned Kathy to see if they could help.  As WHOAS is more experienced with wild horse rescue and knows the area, Kathy phoned us, but offered to come out and help too. Bob had to wait until after work but in the meanwhile I cleaned the SUV, and put a tarp and blanket in the back, along with a lariat, foal halter and several lead shanks.

Your can read more on Doreen’s blog on the WHOAS website.

Doreen from WHOAS has sent us some photos of herself riding Wyley a former wild horse and meeting up with a wild stallion in Wyley’s old stomin’ grounds out west. If you haven’t already read the story of Wyley’s rescue you still can http://northernhorse.com/wildhorses/index.php/category/wyley-the-wildie/

Doreen has a love for the wildies that is bigger than the whole west country. She and Bob commit a big chunk of their free time to attending to their wild friends. Luckily Bob is a serious photographer who is recording lots of their encounters for those who have never seen a wild horse to share.  And if you read about their adventures on the WHOAS site you know they do have some interesting encounters. Continue Reading »

The Cloud Foundation has announced “Herd Watch – Public Eyes for Public Herds” with the purpose to create a concise database of information regarding the health and welfare of the wild horses and burros across ten Western states. The database will be used as a tool to educate and inform the public and to provide accurate information to the government.

High school age students will be given the opportunity to participate via an interactive webpage. Not only instructors in the disciplines of science and biology who introduce concepts of conservation, but also instructors of mathematics to demonstrate statistics, will be able to utilize the webpage and introduce students to these disciplines.

The foundation is looking for dedicated volunteers to participate in teams to help do the documentation. To volunteer: HerdWatch@gmail.com

Please send any questions to: CalicoHorses@gmail.com

Read more on The Cloud Foundation website.

Wild Horses West of Sundre

Alberta RCMP have laid charges in one of a series of wild horse killings near Sundre.

Jason Nixon, 29, Earl Anderson, 40 and a 13 year old boy have been charged so far with at least one more charge pending. They will appear in court March 1st in Didsbury, AB.

Mustard Seed, a well known Calgary social agency, has confirmed in a statement that the two men are associated with its Mountain Aire Lodge near Sundre.

There has been an ongoing investigation for the past 3 years into the case. Hopefully more charges will be laid soon in the other horse killings.

“This has been ongoing for a long, long time,” said spokesman for WHOAS,  Bob Henderson.

“Since our group has been formed, there has been over 30 killings or around 30 killings that we know about, and it’s also gone on long before that. So whether they’ve caught everybody, I don’t think so, but at least there’s some progress being made,” he said.

Nixon has also been charged with assault, uttering threats, and obstructing a Fish and Wildlife officer who was investigating the incident.

More info on the following sites:

http://www.660news.com/news/local/article/19034–charges-laid-in-shooting-of-a-wild-horse

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100120/CGY_Horse_Charges_100120/20100120/?hub=CalgaryHome

http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1187107

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/01/20/calgary-alberta-wild-horse-shooting-arrest.html

You can also visit the WHOAS website for more information about the wild horses. http://www.northernhorse.com/wildhorses/

2010 Wild Horse Calendar Cover

DO NOT ENTER THIS DRAW. IT IS ALL OVER.

Check on the front of Northernhorse.com or check under the Categories on this blog for Free Draw to find the current one.

We have a nice prize for our free draw. A 2010 Wild Horses of Alberta Society Calendar. Not only do you get to enjoy some of Bob Hendersen’s wonderful photography, they have included lots of information about the herds and the individuals. It is just a treat to turn to the new month.

We always have a question for you to answer to enter the draw. You can enter by clicking on the Comment link below and putting in your answer. The question?

Have you ever seen a wild horse in the wild?

This draw will end the end of the year. Appropriate for a calendar. Good luck everyone.

Would you like to get a calendar or two as gifts for somebody who might really enjoy some nice photos and information about Alberta’s wild horses? Maybe a T-Shirt with a wild horse on it? Just go to the WHOAS (Wild Horses of Alberta Society) http://www.northernhorse.com/wildhorses/. Lots of information there about the wildies. You can even buy a DVD of the documentary about the Wild Horses of Alberta. Lots of good ideas for Christmas gifts and you get to avoid the rush and crowds and help some wild horses.

http://www.northernhorse.com/wildhorses/

They have marched with us through history. Lumbered with us through the North’s uncharted territories. Danced in the stories of the Indians’ ancestors. Documented in the journals of our early explorers. Like the grizzly bear, moose, and wolf, they play a vital role in the wilderness around us. Canada’s wild horses are a monument of early Canadian living. They were a valued resource to our forces in the First World War. Their history has been intertwined with our own since the beginning … yet their future stands on uncertain ground.

In a journal dated in the 1850’s by Reverend John McDougal, he describes the wild horses, preyed upon by wolves, between the North Saskatchewan and Oldman Rivers. Northwest Mounted Police, bringing law and order to the far reaches of Canada, estimated that there were horses in the thousands, loose on the rolling foothills. Continue Reading »

There are a lot of people who would like to find the sick person who has been shooting the wild horses and leaving them wounded to die. Some folks have put a substantial amount of money up to help in the cause. $25,000.00. Nice reward.

One  private individual, the Alberta Equestrian Federation and the Innisfail Truck Ranch.  All three put up $5000 each. Pretty amazing and thanks to them all. Continue Reading »

On March 21, 2009 Bob and Doreen Henderson were presented with the 2008 Wild Life Protection Award from Oliever Bonnett, the Canadian Director of IFAW Canada.

When I read Doreens post on the WHOAS Blog, I thought how much it sounded so typical of Doreen.

It seemed a bit surreal to be recognized along with previous awards recipients given to icons such as Jane Goodal the Primatologist, Farley Mowat, Canadian Writer and Naturalist, and Bob Mills, Member of Parliment, Red Deer.  All are well known conservationists.  Bob and I didn’t feel that we were doing anything extraordinary.

Regardless of whether you think the wild horses are a part of the spirit of the west or you think they are simply feral animals, the unfailing committment of Bob & Doreen to see that they get some protection from abuse has been inspirational. From saving a foal from a rocky shoal to bringing it to our attention that they were being shot and treated inhumanely they have served the wildies in any way they could.

There are some interesting tales on the Wild Horse Website. One of my favorites is when Bob loaded an injured wildie yearling in the trailer with only the help of his saddle horse to bring it home and treat it.

In these times of so much negativity, it is so nice to report some news of somebody doing something nice.  Hats off to the Hendersons.

I am happy tonight for Bob & Doreen Henderson on their being awarded the Outstanding Personal Commitment Award for their incredible dedication, work and passion for the welfare of Alberta’s wild horses.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare conducted a nation wide search for individuals dedicated to doing amazing things for animals. Each year worthy individuals are selected to receive an Outstanding Commitment Award. The Hendersons have been rightly named a 2008 “Animal Action Hero of the Year“. Continue Reading »