Doreen had always wanted our young Wylie to attempt to be a pack horse, among his other endorsements. Since I (Bob) was going out west to check the horses, I decided to bring along my trusted Warzone and young Wylie to tag along. I do not have a pack saddle, nor have ever had the experience of using one myself, but I was determined to try this with him. Saturday morning dawned so bright and warm but already by the time I went to saddle them the bugs were horrible, especially the horse flies. I put Wylie’s own saddle on him with saddle bags, then took two other sets of saddle bags and rain jackets and tied then securely onto the saddle. He just stood there looking at me curiously wondering what this is all about. I made sure to rub both horses thorougly down with a new product, which really worked , to keep the horse flies from making them go insane. I then mounted up on Warzone and using an extra long cotton lead shank off we went.

Wylie was great he would be just right behind Warzone and or right up along my right knee, always on the proper side. He followed docily along, through everything we had to go through, except when he went around a tree wrong and came up to me a looked at me as if to say, now what. I laughed and just grapped the front of the shank and off we went. The next incident was when I did not notice that he had stopped to do his thing. Warzone just kept going and the next thing I knew I was almost pulled backward out of my saddle. Note to self: “pay attention”. Wylie finished and then walked up to me so that I could get that dangly thing out his way.

The eight of small herds that we did find were in the heavy timber, trying to avoid the onslaught of insects. We did come across one that was on a hillside in the wind. Wylie upon seeing them, ran out in front, postured himself and arched his neck at these interlopers. I had to laugh again at his antics.

I met one fellow slowly motoring along on his quad, also out to take pictures. We stopped and talked about the horses. The foal crop is good with around 80% of the foals surviving so far. The grass is thick and the horses are in great shape. He mentioned an older stallion with a badly busted leg from a stallion fight. He is in a location you could not get to even if you wanted to try to help. The location and discription sounded like one we had called “Hombre”. That hurt knowing that he may be the one, he has been a special one to me and I still hate to see any of them suffer.

We went on for 16 miles altogether with my great little pack horse. More and more campers and atv’s were still moving in at that hour on Saturday and the massive clear cutting done by the logging compainies have destroyed a lot of our more pristine trails. I decided that it would be time to go home and maybe we will try this again on week day when the woods are quieter.

I also want to thank all of you who sent such kind words to us in regards to “Ginger”. Thank you.  This is also my first time at trying to post a blog so have patience with me.

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I just wanted to share this with the followers and supporters of WHOAS.

It was late on a Sunday afternoon when I decided to take a drive out west.  I was struggling with some personal issues and my heart was quite burdened.  I decided that I would go out to where I laid to rest the young wild foal Doreen had named Ginger.  I still had thoughts about the struggle this little one had endured and I wanted to say good-bye one last time.  When I got to the sight a small ray of sunshine was coming through the trees and lit up the small cross I had made to mark the sight.

As I walked closer, I was surprised to see that someone else had been here before me, for there on the grave was a wild flower and a small tangle of wild horse hair.  Tears welled up inside me and my heart hurt even more.  I was upset with my own problems and now thinking I should have done more for the little thing.  I placed some flowers on the site also.  Then I sat down on a log and closed my eyes enduring the pain inside, as I thanked Ginger for being a part of my life, even if it was for a very short time.

As I sat there beside the grave with my eyes closed now, to stop the tears.  I had what the native’s call a vision.  Every once in a while, I have these when I am troubled and out with the wild horses. This is what came to me.

In it the Spirit Stallion appeared through the trees and came to me once again.  He said to me, “I see you are troubled my child.  What brings such sorrow to our friend?”  I explained to him the difficulties I was facing and then of the pain I felt toward not being able to do more for the foal, “Ginger”.    He then said to me, “Not all of my kind will survive the hardships that plague us as we live out our lives, even our new ones.  The young one you helped will be forever grateful to you in the spirit of all of my kind.  The spirit I can see you love so much.  Take comfort my child in your love for my kind.”

The afternoon thunderstorms had began to appear as I drove into the hills and as I sat there with my eyes still closed with tears, I could hear the booming of what seemed constant thunder.  I then heard something else, the thunder of horse’s hoofs.  “Stand my child and behold.”   I stood.  There coming across the clear cut was Ginger’s herd.  The stallion spoke one last time.  “See, our lives do go on.”  He then disappeared.

In the herd when we found Ginger ailing, there had been four foals including her.  Now there was five.  The herd stopped out the clear cut and the stallion and the mare came out in front of the others and both shook their heads up and down and then took the herd away.

Despite my own inner feelings, still bothering me.  I again knew, that I must continue our efforts to protect these free-living spirits, that we call the wild horses of Alberta.

Bob.

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It is hard to imagine in our so called civilized society there are some severe cases of animal abuse sanctioned and carried out by government employees.  This is happening just south of the border in the USA.  Many foals are run to death, relentlessly chased in the summers heat by helicopters and other vehicles.  Foals ran so hard for so long, end up breaking their legs or dropping dead from exhaustion and other chase related causes.   One American foal shown on the news release looks a lot like our June Bug featured in the next blog.   

Read more about this disgusting and heartless practice on the following link and please write to the officals stated therein.  Also attached is another link about some wild horses saved from slaughter.  Thanks for your ongoing support of North American mustangs. 

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001p0G3IzaXxpycaOEYiCzJOKGT8SkQ34pN-pYscl5BwUTv99GQkgU8vHYDlAK-hYSI0JCx8-feh2cbyrx00AeUcwwDISQtR35JGz-aGmBVmAk-Qucd9usSHA%3D%3D

http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/wild-horse-activists-pay-31-415-to-save-172-animals-from-slaughter/

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June Bug safe and sound

Meet little June Bug.  She was chased by some wolves or some other predators and went through a fence to get away.  Unfortunately her herd, in the ensuiing panic, left her behind, or couldn’t find a way to get her back on the other side of the fence and therefore carried on without her.   Fortunate for June Bug however, she ended up on friendly turf, the Sun Set Outfitters Ranch and Frank Coggins came across her.   She was standing there all alone with cut and bite marks on her little body.  The new managers of Sunset Outfitters Merle and Lori Fox were delighted to be able to take care of her while waiting for the herd to come back.  A couple days past and there was no sign of them so Merle and Lori asked Bob’s advice.   Bob had mentioned that he could probably find a home for her but Lori said that she wanted to keep the foal as she had a mustang in the past and would love to have another one, but wanted to make sure to do so legally.   Consequently, Bob contacted one of the employees of the SRD to ask if the couple could adopt this abandoned young foal.   Don did the paper work and contacted Merle and Lori,  gladly giving them a letter of permission to keep the filly.  

Bob and I had the pleasure of meeting the little horse and her new family on Canada Day.

June Bug is a gentle little filly, who just seems to be really grateful to be alive and have some humans adopt her.  She  will require several bottles of milk replacer both day and night over the next several months.   There is a lot of work ahead for the Foxs’  but they are up to the challenge and June Bug will be a marvelous addition to their herd. 

We will keep you updated on the filly’s progress.   

Congratulations Merle and Lori on your four legged bundle of joy.

Safe in her new paddock

Gentle mare keeps June Bug Company

The happy family

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Small enough to fit in SUV

The following documents are copies of emails I sent out to some of our WHOAS members about this precious little foal we rescued this past Saturday night. 

Some of the names of those involved have been omitted or just mentioned by first name for privacy reasons.

July 3^rd, 2010. 

Hi Everyone

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. 

We drove out West and Bob and I found the camp of the three people who reported finding this lame foal.  Henry drove us to the location and we decided then and there that the foal didn’t stand any chance of survival in that clear-cut debris.  The filly could only pivot on her front legs, the back legs dangled limp.  There was no chance the foal could get away from a predator as she already had a chunk of flesh taken out of her back.  Bob threw the lariat around her body and quickly grabbed her.  The mare was very upset and would charge towards us.  Henry and I would go towards her and she would stop and snort.  Bob and Henry took the lariat off the foal and took turns carrying her through the immense debris of the clear cut about 200 yards to the SUV. 

Seriously deformed back legs

Trapped in a Clear Cut

Carrying foal to safety

removing the lariet

Watching for Mom

Almost there

 Once at the vehicle I draped a blanket over the foal and Bob lifted her into the vehicle and put a lead shank around her back end so she could not attempt to stand.  The mare tried charging a few more times, but the stallion went after her and chased her back. He knew we were trying to help the foal.  We slowly made our way back to Olds and called a Vet Clinic on my cell and the Dr. met us there at the clinic in Olds. The Dr. said her prognosis wasn’t good, as he had never seen the degree of swelling to her legs in any other foal.  She has pneumonia, and an infection raging through her tiny legs and system.  He recommended euthanasia, but at our request, he gave her some cortisone and an anti-biotic and some instructions on how to give future needles.  Bob has plenty of experience giving injections to animals however, thank goodness, as I don’t know if I could do it.  I tend to be a fainter when I get them personally.  In any event, we got home and transferred the filly into the stock trailer and then Bob got some supplies of Browns Milk Replacer, a bottle and a few rubber nipples.  So far so good, she has had a few bottles now.  I spent the night in the camper next to the horse trailer with the windows open listening for her.  She would bang around a bit and whinny and I would call back to her.  It was a bit of a sleepless night listening to vehicles and drunks carousing the streets.   I must admit I wasn’t brave enough to leave the camper, even with my dogs just behind the fence ready to protect me.  At first light however, I braved the streets in my PJ’s and went and warmed a bottle for a very hungry girl.  Anyways, I must get back outside and check on her and pull some more green grass for her to munch on.  

Resting comfortably

Ginger is taking to us humans and she loves to be touched.  I was rubbing her neck and stopped and so she leaned into me for more.  OMG what a doll, I was choking back the tears.  We will be contacting the SRD to let them know we have her and how this all went down. 

Animal bite perhaps?

Feeding the hungry foal

If you have any advice on bottle feeding and caring for very sick foals, it would be greatly appreciated

Eating some tasty grass

Please keep Ginger in your prayers.  She is going to need all the help she can get.  I don’t know if she is going to make it, but I put in a special request to the Man Upstairs. 

  Thanks, and hope to hear from you soon.  Doreen and Bob 

 Second Email

Sunday, July 4^th, 2010

Ginger has been with us now for over twenty-eight hours.  She is putting weight on all four feet however, naturally not very steady.  Our Internet research shows her condition is quite treatable.  Her temperature was normal today compared to 103 yesterday.  Tonight she pounded back two cups of milk out of a bowl.  She drinks much more this way than with a bottle and is much happier about it.  We have rigged up a heat lamp in the trailer and I covered the front end of the trailer with tarps.  Drafts will still be able to blow in but the heat lamp should counter that quite a bit.  It is miserably wet and rainy here.  Tonight she followed Bob around bunting him for food and chewed my sleeve when I ran out of milk so Bob had to hurry and get more.  This is a very good sign that our little Diva is demanding her food now.  She also likes electrolytes and drinks lots of that from a bowl.  Ginger even sat on my lap today, I had been holding up her back end while Bob was giving her a drink and she and I both got tired and so I crouched down and the next thing you know she was sitting on my lap, quite contented.  Never thought in my wildest dreams that I would have a horse sit on my lap and live to tell about it.  lol…

I have put ice on her swollen hocks a few times today, so I think all this is working along with the meds.  So thanks everybody and please keep those prayers and positive energy coming.  Doreen

Ginger in a sling for support

Ginger enjoying the sunshine

Third Email

 July 5^th, 2010

 Just to let you know we had another Vet come and checked her out today.  He diagnosed her with joint ill in three legs and a naval infection.  The naval infection was likely the cause of the swelling and fluid build up in her legs.  Judging by her naval condition the Dr. determined that she was 10 days old.  Ginger didn’t get enough colostrum so her bowel was impacted too.  She would have most likely been very crippled even if he drained all her legs of the massive fluid build up, as her legs would remain extremely deformed.  Ginger was put to sleep a few minutes ago.  Bob has gone to return her to her home and bury her where he initially found her.  Due to other obligations I will not be going with him.  However, Bob said he will mark her grave with a wreath or something and I will go and see where she lies in a few days, anyone who wants to join us feel free to do so, we could use the support.  Talk to you later.  Doreen

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It has been five long months since the accused were first charged with the shooting death of a pregnant wild mare, and a trial date has finally been set today.  This five-day hearing will be held in Calgary from April 4th – April 8th, 2011, for the three adult men, Jason Nixon, Earl Anderson and Gary Cope.  WHOAS and the Daisy Duke Foundation plan on being there.  Any other animal welfare groups are urged to attend as well.  We need to send out a strong message that animal abuse will not be swept under the rug, it will be held under public scrutiny, and hopefully justice will be served.   If the accused are innocent, then we trust that this will be revealed.  May the truth come out, regardless.

Jason Nixon will be tried for a full day in the Didsbury provincial courthouse on February 17th in regards to an assault charge on a Fish and Wild Life officer, which is NOT related to the horse shooting.  Further to this there will be an information disclosure on March 3, 2011 regarding other charges, of threats and resisting, also in Didsbury. 

On the subject of Earl Anderson the co-accused, he is back in court on June 28th. 

There will be a pre-trial conference on September 3rd regarding a wild life ticket, again NOT related to the horse shooting. 

Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan on attending in support of the horses and other wild life of Alberta. 

In support of wild horses everywhere

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In previous blog I mentioned the trial date to be set on June 22, 2010.  I meant to type June 21st and didn’t catch the type O until now.  I hope that this hasn’t caused any inconvenience.  My apologies and hope to see you all on the 21st.

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Ride Sally Ride

Mustang Sally and her human, Robby McHenry, will be participating in the 2010 Innisfail Cancer Trail Ride on June 27.   The ride is a fund raiser for the Canadian Cancer Society. Sally and Robby are participating in the ride to honor the memory of Robby’s brother, Don McHenry, who died in 2005 from Brain Cancer. Anyone wishing to pledge sponsorship for Sally and Robby can send a cheque made out to the Canadian Cancer Society to:

Robby McHenry,
Box 994,
Penhold, Alberta,
T0M1R0

Thank you in advance for supporting Robby on this worthy cause.

Update on Cancer Society Trail Ride

The 2010 Innisfail Cancer Trail Ride was held on Sunday, June 27 and started out from the Daines Rodeo Ranch, near Innisfail. The trail went west from the ranch, then north along the top of the bluff above the Red Deer River for about 4 miles. Mustang Sally went along beautifully. She walks out really well, but is still relaxed.

After a while, the trail turned south and eventually dropped down along the river. The river was really high, full from bank to bank, with a strong current. I found a place where Sally could get down to the water for a drink. After a short drink, Sally decided it would be better to get right into the river for a swim! She doesn’t seem to have any fear of water, in fact, she really likes going into the water. Fortunately, I was able to convince her that we probably shouldn’t go swimming just then!

From there, the trail turned east and went through the Morris Ranch and back to the Daines Ranch. It was about a 10 mile ride with more than 150 trail riders and raised more than $8,500 for the Canadian Cancer Society. With your help, Sally and I contributed $455. Thank you to everyone who sponsored us.

 Robby McHenry

Robby & Sally at end of ride

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The four accused of shooting a wild pregnant mare, Jason Nixon, Earl Anderson, Gary Cope and an un-named youth have plead Not Guilty, through a representative on their behalf today in court.

This is not a big surprise, as it has taken five months to just get their plea entered, nor is it remarkable that none of the accused showed up in person either to enter that statement.   

What is a bit surprising, however, is that the trial will be held in Calgary instead of Didsbury.   The reason given is that Didsbury doesn’t have the capability to hold a court session over that long a period of time, which will take five days of deliberations.  This shows that the courts are taking this horse killing seriously.

So we head to Didsbury court one last time, on June 22, 2010 to find out the dates set for the trial in Calgary.   Thank you to the WHOAS members who continue to show up to give the wildies your voice and support.  We also encourage everyone who reads this to attend that 22^nd day of June as well, along with the actual trial dates in Calgary, which will be posted on our site in the next couple of weeks.   

News story aired on CFCN/CTV Calgary and Global Calgary tonight. 

Small Band photographed June 6th, 2010

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The Likely Suspects

We didn't do nothin'

 

We were very pleased to be given the opportunity to assist the governing agency responsible for the horses, as well as a chance to help yet another wild horse.   So Thursday night, June 4th, 2010, Bob and I drove out West to locate the land on which the horse was reported to be nearby and came across these two boys a few miles from the site.  They suspiciously fit the description of the two trouble makers.   The black stud who jumped the fence and harassed the horses at this fellows place had also pulled a staple out of the fence as he hooked his back foot on it.  This stud we found was black as well, and also had a cut on his hind foot and was limping a bit and also had scratch marks from barbed wire on his body too.   Then there was also a sorrel colored stallion which had also been reported to cause mischief in the area as well.   It seemed to be too much of a coincidence that these two were not one of the same horses.    It sounded like these boys were probably looking for love in all the wrong places.  

In any event, we slowly followed these boys along at a snails pace, in our vehicle and moved them through an opening in the fence and back into the forestry and freedom which was about 5-6 miles from the Acreage owners’ places.  To make sure we had the right stallions however, we also went to the see to the Acreage owner on Saturday and rode around the outskirts of his property to be certain that the stud was no where around.  Whereas, the  fellow had chased the horse off his property the Sunday before, nonetheless, Bob and I  and Robby McHenry, another WHOAS member, rode on horse back for a few hours and didn’t find any fresh sign of wild horses, such as droppings or hoof prints in the dirt. 

This was Robby and his mount, Mustang Sally’s first trip back to the area from from which she originally roamed.   She did very well on that excursion, through muskegg and mud puddles, up steep hills and through thick brush with deer and moose popping out in front of us.  None of that fazed her much, however, she thought that a mud hole would make for a refreshing dip and tried to give herself and Robby a bath, but he quickly uprighted her before she could submerge them completely. 

We made it back to the vehicles relatively unscathed and reported to the acreage owner our findings, or lack thereof and told him to call us if he had any futher problems with wild horses.   After that, we carried on with the rest of the day exploring the West country.  

The following day, Bob and I did have an encounter with yet another black stallion.  He was very curious of Wyley,  I guess they know their own kind and he came up to check my mount out.  My little wildie wanted a piece of that stud’s hide and would spin and face the lone stud.  Wyley would have marched right up to him, however, I didn’t want them to start a skirmish with me still his back so I twirled my reins at the stud and hollared at him to go away.  He was however, undetered so Bob had to chase him off.   The bush was really thick and it appeared that he had gone and so we carried on our way and came across a few wild herds in the same meadow and they too seemed to have quite an interest in Wyley.  These horses came up closer than usual, as they normally don’t hang around when they have young foals to protect .  While they were approaching from the side, the lone stud was sneaking up from behind.  However, Wyley turned around well in advance letting us know the black stud was back.  We were happy when the stallion decided to follow the now retreating wild herd instead of us. 

Wyley has turned into a remarkable riding horse, naturally right at home in the foothills, but what amazes me is how calm he is about everything, including our dogs who on more than one occasion came bolting up over a hill and practically down on top of us, and Wyley barely flinched.  I have had other horses go inside out over incidents like that, crow hopping and doing a one-eighty in mid air.  Wyley however, seems to have this amazing ability to think before he reacts,  I wish I was that smart sometimes too,  lol.

In Search of Wildie Tresspassers

Wyley & Black Stud Meet

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