I wished this video would have more concentrated on the hard yet patient and calm work of the cowboys than on horses trying to jump out of the chute. They are wild. Yes, they will try to jump out, yet they do need the vet care, and branding them helps them to stay out of kill pens. That squeeze chute is extremely safe and luxury, the cushions are so thick, cinching up a saddle horse will bother it more than this chute!
Hello Heike Bohl. Thank you for your discerning comment. As I wrote in response to "Animal Leftist": "Yes, it is safer than any other method, and the horses do need to be branded, inoculated, etc., for their own safety lest they fall through the cracks and we have no way of tracking them. But it is still traumatic for them, and in most cases the roundups are unnecessary, done to pander to the livestock industry which is basically taking over huge portions of our public land and overgrazing it. Thank you for your comment." Also, the fact is that the approach to the chute should have more "protections" for the horses. The HSUS vet (Humane Society of the United States vet who came and watched the BLM procedures) also commented that some sort of visual barrier would help the horses be less stressed. It is no exaggeration to state that the horses often break their necks or flip over, get fatal injuries in their efforts to escape when in those small naked cages approaching the chute. Our publicizing the many aspects of the BLM's "Wild Horse and Burro Program" has brought numerous protections into play for these animals who were largely abusively manhandled when out of public view. Well known Dr. Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, has stated that a full 80 percent of people will resort to abusive handling practices of animals if they are not under scrutiny. She recommends monitoring being streamed to the internet or some entity so that people handling animals will know that they are likely being watched at all times. You and I may be part of the 20 percent who do appropriate humane handling at all times. In any event, it is important for many reasons that these procedures be made public. But I agree that the branding and inoculations and the hoof care, as well, all need to be done for horses in captivity, and the squeeze chute is the best means at this time, far better than hogtying them, etc. I do understand that until they are taught to trust humans, they are wild and will experience fear no matter what. We just need to be seeking to minimize that however possible. That said, what needs to happen is responsible on-the-range management so roundups are not necessary. Please go to Laura Leigh's website, Wildhorseeducation.org for more information on the big picture. She is actually ongoingly in the field, at roundups, visiting holding facilities, and working with (not just against) the BLM to improve the Wild Horse and Burro program and defend their right to remain wild and free in their legal Herd Management Areas. Thank you for your interest and your comment!
These men are handling these horses amazingly well! They are quiet, and effective. That chute is padded! If the horse wasn't getting a "hug" it would hurt itself thrashing around....and the breathing "stoic grunts" are not referring to pain, but the poor thing is worried that" a lion is gonna eat it"....it's a useful tool in training mustangs, laying them down, and then they grunt like that, and then realize you are not going to hurt them...they learn a lot of trust from that. These horses had great experiences (not while going through) but learning after they were released that they were not hurt. (a freeze brand is like getting a wart frozen off)
Thank you for your comment. I do train horses and teach horsemanship, and I do not agree that these horses "learned trust" from this experience. They survived, that's all they know. And yes, I agree the vet and wranglers behaved professionally. They are wild animals at this time and anything is going to be very scary for them. I never said the grunts were from pain.They are stoic grunts, quietly dealing with the situation. It is still heartbreaking to hear. Nor do I believe the squeeze chute is painful, but it is very frightening for them. Many were dazed and unsteady on their feet afterward for a bit. This was not a "great experience" for these animals, but I do agree it is the best way to brand, inoculate, etc., far better than roping and tying which is absolutely predatory. I wanted people to see what it is like. Don't minimize it, please; that is not fair to the horses, either. But the entire experience is wrong when you realize how vastly outnumbered the horses are by cows in the only areas they are legally allowed to remain. The "overpopulation of wild horses" is a myth, people. I do believe populations do need to be managed, but not by roundups! On-the-range management using fertility control and real science. BLM reacts to everything with helicopter roundups, and the recent National Academy of Sciences report confirms how destructive and counterproductive BLM's whole approach is.
Really interesting. The squeeze chute works to calm cattle, but I don't think it does much for mustangs. Absolutely safer than any other method out there. Thank you for posting.
Yes, Sara, you got it; good partnering relationship with horses is built on trust. It's my horse's final overall impression of our time together that is going to make or break the success of our next time together, i.e., she's thinking either she can trust me more that ever, or trust me less than ever. I adore my horse's nature, and I want a willing partner; I don't want a slave whose spirit has been crushed. Thank you for "getting" it. It is a flawed system.
You have to realize: THESE HORSES HAVE NEVER HAD A HUMAN HAND TOUCH THEM!!! Of course they're terrified, they've never been confined, they've never hand clippers or a loud noise around them. This is a massive shock for them, and I'm surprised more haven't died of shock from it. Take a horse that has been handled all it's life, yes... You can usually brand it, you can worm it... You can probably do the clippers. But any horse, whether from domestic or wild bloodlines who have NEVER had human
Are you designing a better approach as well?? Too many horses are being removed according to whom? That's my public land as much as it is yours and I'm perfectly fine with the number fo animals being removed.
I have a BLM Mustang and he is the best I could have ever asked for. Freeze brand is better than a hot iron, I know a couple that purchased a horse from an Indian tribe that was branded the old way with a hot iron and the brand is still nasty looking from 2 months ago and infected. Maybe you should see if the Indian tribes will let you film their branding and see which you would rather have done by BLM!
Its easy to see how people can get upset watching this but trust me I've dayworked on outfits where they brand hot and hard, all 3 of my using horses are freeze branded and they watchout for me like I watchout for them, and at least these are being moved to another facility, other haven't been so lucky, thanks to the humane society
Elyse oh my goodness the little black filly that you videoed getting branded number 1067 I own her she is now a four year old and the best horse ive ever owned. I showed her at the Mustang Million and she was in the top ten in all of her classes out of 88 horses. I have been researching for her trying to find videos and or pictures. Please if you don't mid if you could email me I would love to talk to you about your experience there at that time and see if you happen to have any pictures of her. tnereiners@gmail.com
+Bree Begnaud Hello, Bree. To whom are you addressing your question? Are you asking me personally, or all the people who are reading this who adopted mustangs?
Animal Leftist: Yes, it is safer than any other method, and the horses do need to be branded, inoculated, etc., for their own safety lest they fall through the cracks and we have no way of tracking them. But it is still traumatic for them, and in most cases the roundups are unnecessary, done to pander to the livestock industry which is basically taking over huge portions of our public land and overgrazing it. Thank you for your comment.
contact before, they will act this way. I have seen horses like this before who are DOMESTIC blood and still act this way because it's something new that's against their instincts doing all this to them I'm surprised there are mustangs that turn out okay from this and the program does as okay as it does. I could never picture a horse doing well after this if this is their first experience. Whether it be mustang, thoroughbred, paint, Arabian or any other bread out there. It is horrendously cruel
Oh I love that one... young, black, white socks.... waaaaannnt My other mustang needs a friend anyway... maybe I should adopt instead of buy... My trailer sucks tho :( Poor guys, that must be so scary for them. Good thing it isn't hot branding or they might have a heart attack!
I don't like censoring the comments, but comments containing over-the-top profanity and violence I will remove. I sympathize with your feelings, folks, believe me, but please go scream into a pillow and then express yourself with a civilized tongue, or I must remove your comments. Thanks. It really works against the horses when we do that, and against me when I'm trying to observe. BLM thinks they need armed security. Thanks.
weird how the BLM doesn't think repeted bashings of the horses on STEEL PIPES causes no harm. what is the matter with the BLM? they treat the wild horses worse than any cattle rancher treats their beef stock.
+Al Gu The Bureau of Land Management is tasked to manage our wild horse and burro population. Unfortunately, they short-change these animals so the cattle ranchers have a greater proportion of the public land to graze their cows and sheep on. But here are the facts. But after you read the facts/numbers, please take a look at some of my other answers to get a fuller picture of what is happening here. as stressful as this is for these animals, it is the kindest way to do these things, which need to be done since the horse is no longer wild and free. But my point is most of these animals should be allowed to remain wild and free. 240 million acres of public wild lands managed by BLM; 160 million of those acres are managed for private livestock grazing at the rate of $1.35 per MONTH for a cow and her calf (outrageous, isn't it) 53 million acres were known in 1971 to have wild horses and burros on them, and Congress passed the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act which said that those animals should be allowed to remain where they were then, on that 53 million acres Only 26 to 32 million acres now remain legal for wild horses and burros, down from 53 million acres. And on those 26 to 32 million acres, cows are vastly outnumbered by cattle and sheep by at least 4 to one, often by as much as 50 to one. Only 4 places exist where wild horses do not have to share (give the lion's portion) of their habitat with cattle. Please go to wildhorseeducation.org to learn current events regarding these harassed animals, how you can help. and stay updated on what you can do. Thank ou for your interest!
Another aspect of my answer to your question, Al Gu, is we do not believe this IS legal, in the sense that the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act states that, "in order to prevent [wild horses and burros] from capture, branding, harassment and death, they are to be considered an integral part of the natural system of the public lands." "Integral" means "essential to completeness," and "formed as a unit with another part," according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Yet when we look at the numbers (see my earlier answer), the numbers of cattle tell us that the Bureau of Land Management treats cattle as "integral" and horses as interlopers. Livestock vastly outnumber wild horses on the public lands. The amount is staggering. So we believe, and the evidence is overwhelming, that the BLM and much of the ranching community scapegoats (blames) wild horses for damage to the range that is caused by the excessive numbers of livestock that scarf up the available vegetation like locusts. The horses are left with little to nothing in many cases, yet the horses are considered "excess" and blamed for "overgrazing."
Well I'm not with this I'm against it but all the people in the comments if you have a horse how would you feel if your horse/animal got lost some people saluter animals it could happen to your animal it's brand or possibly death just think of it
They are handling these horses way better than most branding companies. The cowboys have branded themselves so they know what the animal feels like. The chutes are padded, and the cowboys are quiet and calm. So stop watching these if you'er only gonna cry like a baby over these. Like I said, this is humane
