American Wild Horse Crisis

There are 10,000 more horses and burros in the wild than their habitat can support, according to the Bureau of Land Management. 
But, the agency says, there will soon be little they can do about it. 
The overpopulation problem is now putting a big strain on the agency as it tries to figure out how to keep the spiraling population from harming the ecosystem. 

The current conundrum can be traced in part to 1971. At the time, Congress passed the Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which tasked BLM with preserving the wild animals in the 10 western states where they roamed. As with any grazing animal, though, the absence of predators caused the population to boom. After their numbers doubled in five years, Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act which made BLM responsible for keeping wild horse and burro populations in check. 

Fran Ackley, who runs BLM's Wild Horse Program holding facility in Canon City, Colo., said that since there are no predators, federal officials "act as predators in that we remove horses (from the wild)." This, he said, "kind of serves as a similar act in controlling the population." 

Rounded up animals are placed in long- and short-term holding facilities and put up for adoption. Adoptions, however, especially in the recent recession, have been far lower than the number of horses taken off the range. The result is that there are now some 50,000 "wild" horses and burros in BLM holding facilities around the West. 

That's compared with roughly 37,000 currently in the wild, a number BLM says is 10,000 more than it should be. The agency says room in its holding facilities will reach capacity this year. 

"The growth rate 'in the wild' is about 20 percent," Ackley explained. "So that means we're going to have another 7,400 horses this summer after foaling season. And right now it looks like we cannot remove all of them, maybe between 5,000 and 6,000 animals." 

Each coming year, the population in the wild will increase, and if something isn't done, the BLM will be unable to remove any of them, according to Ackley. "If we don't manage them they're going to eat themselves out of house and home and destroy the habitat that supports -- not only them but, you know, endangered species, other plant and animal species and wildlife." 

Currently the Wild Horse and Bureau Program spends about $50 million a year just to feed the animals held in captivity. That's around 70 percent of its annual budget, and horses in captivity live up to 25 years. When it comes to other grazing animals like deer, elk and bison, hunting acts as a substitute for natural predation. Hunting horses, though, is prohibited. 

And while horse meat is consumed by humans in much of the world, selling any of the horses to slaughter houses is a public relations nightmare the Bureau is determined to avoid. 

"We'd like to see reproduction targeted as part of a solution," said Karen Herman, owner and operator of the Sky Mountain Wild Horse Sanctuary near Santa Fe, N.M. She said it's obvious to everyone the current system for managing wild horses is broken. "I think we need to be much more creative and innovative, and I think PZP is a science-based solution that's also ecologically and economically sound." 

PZP, porcine zona pellucida, is a birth control drug that can last up to two years. Longer lasting fertility drugs are being developed. Herman has been involved in PZP trials in the Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico where mares are darted in the wild to inject the drug. 

"It limits their reproduction so they can stay free, they can be wild." Herman said. "And yet their numbers aren't exceeding the capacity that the land can hold. There's 20 years of data that shows it's totally safe, it's 90 percent effective (and) it doesn't change their family behavior, their social behavior." 
Many wild horse advocates oppose fertility control but Herman says the alternatives of roundup or overpopulation are far less attractive. "There's nothing humane about starvation -- it's a long, cruel, slow death. I respect other peoples' right to their perspective. Mine is that we have the means to help horses stay healthy and free. Why not use it?" 

Ackley also feels that PZP is promising and points out that the BLM is also conducting trials. He agrees, though, that fertility control is only part of the solution. 

"I'm going to guess there's in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 herds that we can actually do that: approach the horses on foot with a dart gun and put the drug into them. But you know, in Utah, Wyoming, California and Nevada, their horses are a lot more wild ... so that's really not practical in those populations." 

Recently, Kathleen Mussetter came to the BLM Canon City holding facility to adopt one of the mustangs removed from the wild. "They're just so amazing. Just completely honest," she said. 

Mussetter said she also worries about what will happen to the mustangs still roaming wild. "They reproduce out there, but the range is not reproducing. So I believe the BLM is kind of between a rock and a hard place. They're trying to do the right thing for the horses but what can you do? It's hard for a horse lover, it's a hard subject."


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/26/american-west-running-out-room-for-wild-horses/#ixzz2OhZfV1Ec

For more information on all things horses, as well as horse riding in Crieff, make sure you check out Crieff Hydro Hotel's Riding Centre Website at http://hydroriding.com/.

Get a head start at The Pony Club

Join The Pony Club and join in the Fun!
Photo: Donkey Sanctuary Press

We Know There's nothing more memorable than the first time you get up on a horse and have your first horse-back ride. The feel of being on top of that saddle and viewing your surroundings from a perspective you've never seen before, sharing your journey with a trusting four-legged friend - it's truly magical, and is perhaps one of the main reasons many riders continue to ride for the rest of their lives, it's really that addictive. 

Like most activities, it's very beneficial and arguably much more exciting to experience them at a young age which is why groups such as The Pony Club, are so valuable, allowing youngsters to get involved in Pony Riding at a young age and learn the skills, freedom and fun involved in horse and pony riding. 

With lessons, resources and information accessible via over 345 branches and 600 centres in the UK alone, The Pony Club is a great way to get started. So what are you waiting for?! Head over to the Official Pony Club site to see how you can get involved at a centre near you!!

For all your pony-riding equipment needs, be sure to check out the TicTac Equestrian Store too!

Tic Tac Equestrian now on Amazon

TicTac Equestrian now have a brand new Amazon store!

Tic Tac Equestrian have been straight out the gates this year with the help of marketplace management experts Seller Dynamics. TicTac owner Jenny Arnold-Francis and business partner Lauren Henderson have set up a new Amazon store for their bright new equestrian supplies business allowing them to jump the many hurdles that lie on the track for small business and now look to delve nose-first into the world's largest online marketplace. 

The set up of this new store has already had a tremendous effect on the livelihood of horse-loving folk at TicTac Equestrian, with online sales witnessing a sharp increase right from the very beginning.

As proven even from these early stages, TicTac have adopted a fresh, new approach to online sales and distribution which not only makes it easy for horse fanatics, stable owners and horse care/competition professionals to find exactly what they need from the comfort of their own keyboard, but it's an approach that the professionals think is a thoroughbred winner.

For example, Steve Boland of Seller Dynamics has praised TicTac Equestrian and their approach to e-commerce: “We are delighted to be powering TicTac Equestrian, and their success on the Amazon marketplace comes as no surprise. Jenny and Lauren have been operating a great online business for years, and moving to Amazon gave them the opportunity to go from great to greater. It also gives them the chance to sell on other marketplaces and even abroad.”

Anyone who has been brave enough to weather the storm during well-publicised and unavoidably bleak global economic conditions will already be aware of difficult it is to stand out from the crowd, but with a little elbow grease and prize ingenuity, TicTac are proving that it is far from impossible to  survive as a small business.

Selling to a wider audience via a set up such as the personalized online Amazon store will not only increase sales but will go some length to establishing the TicTac Equestrian brand as a prominent global player in the field of quality equestrian supplies. The added bonus of Jenny and Lauren's lifelong experience in the stables as well as being horse owners with competition experience makes Tic Tac Equestrian a prime choice for all your horse care and show wear needs. Their friendly, comprehensive service is now looking to reach further than their native Scotland.

The recent winter weather has seen a steep rise in the sale of essential items such as riding gloves and horse blankets, however, while they help their customers stay nice and warm, Jenny and Lauren are keeping a collectively cool head at the reins of Tic Tac as they continue to steer the business towards the finishing line.

But if you want the word right from the horse's mouth so to speak, here's what TicTac had to say about their plans for an exciting new year ahead: “We ended 2012 having listed on Amazon through Seller Dynamics and despite selling a limited amount of stock we instantly saw the benefits of selling on such a marketplace. We are steadily listing an increasing amount of products onto our Amazon store and it’s great that horse lovers like ourselves are now able to purchase our products on the UK’s biggest online marketplace.”

So, to see for yourself what TicTac has to offer, why not explore the official TicTac Equestrian Amazon Store? Or better yet, head over to the Official website.