[Carol Ames]

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/...stang-removals

[asparwhite]

Wait till they start doing this to the human population.

[fivehorses]

I would much prefer contraceptive use than the roundups.

I can think of some humans where this might not be a bad idea

[chemteach]

I would much prefer contraceptive use than the roundups.

I can think of some humans where this might not be a bad idea

Ditto!

[Bluey]

I expect that such management is going to be implemented wholesale now is because it is more acceptable to the clueless public, although it is very disruptive to the feral horse herds, as their studies have shown.

Then, when you have to do something, you do the best you can, if it's wrong, can't keep going as they are, the numbers have to be brought down somehow.

Any type of disruption alters in important ways herd dynamics.
Where this has been tried, there was more fighting and injuries, smaller stable groups and many didn't stay stable for long.

The BLM is charged with being a manager, but gets it's hands tied behind it's back from the start and then backed into a corner by all those now very rich groups feeding of making feral horses the cause of the moment.

What a strange world we live in, where some can do that and so many just blindly follow.

Here is more, for those really interested in these matters, with reports of those studies:

http://www.oregonslivinglegends.com/

This is not a simple situation with pat answers to it, but more complicated than what many are aware of.

[CHT]

If I understand this, then the mares still need to get rounded up so they can be given the shot, but are then released....to be rounded up again in 2 years. So round ups aren't reduced, they would actually be increased wouldn't they? I am thinking they would also still be moving mustangs at times to ensure they are on suitable range land.

I am also wondering about the social aspect. Are the hormone injected mares less receptive to the stallions, or are they still receptive, but unable to conceive? I could see it making a lot of sense that a mare that is not receptive to a stallion and/or does not give off the hormones of a mare, may be rejected by the herd dynamic.

I can understand WHY the BLM is taking this route, so not knocking them, it just seems like it is a "pretty" solution that is not well thought out. By pretty I mean the ugliness of it (horses being rejected by the herd, horses dying of natural causes rather than the quick death of euthanasia) will be out of site, and natural...because natural is always better right?

[Sarah Ralston]

I would much prefer contraceptive use than the roundups.

I

They do have to round the horses up to give the injections! And with the current push to REDUCE funding (horribly wrong) to the BLM supposedly to stop the gathers contraception alone will not counter the current overpopulation. The most recent video posted of the Antelope Valley horses on one of the websites showed a horse that was supposedly being "abused" by being brought in but that, if you really looked at the horse, was completely emaciated. They were trying to SAVE the herds instead of letting them die a slow, painful death of starvation.
Bluey-you are right on target. We really need to get as pro-active with "educating" the public as the so-called advocates are!

[coloredcowhorse]

I would much prefer contraceptive use than the roundups.

UH....since the contraceptive only works for about 2 years this means that the herds will have to be rounded up every other year to maintain contraception. In addition, unbred mares create havoc in the herd structures according to research. This also does not address the issues that those living near these herds have with the young bachelor herd stallions (just chased about a dozen of them away from my fences within the last month!). If BLM's funding for roundups is reduced how are they going to get the mares in to apply contraceptive measures.

Another feel good, do little proposal that will make the wild horse advocates happy for a short time (until someone points out MORE roundups will be necessary to maintain contraceptive levels).