ROCK SPRINGS – Sometimes you have to wonder how anything can survive during a hard Wyoming blizzard exposed to sub-zero wind chills for days on end.
Southwest Wyoming’s iconic wild horse herds have managed to survive and even thrive in their unique environment, despite the harsh conditions present.
The BLM conducts wild horse gathers in order to manage the herds. Horses are then transported for short term holding at the Rock Springs BLM Horse Corral Facility before being adopted or moved to a long term facility.
Recently The Cloud Foundation, a Wild Horse Advocacy organization, issued a press release calling the conditions at the Rock Springs BLM Horse Corrals inhumane. The group specifically cited a lack of wind breaks and shelters at the facility.
BLM Rock Springs Wild Horse and Burro Specialist Jay D’Ewart explained that the horses are naturally acclimated to the conditions they face, “They have thick winter coats and group together to shelter each other.” He said that, in the wild, the horses have very limited shelter from the wind, and the natural response of herd animals is to gather together and shelter each other and their young.
D’Ewart said that the horses at the Rock Springs Facility are actually in better physical condition then their counterparts left in the wild. Each horse has access to around 20 pounds of high quality feed per day and liquid water. D’Ewart said that the horses actually put on weight at the holding facility and instead of eating snow and ice to stay hydrated they have access to plenty of liquid water.
D’Ewart said that the horses living in the wild have to expend considerable amounts of energy foraging in the desert for low quality food sources during the winter.
Rock Springs High Desert District Facility Manager Jake Benson said that the Rock Springs Facility is partly sheltered from the wind by a nearby rock formation. Additionally three horse wranglers work at the facility. Their job is to care for the horses, perform daily inspections and arrange veterinary care for any animal having a problem.
D’Ewart explained that sometimes the best course of action is to leave the horses alone as much as possible, to reduce stress caused by handling them.
BLM Public Affairs Specialist Serena Baker said that the public should be aware that many of the BLM personnel involved in managing wild horse herds often end up adopting wild horses themselves, “These people care about horses as much as anyone else.” Baker said that the facility is in compliance with all applicable rules and does a top notch job of caring for the animals.
The Rock Springs Facility is classed as a short term holding facility. When horses are sent to a long term facility, they are housed on large parcels of pasture land. Ideally wild horses are adopted.
