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Show -'- - n S: -- . - Y Sr, I The Simpler, Aug. 23, 1984 u ftI ii 3 SB , tn J - ii a it . .. v'rv mv IP' f? ' V 'l ! 2 '1 15. VV '.' Y Ii .iii -'J ', Ift -- - 1 - M .. . ? . v . & g v J..-,- ' 1 .'s r -- . ftV' - - - v- 2. '; . - ;; ' THE BLM regularly rounds iip horses that the range ecology them up for adoption. ' i, . : ' w---- , ' Z ' - ?V I QH ji- - '?kV.r ' . .... ,,s- - -- 1 .'r-- 4y cs: t: (l: . - '0' .. . I.'' v - --- -- V't-v, .C J . - by Gail McHardy seem to bother them much, as they are willing to reach out for a handful of hay soon after their ordeal in the branding chute. The branding itself is nearly painless. A bar with coded symbols is placed in liquid nitrogen to chill, and then i; " 1 THE ORDER in which the horses are chosen by their prospective "parents is done by lot, here Sheldon Wimmer, of the BLMa Salt Lake office, passes the hat while Hathorne employee SFC (Ret) Gary Parks shows off the number 1 he drew to Darrell Taylor and Pat Day If you are interested in adopting a wild mustang, contact Mr. Wimmer at the BLM Regional Office in Salt Lake. There are always more horses than folks who want them. placed on a shaved place on the mustangs neck. There is a bit of swelling, immediately afterward, but there is no open wound, and the horses are apparently not bothered with it at all. This is a permanent. mark which identifies the horse, when it was round- producer with a lovely young - starlet on his arm. serious injury. It doesnt - i fellow with his tall young a rather miscompanion matched pair. Sort of like the stereotype rich, short movie Watching the branding, bipodtesting and innoculat-in- g of these wild animals is quite an exciting show. The experienced horsemen who handle this procedure do so with a minimum of fuss and injury to the horses, and keep them confined for a minimum amount of time. The horses are herded into a narrow pipe corral, which leads to a squeeze chute. This device squeezes to fit the horse and keep it from injuring itself while it is examined, branded and given the required shots. The chute is padded, and has many small doors that open, giving the veterinarian access to various parts of the animals body to examine and treat. Some of the horses do get excited, and kick each other and the fence, sometimes scraping off bits of hide. There is seldom a I cant support and puts see the short, cobby little old Wild mustangs at the BLM corral across from Fries. Park brought a little excitement to midsummer doldrums for horse lovers this past fortnight. Many folks have been out to observe these horses, and a few have been there often enough to become friendly with a few of the quieter ones. Two young stallions have become tame enough to eat hay from human hands, and sniff at those same outstretched hands when empty of hay. It has been interesting to note 'personality differences even in these wild animals. There is one mare with a streak of real meanness in her. She came in with a group of 4 young sUdlions, a foal at her side and another mare with foal. The first few days she left many a hoof mark on the studs when they got a little too near her portion of hay. They keep their distance from her whenever possible, but she has calmed down enough to do her share of eating hay out of human hands. Another group had an older small stallion with a huge mare and foal in tow. The mare is calm and quite friendly, but her master keeps her away from the other big stud in the same pen. It is funny to ' S,; . around with the BLM :1 i ' first effort at domestication is patience, followed by knowhow and strength. Then,' after the horse learns that humans bring food and water and nice pats on the neck, the real education of the animal begins, to become what his new owned up, age, etc. er plans for him. The sale of these animals is Several of the horses also an interesting spectacle, as people come with high brought in a year ago are still in residence at the Skull hope of getting an early choice of animals, to select Valley Stables. Several are althe best animal for their ready good saddles horses, and some younger ones are needs. Mares with foal at side are often among the first getting used to saddles and riders a bit more plowly. choices, as they come as a Mostly they are gentle anipair for the. same price as a mals, and do not retain muph single mare or stallion. wildness, if any. The writer Young animals go early, has a horse that was brought too, as they are expected to in four years ago, and he is as be easier to tame and break. After eadi in turn makes his predictable and gentle as any raised in captivity. horse animals are choice, the again So after the excitement of into narrow corral the herded the work of taming the sale, and diute, to be loaded into and trailers to be taken home. A training the horses befew may stay at Dugway. gins, the hours of halter trainThese are haltered and led by ing, sacking out, longeing,. an experienced horseman getting used to blanket, sad-die and bridle. With patience and his horse to the home " fun of where the pand many hours of work paddock, these horses will become.use-fu- l training begins. and - loved animals,-healthis to The first project get and shiny coated. near enough to the horse to . are unhappy humans touch it. Some ways to do this Many with the rounding up and sale are to tie the horse until it is of these wild animals. Are and then it bring thirsty, water. Others may grab the " they better off in the wild, or in file care of humans? Only lead rope and hang on until the horses know, and they the horse calms down a little. arent talking. The main ingredient in this . . . their the corral trying to independence and bang against regain their, freedom. Others, Who probably have no , fear of man (or woman) will eat right out of your MANY OF THE ANIMALS fiercely want to keep -- - y hand the day theyre caught, as Gail MCHardy found out. I I I I .1 C: v f- .V; L FIRST STEP once the horse Is in a specially padded portit by able stall is to check the horses sex and age, classify color and distinctive markings, then give it a couple of shots by a veterinarian working through special portals designed into the stall. 'ONCE THE VET. has examined the horse, it is freeze branded and tagged with a matching number. Sheldon Wimmer of the BLM explained that freeze branding doesnt harm the animal- - The brand is immersed in liquid nitrogen and applied to the neck of the horse. The tags in Wimmers sons pocket are needed because the brand is not Immediately visible. i . if r 5 K V i V l V i a y,-r- - v If kc. f i f s ?:,' i c O' DARRELL TAYLOR, Dugways resident BLM agent applies the brand to one of this to match the brand design. couple of weeks the pigment in the hair changes color years adoptees. After a SHELDON WIMMER of the Bureau of Land Management, Salt Lake office was in charge of the roundup and adoption. Here be discusses the terms of adoption with a successful bidder. ' : i - i i I 1 V ( JT or mt C,!1 i - va- Tm rw - rr n - nit n V gimiif-- ' ijiiiin ,. inaiiirV tf. tfn - vnrr-- i w't -- f 6. TiiTT f ; f r . r "' . ..s feta.-- V T ; 'n I |