One of Assateague's many wild horses enjoys a leisurely trot along the long sandy beach.
Comments
Post your own comments on this photo!
Bozeman, Montana
Jim Junker said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 09:01pm)
In terms of overpopulation, my opinion on the matter is, "over-population" is really a term we (humans) use for when populations of animals get in our way. Populations are naturally regulated within their ecosystems, so the only limit is the space we "allow" them to exist. So I say that euthanasia probably the best option, outside of adoption. It is our problem, so we should pay to fix it. Relocation is a much more expensive process, so adoption then euthanasia. And really the animal should be used as much as possible (hide, meat, etc.).
Again, gorgeous animals!!
Bozeman, Montana
Jim Junker said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 08:44pm)
This is such a beautiful animal (not that there are any other kind).
@Scott: The greater yellowstone wolves can be an issue for ranchers, they do "remove" wolves that get into livestock, because, once they find them they are not going to leave such an easy/abundant food source. In fact, they actually have started selling licenses and having a regulated wolf harvest. This year, a few of the wolves that were part of a long term wolf study w/in YNP were killed, screwing up years and years of data for researchers. http://www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_bd98ebae-c681-11de-806f-001cc4c03286.html
Eagle River, Alaska
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 07:20pm)
@Charlie! Good! Evening! I'm just happy it actually worked! Good to see your name back in the comments area!!! Woo! Hoo!!!!
Teton Village, Wyoming
Alison Hyatt said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 05:34pm)
Charlie!!!!! Welcome back!!!! We've missed you so! Where were ya when I needed ya!
Kansas City, Missouri
Scott Dillon said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 04:59pm)
Welcome back Charlie!!!
@QOTD: I admit, I haven't read the articles, but could natural predators be introduced? Do horses have natural predators? Eventually a balance should be reached, and it would be nature fixing the problem. Of course, if you introduce predators, like maybe wolves (just guessing), you wouldn't want them taking out ranchers herds... I've heard the wolves in Yellowstone getting a bad rap for wandering out of the park and taking livestock, but I've also heard that those are somewhat fabricated and exaggerated...
Raytown, Missouri
Charlie Harrison said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 01:44pm)
@Wendy, Judy fixed up some kinda web-elixir and I drank it. Presto, It worked.
@QOTD Meat. Hide. Misc uses for the rest. Seems we could fix a couple things for some others who don't worry about where it came from, Haiti, Chile. Food and shelter. Maybe I didn't read far enough into the articles but what happens to the euthanized animals? Do they go right to the glue factory?
Wendy Riggs said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 01:35pm)
@Charlie, welcome back!!!!! How did you fix it? (Or how did Judy fix it?)
@Judy - That cracks me up about your neighbor's horse! We have two donkeys (mother & daughter). The mother knows how to open gates with sliding latches, so we have to chain all the gates to keep her from getting out! I'm just waiting to see if she teaches the same trick to her daughter. OY! (Incidentally, I think I should look up the root of "neighbor". Horses neigh.... Hmmmmm... :-D)
Raytown, Missouri
Charlie Harrison said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 01:28pm)
Judy, you fixed me!
Eagle River, Alaska
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:54pm)
Still stunned by how beautiful this horse it. Wow!!!!
Eagle River, Alaska
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:54pm)
@Alison- Another great topic to discuss.
I don't know that there is an easy solution to this problem. I don't like the thought of them starving to death. I think if that's option then euthanasia is more humane. I was thinking Sterilization. But like Wendy said who foots the bill. Maybe creat an account for people to donate to that will be used in sterilizing them? People seem to donate to causes even in tough times if it's something they feel passionate about.
Eagle River, Alaska
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:50pm)
This fellow is just down right gorgeous!!! I WANT HIM!!!! Someday we want to get a horse. We hope to move a little further north and get a bigger piece of property than we have right now. We've had serveral neighbors in our neighborhood that have had horses. In fact the neighbor 2 houses up from us had a horse named Runner that use to always get out of his encloser. He figured out how to diconnect the electric fence and would come and eat the grass in the valley on our property. I liked seeing him in our yard. I would always let him eat for a while then take him back home and reconnect the fence. He always made me laugh when I'd see him walking towards our house.
Wendy Riggs said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:08pm)
@Alison - [Oops...need more room!] I suppose that sterilization might be an option. The biggest problem with most of the options (euthanasia, sterilization, relocation) is money & man power. How (& WHO) will it be paid for? If the government manages it, then that means the taxpayers end up paying for it, which I don't think is right. I guess the gist of it all is, is that there is no easy answer. Good question, though! :)
Wendy Riggs said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:04pm)
@Alison - Well, here are my thoughts on the issue. I tend to agree with Michele that, in most cases, nature should be allowed to take its course. However, when populations are so out of control that nature's course is starvation, I prefer euthanasia or humane slaughter. Unfortunately, our congressmen took it upon themselves to make horse slaughter illegal in the US in spite of valid arguments in favor of it so that is no longer an option. (Okay, off my soapbox on that subject. I could go on...) When you think about how we control other populations (i.e. mainly whitetail deer), it's through hunting. Obviously, hunting horses is not something we do here or would even want to do. I really like the wild burro and mustang adoption programs; but as you say, people just can't afford the care and feeding for them in these times. The thought that if we just had more land to put them on wouldn't solve the population problem because they'd eventually outgrow that space, too. I suppose
Wendy Riggs said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 11:51am)
OMgosh. I LOVE this picture!! One, I love horses; 2, I love the beach; 3, the colors are great; & 4, the movement of the picture if fantastic. You can just see the wind blowing his mane & tail. Also, look at the way the photographer captured the sand flying up from his hooves! Love it, love it, love it! :-D
Teton Village, Wyoming
Alison Hyatt said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 11:22am)
@ Lily- I imagine the ones on Assateague are immune to humans and don't mind so much, and I can't say for how the herds are in the southern region, but the ones in WY are pretty wild (yes, I know that they are descendants of domesticated horses). You can't get within a 100 yds of these guys before they bolt as there's not much interaction with humans.
@ John- yes, they can be trained and ridden, and they actually have a pretty cool competition where selected top trainers across the country have 100 days to work with their chosen horse and then go compete against each other to see who has done the best job. One of the guys I used to work with was selected this year- Ramone Castro. http://www.extrememustangmakeover.com/extremeteam.php#
Its just that with the economy the way it has been, people don't have the extra money to spend on feed and care for even domesticated horses let alone wild ones....
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
John Keiser said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 10:29am)
@QOTD - These beauties can be broke and trained I imagine...as they did for years? What is the need around the country or world for horses for whatever...riding stables, ranching, etc - hate to just see them slaughtered for the sake of population control - while I suppose that horse meat is just as useful as deer meat (thinking what they do for population control in my part of the country). There has to be a humane answer - can you think of anything greener than a horse - transportation? Sorry, a little far fetched...but horses are awesome animals.
@Alison - I read the articles and I have to say that's pretty interesting. I honestly didn't know overpopulation was a problem. The closest I've come to wild horses is a wild horses monument in central Washington. I wonder if it would be possible to transport some of the horses to other areas. I'm sure there are places across the country that has the room and resources for wild horses. But if not, I definitely think euthanasia is more humane than starvation, but then you'd have to consider if you shouldn't let nature just take its course. Unfortunately you can't control the population of every wild animal and sometimes you just have to let nature take its course and let the strongest survive. Don't get me wrong - I love animals - but sometimes you have to let nature decide who stays and who goes.
Fresno, California
Sondra Hoopingarner said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 09:52am)
@Alison Not much input from everyone today.
If they HAVE to thin the herds and no one will adopt them I guess euthanasia is better than them starving in the wild. I just absolutely hate seeing a horse put down though. It feels different watching the life go out of their eyes than any other animal. I know we don't like hearing it, but in some parts of the world horse meat is highly prized. Maybe there could be a way to sacrifice a few and sell the meat in order to save the majority. It sounds awful but it's just a thought.
Lily Johnson-Ulrich said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 07:48am)
These guys are really feral, not wild. Then again the ones out west aren't truly wild either, but more so than these guys. You can practically walk up and pet these ones and the bachelor herds will chase tourists away from their food and coolers and break open chip bags and eat their food.
As for population control, why not making Pony Penning a bigger event? Get more people interested in this tough little breed and sell babies AND adults.
Spokane, Washington
Curtis Barville said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:55am)
and i do believe that horse is running through SNOW!!!
Teton Village, Wyoming
Alison Hyatt said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:24am)
I believe that euthenization is the most humane way (as apposed to starvation) to tackle the problem, but I don't like it. I'm just not too sure of what else can be done besides acquiring a good portion of the country as land set aside for just them.
Teton Village, Wyoming
Alison Hyatt said:
(Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:21am)
Trying to think of a question to ask today as not only are horses my life, but I lived in the shadows of the Pryor Mountain heard, and the McCullough Peaks heard in WY for years.
@QOTD- I guess my only question is, do you guys have any ideas on how to help solve the over-population problems? I've got 3 sources, all from different view points, that say bottom line, they get euthanized.
More than half of Assateague Island National Seashore's 48,000 acres is comprised of near-shore and estuarine waters, and the interplay between these waters and the barrier island affects nearly every aspect of life in this dynamic coastal environment.
More than half of Assateague Island National Seashore's 48,000 acres is comprised of near-shore and estuarine waters, and the interplay between these waters and the barrier island affects nearly every aspect of life in this dynamic coastal environment.
Comments
Post your own comments on this photo!
Jim Junker said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 09:01pm)
In terms of overpopulation, my opinion on the matter is, "over-population" is really a term we (humans) use for when populations of animals get in our way. Populations are naturally regulated within their ecosystems, so the only limit is the space we "allow" them to exist. So I say that euthanasia probably the best option, outside of adoption. It is our problem, so we should pay to fix it. Relocation is a much more expensive process, so adoption then euthanasia. And really the animal should be used as much as possible (hide, meat, etc.).
Again, gorgeous animals!!
Jim Junker said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 08:44pm)
This is such a beautiful animal (not that there are any other kind).
@Scott: The greater yellowstone wolves can be an issue for ranchers, they do "remove" wolves that get into livestock, because, once they find them they are not going to leave such an easy/abundant food source. In fact, they actually have started selling licenses and having a regulated wolf harvest. This year, a few of the wolves that were part of a long term wolf study w/in YNP were killed, screwing up years and years of data for researchers. http://www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_bd98ebae-c681-11de-806f-001cc4c03286.html
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 07:20pm)
@Charlie! Good! Evening! I'm just happy it actually worked! Good to see your name back in the comments area!!! Woo! Hoo!!!!
Alison Hyatt said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 05:34pm)
Charlie!!!!! Welcome back!!!! We've missed you so! Where were ya when I needed ya!
Scott Dillon said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 04:59pm)
Welcome back Charlie!!!
@QOTD: I admit, I haven't read the articles, but could natural predators be introduced? Do horses have natural predators? Eventually a balance should be reached, and it would be nature fixing the problem. Of course, if you introduce predators, like maybe wolves (just guessing), you wouldn't want them taking out ranchers herds... I've heard the wolves in Yellowstone getting a bad rap for wandering out of the park and taking livestock, but I've also heard that those are somewhat fabricated and exaggerated...
Charlie Harrison said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 01:44pm)
@Wendy, Judy fixed up some kinda web-elixir and I drank it. Presto, It worked.
@QOTD Meat. Hide. Misc uses for the rest. Seems we could fix a couple things for some others who don't worry about where it came from, Haiti, Chile. Food and shelter. Maybe I didn't read far enough into the articles but what happens to the euthanized animals? Do they go right to the glue factory?
Wendy Riggs said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 01:35pm)
@Charlie, welcome back!!!!! How did you fix it? (Or how did Judy fix it?)
@Judy - That cracks me up about your neighbor's horse! We have two donkeys (mother & daughter). The mother knows how to open gates with sliding latches, so we have to chain all the gates to keep her from getting out! I'm just waiting to see if she teaches the same trick to her daughter. OY! (Incidentally, I think I should look up the root of "neighbor". Horses neigh.... Hmmmmm... :-D)
Charlie Harrison said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 01:28pm)
Judy, you fixed me!
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:54pm)
Still stunned by how beautiful this horse it. Wow!!!!
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:54pm)
@Alison- Another great topic to discuss.
I don't know that there is an easy solution to this problem. I don't like the thought of them starving to death. I think if that's option then euthanasia is more humane. I was thinking Sterilization. But like Wendy said who foots the bill. Maybe creat an account for people to donate to that will be used in sterilizing them? People seem to donate to causes even in tough times if it's something they feel passionate about.
Judy Rusk जुडी रस्क said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:50pm)
This fellow is just down right gorgeous!!! I WANT HIM!!!! Someday we want to get a horse. We hope to move a little further north and get a bigger piece of property than we have right now. We've had serveral neighbors in our neighborhood that have had horses. In fact the neighbor 2 houses up from us had a horse named Runner that use to always get out of his encloser. He figured out how to diconnect the electric fence and would come and eat the grass in the valley on our property. I liked seeing him in our yard. I would always let him eat for a while then take him back home and reconnect the fence. He always made me laugh when I'd see him walking towards our house.
Wendy Riggs said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:08pm)
@Alison - [Oops...need more room!] I suppose that sterilization might be an option. The biggest problem with most of the options (euthanasia, sterilization, relocation) is money & man power. How (& WHO) will it be paid for? If the government manages it, then that means the taxpayers end up paying for it, which I don't think is right. I guess the gist of it all is, is that there is no easy answer. Good question, though! :)
Wendy Riggs said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:04pm)
@Alison - Well, here are my thoughts on the issue. I tend to agree with Michele that, in most cases, nature should be allowed to take its course. However, when populations are so out of control that nature's course is starvation, I prefer euthanasia or humane slaughter. Unfortunately, our congressmen took it upon themselves to make horse slaughter illegal in the US in spite of valid arguments in favor of it so that is no longer an option. (Okay, off my soapbox on that subject. I could go on...) When you think about how we control other populations (i.e. mainly whitetail deer), it's through hunting. Obviously, hunting horses is not something we do here or would even want to do. I really like the wild burro and mustang adoption programs; but as you say, people just can't afford the care and feeding for them in these times. The thought that if we just had more land to put them on wouldn't solve the population problem because they'd eventually outgrow that space, too. I suppose
Wendy Riggs said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 11:51am)
OMgosh. I LOVE this picture!! One, I love horses; 2, I love the beach; 3, the colors are great; & 4, the movement of the picture if fantastic. You can just see the wind blowing his mane & tail. Also, look at the way the photographer captured the sand flying up from his hooves! Love it, love it, love it! :-D
Alison Hyatt said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 11:22am)
@ Lily- I imagine the ones on Assateague are immune to humans and don't mind so much, and I can't say for how the herds are in the southern region, but the ones in WY are pretty wild (yes, I know that they are descendants of domesticated horses). You can't get within a 100 yds of these guys before they bolt as there's not much interaction with humans.
@ John- yes, they can be trained and ridden, and they actually have a pretty cool competition where selected top trainers across the country have 100 days to work with their chosen horse and then go compete against each other to see who has done the best job. One of the guys I used to work with was selected this year- Ramone Castro. http://www.extrememustangmakeover.com/extremeteam.php#
Its just that with the economy the way it has been, people don't have the extra money to spend on feed and care for even domesticated horses let alone wild ones....
John Keiser said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 10:29am)
@QOTD - These beauties can be broke and trained I imagine...as they did for years? What is the need around the country or world for horses for whatever...riding stables, ranching, etc - hate to just see them slaughtered for the sake of population control - while I suppose that horse meat is just as useful as deer meat (thinking what they do for population control in my part of the country). There has to be a humane answer - can you think of anything greener than a horse - transportation? Sorry, a little far fetched...but horses are awesome animals.
Michelle Fitts Cramer said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 10:07am)
I love this picture! I think the ground and sky really make the horse's colors just pop!
Michelle Fitts Cramer said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 10:06am)
@Alison - I read the articles and I have to say that's pretty interesting. I honestly didn't know overpopulation was a problem. The closest I've come to wild horses is a wild horses monument in central Washington. I wonder if it would be possible to transport some of the horses to other areas. I'm sure there are places across the country that has the room and resources for wild horses. But if not, I definitely think euthanasia is more humane than starvation, but then you'd have to consider if you shouldn't let nature just take its course. Unfortunately you can't control the population of every wild animal and sometimes you just have to let nature take its course and let the strongest survive. Don't get me wrong - I love animals - but sometimes you have to let nature decide who stays and who goes.
Sondra Hoopingarner said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 09:52am)
@Alison Not much input from everyone today.
If they HAVE to thin the herds and no one will adopt them I guess euthanasia is better than them starving in the wild. I just absolutely hate seeing a horse put down though. It feels different watching the life go out of their eyes than any other animal. I know we don't like hearing it, but in some parts of the world horse meat is highly prized. Maybe there could be a way to sacrifice a few and sell the meat in order to save the majority. It sounds awful but it's just a thought.
Lily Johnson-Ulrich said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 07:48am)
These guys are really feral, not wild. Then again the ones out west aren't truly wild either, but more so than these guys. You can practically walk up and pet these ones and the bachelor herds will chase tourists away from their food and coolers and break open chip bags and eat their food.
As for population control, why not making Pony Penning a bigger event? Get more people interested in this tough little breed and sell babies AND adults.
Curtis Barville said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:55am)
and i do believe that horse is running through SNOW!!!
Alison Hyatt said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:24am)
I believe that euthenization is the most humane way (as apposed to starvation) to tackle the problem, but I don't like it. I'm just not too sure of what else can be done besides acquiring a good portion of the country as land set aside for just them.
Alison Hyatt said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:21am)
Trying to think of a question to ask today as not only are horses my life, but I lived in the shadows of the Pryor Mountain heard, and the McCullough Peaks heard in WY for years.
@QOTD- I guess my only question is, do you guys have any ideas on how to help solve the over-population problems? I've got 3 sources, all from different view points, that say bottom line, they get euthanized.
http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/nr/2001/FS0136.pdf
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Veterinary+Equine/Problems-mounting-for-wild-horse-management/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/581081
http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/issue.html
Alison Hyatt said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 06:17am)
I LOVE this!!!!
Courtney Sorensen said: (Mar 5, 2010 @ 12:15am)
Yay a new picture! Beautiful horse!!