My concern with the feral/wild horses is that these horses are left to
roam freely creating a hazard to drivers on the roadways, people’s
domestic horses because of stallions breaking fences and breeding
mares or taking mares with them, the risk of injury to the horses from
the above situations and the fact that they are allowed to starve to
death each winter.

“Well that’s the circle of life” is true in the wilderness, not on
public roadways, people’s back yards and municipal properties.

I have no problem with nature taking its course, and yes it can be
cruel. In true wilderness man is not a common sight, predator and prey
work in the circle of life and balance is maintained.  In the region
of Shrike Hill and the town of Oliver true wilderness exists in small
pockets, most of the area is developed and altered from being a true
wilderness and I don’t think that process is going to stop.

At what point do we as caretakers say enough, this is NOT a wild range
and these horses are not truly wild, and we as a society will no
longer stand to see this constant cycle of starvation each winter.
Obviously the horses are not thriving in this environment and they do
not deserve to be left to starve and the people who live in this area
do not deserve to be put through the heart wrenching sight of them
slowly starving to death each winter.

From my perspective these horses are not wild; they are used for
profit when it is convenient and left to suffer when it is felt that
there is no financial return to be made. It is a well known fact that
these horses are sold for bucking stock to rodeo or sold for
slaughter. What other wild animal is rounded up and gelded? Trained
for resale as a domestic animal? There is not one other wild animal
that is allowed to be sold for profit without a licence being procured
and in my opinion this is another fact that proves these are NOT WILD
animals and are indeed owned.

I ask how one differentiates between a wild horse and a domestic
horse, they both look the same, unlike a wolf and a dog who although
similar it is obvious which one is wild and which is domesticated.
Also the “wild” horse is fairly easily transitioned to the status of
domestic with training and that is exactly how horses were originally
recruited by man. Man would not be where they are today without the
horse, who plowed our fields , pulled our belongings, have taken us
into battle and won gold medals at Olympics.

Horses are herd animals and so seek out the safety of other horses, so
when they are struggling and can no longer keep up with the herd; they
will seek out the domestic horses and hang around them, even though
they are separated by a fence. So what type of person can drive by a
slowly starving horse two or more times a day with the perspective of
well that is Mother Nature at work? What type of person is it that
expects their neighbours to also just accept the slow suffering of a
horse as it slowly deteriorates before their very eyes until the day
comes when it can no longer stand on its feet?

You see from my perspective we have the ability to prevent that
suffering, we can either do that by taking measures to humanely end
that animals life or take the animal into our care, provide food and
water and magically the horse that was dying regains its health.
I have been lobbying for the humane care of these horses ever since I
became aware of their situation and will continue to do so until such
time as the people with the political power to create change do so.

***

Earlier:

Nolet said she received a call from a person in rural Oliver who had rescued a small feral horse that collapsed in front of her property. The mare was emaciated and weak. She has since been nursed back to health and named Tahini.

“The sad part of this story is that once again the feral  horses  on the way to Mount Baldy are in horrific condition, virtually walking skeletons,” she said.

O.A.T.S Horse Rescue, which stands for One @A Time Success is the organization Nolet is associated with.

With the generous help of Ken and Dawn from D-Bar-K ranch in Oliver we went up and took possession of the young mare.

In an effort to get something done, Nolet has been in touch with Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie, who told her to write him a letter and not pussyfoot around the issue. Nolet says she has not heard back from Chief Louie.