Wild horses in Arizona news

East Valley Tribune

WILD HORSES
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BLM fails to protect
This letter responds to the comments of Helen Hankins, associate director of the Bureau of Land Management in Phoenix (Letters, Jan. 13). I am a person who actually has horses and understands their grazing needs and patterns.
Hankins failed to disclose the following facts regarding management of free-roaming, unbranded, unclaimed horses on public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service or BLM:
Material obtained by the Conquistador Program with the assistance of our attorneys under the Freedom of Information Act demonstrates that wild horses on BLM land in Arizona have been reduced to a meager 200 or fewer horses on BLM lands in only two herd management areas, the Cibolas and the Cerbats in the mountains near Kingman, because the BLM has closed all of the other herd areas in our state.
The Cerbat herd is estimated to be numbered at only about 60 to 90 horses left. These Cerbat horses are historically tied to the mounts of the Conquistadors riding the Spanish trail in the 16th century.
They are a living, breathing tie to some of Arizona’s most early and romantic history, a true natural resource and they are in danger of disappearing under BLM management. It is a question of true dedication to preserving living symbols of the American West and a natural resource.
PATRICIA HAIGHT

CONQUISTADOR EQUINE RESCUE AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM, PHOENIX 

http://conquistadorprogram.org/ 
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The Bridle and Bit Newspaper also published two stories on BLM wild horses this week:

A story on a protest held by AZ community members.  This may be viewed by going to the following link:

http://www.bridleandbit.com/artman/publish/article_26781.shtml

A second story on Mi Muchacho Valiente (Valiente), a beautiful BLM mustang rescued by the Conquistador Program with the help of Cloud Foundation board member, Julianne French, and compassionate Marana horse people and adopted by a wonderful Phoenix family after an incredible journey from the US to Mexico and back to the US.  The link is at:

http://www.bridleandbit.com/artman/publish/article_26722.shtml

Thank you so much to the Bridle and Bit Horse Newspaper and the East Valley Tribune who published this important information.