70 Horses Gathered in Elko County: A Call for Action

ELKO – A wild horse advocacy group has urged the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to return horses collected in an emergency gather this week, citing financial arrangements to provide them with water on the range. However, the landowner who was key to the deal was not interested, according to the BLM.

The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) claims the horses south of Wendover lost their water supply at Boone Spring when the Nevada Department of Transportation built a fence for public safety purposes six years ago. A private landowner had been providing water to the horses from a well, but the owner fenced off the water supply and asked the BLM to remove the horses.

The group came up with financing to restore the private water supply, but the BLM reported that the landowner was not interested and wanted the gather to continue.

The federal agency planned to remove approximately 60 horses due to a lack of water in the Antelope Herd Management Area, but had collected 71 by the end of the week. One horse, a 13-year-old bay mare, was found dead at the trap site from a broken neck.

“We’re going to take a one to two week break and observe the area to see if any horses appear to replace those we have gathered,” Ben Noyes, acting Wild Horse and Burro program lead for BLM Nevada, stated Friday.

If more horses move into the area looking for water, the roundup will resume.

Originally posted by Elko Daily Free Press