Blue Wing Complex Roundup: August 2-4, 2013

January 14, 2013

AWHC Contributor

From August 2-4, 2013, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) conducted a roundup of 200 wild horses from the Kamma Mountains/Blue Wing Complex in Nevada. This event resulted in the tragic deaths of three mares, raising concerns about the safety and ethics of such operations.

Three mares were killed as a result of this roundup:

A 9-year-old sorrel mare died of a fractured neck after running into panels of the holding corral post-capture.
A 7-year-old sorrel mare was euthanized due to a fractured hind leg caused by being kicked by another frightened horse in the small corral.
A 15-year-old mare was euthanized due to blindness in one eye, which made her “too dangerous” to load.

Public observation was positioned extremely far from the trap site. BLM officials cited FAA regulations and public safety concerns as reasons for the distance. However, the contractor’s family members, including small children, were seen climbing on rocks directly above the trap site, and young children rode horseback to rope foals.

For more photos, click here.