with Viggo Mortensen
The Cloud Foundation, tells an amazing tale of one wild palomino mustang and his family. The American mustang is descended from the prehistoric Sorraia (Equus stenonius) a forefather of the North African Barb, which displays the convex face found in early cave paintings. These migrated to Spain in the eighth century and crossed with an Iberian stock of horse to create a sure-footed, quick and sturdy horse that would carry Spanish conquistadors across America centuries later. After Cortes used horses to defeat the great Aztec civilization, some horses escaped or were left behind, ultimately growing to a population of 2 million animals roaming the West. Today fewer than 25,000 remain. Cattle outnumber wild horses at least 100 to 1 on public lands.In 1971, a great public outcry moved Congress to pass the Wild Free - Roaming Horse and Burro Act to save America's mustangs; “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.”
Now a change in the law threatens thousands of wild horses with slaughter. In 2004, Senator Conrad Burns (Montana) quietly added a rider to the 3,300-page federal budget that could lead to the slaughter of thousands of wild horses. The 1971 Act was cancelled without any public review, adding millions in taxes each year.
Helicopters are used by the Bureau of Land Management to roundup mustangs in order to thin wild herds (the BLM workes closely with ranchers and gas, oil, coal, and timber interests). Wranglers use working mustangs, called “Judas” horses to trick the wild mustangs into corrals, by playing on their strong herd instincts.
The AWHPC Coalition is a grass roots committee working to coordinate a national strategy in response to this crisis. Mustangs symbolize the gifts our country holds dear. Keeping Cloud's herd safe insures our own freedom and heritage.
No comments:
Post a Comment