Post by karismakigers on Jan 10, 2008 15:09:46 GMT -5
Below is the history timeline as described by BLM documentation.
Public Law 92-195, The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.
September 19, 1975: Riddle Mountain Wild Horse Management Plan (Willard Phillips)
Key points in this document:
January 1972- 72 head of horses counted; April 73-67 adults and 5 colts counted. July 1973- 87 horses counted; January 1974- 191 horses counted; January 1975- 147 adults and 45 colts counted (Oriana Flat Pasture only); July 1975- 23 adults and 7 colts found in South Fork Allotment. Total herd thought to be around 215 horses. July 1975-Herd count 205 adults, 9 yearlings, 46 colts by helicopter.
Color- "Most of the horses in this herd are of standard horse colors with a mixture of blaze faces, socks, etc. One paint, a gray and several roans present. There are several small horses with definite dorsal and shoulder stripes in the herd. This pattern is identified with extinct wild Spanish stock to which the Spanish mustang of this country traces part of its ancestry. Also, this was a characteristic of the Tarpan, the wild horse of the European continent."
Origin- "The origin of the Riddle Mountain Wild Horse Herd is from a number of sources. The herd has a wide genetic background. From appearance, blood lines in the herd trace to various kinds and types of horses including draft horses, riding types and a trace of Spanish mustang. Size varies a great deal. Draft blood has been diluted to where there are only a few big horses left but there are a number of horses that would be classed as light draft horses.
The wild Spanish mustang may have formed the base of the herd. However, there is a possibility that the Spanish mustang blood present was brought to the area after being redomesticated in other parts of the west and brought here by explorers, ranchers and homesteaders."
Management Objectives
Wild Horse Objectives
1. To maintain a herd of from 80 to 120 head of wild horses in the Riddle Mountain herd management area.
5. To retain that trace of Spanish mustang blood now present in the herd.
Management Actions
Initial Reduction
"It is extremely important that the initial reduction of the herd be made in the fall of 1975. It is planned that the initial reduction be made in the fall of 1975 by gathering 180 head of wild horses from Oriana Flat Pasture. It is planned that the horses will be driven by men on horseback into a trap with wings. The trap will be located on the west side of Burnt Flat. If this trap is not successful, then an additional trap or traps will be constructed. If gathering into the trap or traps is only partially successful than the additional reduction needed will be done by selectively shooting the animals with a high powered rifle on the range."
Sex Ratios to be Maintained in the Herd
"It is assumed that wild horse herds in a viable condition consists of about half males and half females. This is verified by the gathering done on the East Kiger Allotment in 1974 when an entire herd was gathered or accounted for. In this case 46 percent of the animals were males."
Selected Age Structure
"During the initial gathering in the Oriana Flat Pasture, all trapped colts will be removed except colts showing dorsal stripes. These will be released with their mothers."
Selection of Type and Color for Riddle Mountain Wild Horse Herd
"In the interest of preserving traces of the Spanish mustang, horses with dorsal stripes will be maintained within the herd. Beyond this no special effort will be made to select by color or type.
September 19, 1975 Smyth Creek Wild Horse Management Plan (Willard Phillips)
Key points in this document
Present Situation
January 1972- 28 horses counted; April 1973- 37 adults and 7 colts counted; January 1974-101 horses counted (helicopter); November 1974-17 horses gathered by BLM; January 1975- 87 adults and 17 colts counted (helicopter); July 1975- 100 adults, 6 yearlings, 23 colts counted. It appears 4 adults and 11 of the '74 colt crop died during late winter. Horses are concentrated in the Bill Hill Field and the south end of the Shepard Sprig Field.
"The poor condition of the colts gathered last fall by the BLM and the poor survival of the colts during the winter of 1974-75 indicates that the problem is becoming severe."
"It is planned that 99 head of horses will be gathered from the Smyth Creek Allotment in the fall of 1975. It is planned that hte horses will be moved and trapped in the horse trap in the Kiger Allotment. Movement will be done by men on horseback. This will reduce the Smyth Creek herd to 30 head. If a concerted effort to trap the horses is not successful, then the horses will be selectively be shot with a high powered rifle to bring the herd down to the desired number."
Present Situation (Color and Type)
"Most of the horses in the Smyth Creek herd are sorrel, bay and black. There are a few roan (both red and blue), palomino, dun and buckskin. Also there may be some other colors including a few horses with dorsal stripes, a characteristic of the Spanish mustang. Type and size of horses in the herd varies. However, there are only a few large horses. Most are small to medium in size (800 to 1,200 pounds). Horses from a number of sources have contributed to the makeup of the present Smyth Creek herd. The production of range horses was common in the area until recent years. The influence of Spanish mustang blood is nearly obscure at the present time. There were two {ranch} branded mares with colts in the 17 head gathered by the BLM in the fall of 1974. It is assumed that there may be several more branded horses in the herd. These, when gathered will be returned to their owners upon settlement of trespass charges."
Objective
"the object is to perpetuate the mixture of basic colors now present and to promote the production of horses with dorsal stripes. "
"Pl 92-195 does not specify a certain kind or color of horse to be perpetuated in wild horse herds. However, since dorsal, shoulder and leg stripes is a more primitive horse color pattern and was one of the color patterns common to the Spanish mustang, it appears that it would be desirable to preserve some of these type horses."
"With a herd of only 30 to 50 horses, it will be necessary to add to the genetic pool from time to time. It is proposed that three stud horses from other wild horse herds be released in this herd every five to six years. This will reduce the effects of inbreeding."
Age Structure
"During the initial gathering, all trapped colts will be removed except colts showing dorsal stripes. These will be released with their mothers unless they are in poor condition.
Public Law 92-195, The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.
September 19, 1975: Riddle Mountain Wild Horse Management Plan (Willard Phillips)
Key points in this document:
January 1972- 72 head of horses counted; April 73-67 adults and 5 colts counted. July 1973- 87 horses counted; January 1974- 191 horses counted; January 1975- 147 adults and 45 colts counted (Oriana Flat Pasture only); July 1975- 23 adults and 7 colts found in South Fork Allotment. Total herd thought to be around 215 horses. July 1975-Herd count 205 adults, 9 yearlings, 46 colts by helicopter.
Color- "Most of the horses in this herd are of standard horse colors with a mixture of blaze faces, socks, etc. One paint, a gray and several roans present. There are several small horses with definite dorsal and shoulder stripes in the herd. This pattern is identified with extinct wild Spanish stock to which the Spanish mustang of this country traces part of its ancestry. Also, this was a characteristic of the Tarpan, the wild horse of the European continent."
Origin- "The origin of the Riddle Mountain Wild Horse Herd is from a number of sources. The herd has a wide genetic background. From appearance, blood lines in the herd trace to various kinds and types of horses including draft horses, riding types and a trace of Spanish mustang. Size varies a great deal. Draft blood has been diluted to where there are only a few big horses left but there are a number of horses that would be classed as light draft horses.
The wild Spanish mustang may have formed the base of the herd. However, there is a possibility that the Spanish mustang blood present was brought to the area after being redomesticated in other parts of the west and brought here by explorers, ranchers and homesteaders."
Management Objectives
Wild Horse Objectives
1. To maintain a herd of from 80 to 120 head of wild horses in the Riddle Mountain herd management area.
5. To retain that trace of Spanish mustang blood now present in the herd.
Management Actions
Initial Reduction
"It is extremely important that the initial reduction of the herd be made in the fall of 1975. It is planned that the initial reduction be made in the fall of 1975 by gathering 180 head of wild horses from Oriana Flat Pasture. It is planned that the horses will be driven by men on horseback into a trap with wings. The trap will be located on the west side of Burnt Flat. If this trap is not successful, then an additional trap or traps will be constructed. If gathering into the trap or traps is only partially successful than the additional reduction needed will be done by selectively shooting the animals with a high powered rifle on the range."
Sex Ratios to be Maintained in the Herd
"It is assumed that wild horse herds in a viable condition consists of about half males and half females. This is verified by the gathering done on the East Kiger Allotment in 1974 when an entire herd was gathered or accounted for. In this case 46 percent of the animals were males."
Selected Age Structure
"During the initial gathering in the Oriana Flat Pasture, all trapped colts will be removed except colts showing dorsal stripes. These will be released with their mothers."
Selection of Type and Color for Riddle Mountain Wild Horse Herd
"In the interest of preserving traces of the Spanish mustang, horses with dorsal stripes will be maintained within the herd. Beyond this no special effort will be made to select by color or type.
September 19, 1975 Smyth Creek Wild Horse Management Plan (Willard Phillips)
Key points in this document
Present Situation
January 1972- 28 horses counted; April 1973- 37 adults and 7 colts counted; January 1974-101 horses counted (helicopter); November 1974-17 horses gathered by BLM; January 1975- 87 adults and 17 colts counted (helicopter); July 1975- 100 adults, 6 yearlings, 23 colts counted. It appears 4 adults and 11 of the '74 colt crop died during late winter. Horses are concentrated in the Bill Hill Field and the south end of the Shepard Sprig Field.
"The poor condition of the colts gathered last fall by the BLM and the poor survival of the colts during the winter of 1974-75 indicates that the problem is becoming severe."
"It is planned that 99 head of horses will be gathered from the Smyth Creek Allotment in the fall of 1975. It is planned that hte horses will be moved and trapped in the horse trap in the Kiger Allotment. Movement will be done by men on horseback. This will reduce the Smyth Creek herd to 30 head. If a concerted effort to trap the horses is not successful, then the horses will be selectively be shot with a high powered rifle to bring the herd down to the desired number."
Present Situation (Color and Type)
"Most of the horses in the Smyth Creek herd are sorrel, bay and black. There are a few roan (both red and blue), palomino, dun and buckskin. Also there may be some other colors including a few horses with dorsal stripes, a characteristic of the Spanish mustang. Type and size of horses in the herd varies. However, there are only a few large horses. Most are small to medium in size (800 to 1,200 pounds). Horses from a number of sources have contributed to the makeup of the present Smyth Creek herd. The production of range horses was common in the area until recent years. The influence of Spanish mustang blood is nearly obscure at the present time. There were two {ranch} branded mares with colts in the 17 head gathered by the BLM in the fall of 1974. It is assumed that there may be several more branded horses in the herd. These, when gathered will be returned to their owners upon settlement of trespass charges."
Objective
"the object is to perpetuate the mixture of basic colors now present and to promote the production of horses with dorsal stripes. "
"Pl 92-195 does not specify a certain kind or color of horse to be perpetuated in wild horse herds. However, since dorsal, shoulder and leg stripes is a more primitive horse color pattern and was one of the color patterns common to the Spanish mustang, it appears that it would be desirable to preserve some of these type horses."
"With a herd of only 30 to 50 horses, it will be necessary to add to the genetic pool from time to time. It is proposed that three stud horses from other wild horse herds be released in this herd every five to six years. This will reduce the effects of inbreeding."
Age Structure
"During the initial gathering, all trapped colts will be removed except colts showing dorsal stripes. These will be released with their mothers unless they are in poor condition.
