| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM seeks information about abandoned horse (08-03-10)
SILT, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management is seeking information regarding a horse that was found abandoned about five miles northeast of Rifle last month.
The horse was found July 16 at Dry Rifle Creek, about two miles east of Rifle Gap Reservoir. The horse, a sorrel gelding in its mid-teens, was clearly malnourished and had recent wounds on its neck that appeared to be from a mountain lion. The horse is now in foster care.
“It’s not only inhumane to abandon any animal on public lands – it’s also illegal,” said Colorado River Valley Field Manager Steve Bennett. “Domestic horses are not adapted to living in this rugged terrain or for foraging for food in this area.”
The horse has a small white blaze on its face and some white streaking on its left hind leg. It loads into a trailer easily and stood well to have its hooves trimmed.
BLM has seen an increase in the cases of abandoned horses on public lands. Although no wild horse populations are managed within the Colorado River Valley Field Office, BLM manages some areas in the state for wild horses. Releasing domestic horses into these areas is also a bad idea – it increases the risk of introducing disease into the wild herds, and wild horses will typically ostracize and fight off horses not familiar to their band.
BLM staff and others who have worked with this horse note its particularly gentle nature and hope to find a home for it in the coming weeks.
If you have information about this horse or how it came to be abandoned on BLM land, please contact the BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, 970 876-9000, Garfield County Animal Control, or the State Brand Inspector.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2300 River Frontage Road Silt, CO 81652