But alas, civilization encroaches upon the roaming grounds of these magnificent creatures. There is a firestorm of controversy about how best to manage the feral horses that inhabit our backcountry.
If you are interested in learning more about the wild mustangs, may I suggest The Mustang Project. TMP takes a reasoned look at all sides of the debate, as well as offering a smorgasbord of fascinating links. Enjoy!
Hmm. Not sure 'Animals Of The Kitchen' is a good heading for this.
ReplyDeleteUsually to me, animals in the kitchen are either pests or food ;^)
I don't know. It kinda works for me.
ReplyDeleteBut on the subject: I was trying to read the "You Be the Judge" section, but I did not find any of those entries. I only found where they talked about the entries. Am I missing something?
What I wanted to see is if any thought to how tax law effects issues such as this. If property is taxed like a mega-mall is going to be put on it, then the only financially feasible thing is to build a mega-mall on it. IF building a mega-mall at a loss gets tax benefits, then building a mega-mall at a loss makes sense. While I recognize the need for a reasonable amount of taxes, I just wish that it could be more transparent. I do not think that it is right that business decisions are made because of tax ramifications. I do not fault the businesses for doing it, I fault the tax structure for being that way.
If wild horses are not hunted by man, their population will swell. They are so gorgeous, you hate to have them do anything other than run freely.
ReplyDeleteIn the 1820's, (possibly because the great smallpox epidemic of 1777 had decimated the Indian population), horses became so numerous in Southern California that ships would take voyages to CA for the purpose of driving horses off of the cliffs to collect the leather (leaving the meat for the most part). This story is told in what was once thought a classic -- Two Years before the Mast.
Heh heh, when I suggested it I *was* thinkingn"doggies & kittehs"...
ReplyDeleteI think that man should not interfere. The herds are kept in check by predators, illness/injury, poor grazing conditions due to encroaching development and cattle.
ReplyDeleteI am a horse lover. I'm sickened by what has been done to these mustangs.
No, I don't know a lot about them or their plight but I do know that their numbers are dwindling. We will probably eventually kill them off along with bobcats, mountain lions, bears and any other living thing we percieve as a "threat" or competition for real estate.
Driven across the country bunches of times, gone through national parks and never once seen a herd of wild horses. Just hard to believe they are THAT much of a problem. Not like rats in big cities ;O)
ReplyDeleteI agree floranista - do we really have to interfere with EVERYTHING wild?
I saw a herd driving from California to New Hampshire in 1998. It was awesome.
ReplyDeleteMy Pop had a succession of mustangs that he used on his pack trips to the mountains. They were awesome, but they are not the kind of horses for everyone. You're a team when you're working with them, not as obviously in charge as you are with other horses.
But they could keep going FOREVER and they never needed shoes. Oh, and one of them (Ed - a percheron/mustang cross) lived into his thirties. And was the biggest character; he kept the horses in "his" pasture in a herd and he always had a girlfriend.
RadioMattM...
ReplyDeletehttp://themustangproject.wordpress.com/category/you-be-the-judge-series/
T.
Ah, that works. Thank you very. I will read it now.
ReplyDeleteRadioMattM...
ReplyDeleteGiven reasonable time, Tracie at TMP will always respond to queries. She's a lot like AirForceWife (put those two togehter and they'd be flat out dangerous)...a veritable energizer bunny, and a fount of knowledge on things equine, and canine IMO, based upon her shared photos of her dogs...way beyond cute...they could all have their own "I Can Haz..." pages.
Where horses are concerned, Tracie is all about solutions, not polemics, and does appreciate articulate comments and sound ideas.
Thanks, aridog. That page was facinating reading. I liked the tone of what she wrote, and it was informative.
ReplyDeleteAwww, Aridog just made me feel hugged. :)
ReplyDeleteAFW..you're welcome. I was talking to Tracie on the telphone yesterday and believe me, in the back of my mind, was this image of your demeanor...in a complimentary way.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of The Mustang Project before seeing this post, but the first thing that came into my head after seeing it was "aridog"
ReplyDeleteFay...aw shucks, ya' caught me.
ReplyDelete