Glimpse into the Peaceful Lives of the Salt River Wild Horses

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Glimpse into the Peaceful Lives of the Salt River Wild Horses

September 25, 2018

By Moonbird

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Salt River Wild Horse Management Group

A one minute glimpse into the peaceful lives of the Salt River wild horses

About 15% of the Salt River Wild Horses Have the Grey Factor

Our Feed Program is Still Ongoing

Nature can be cruel, but also has its reasons.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] September 14th We considered not posting this, but we...

Awful! Another wild horse in a cattleguard!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] September 12th Awful. We just pried another wild horse...

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The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group is an Arizona 501 c(3) non-profit organization. Your donation is tax deductible.

UPDATES

Nature can be cruel, but also has its reasons. Monday, 14, Sep
Awful! Another wild horse in a cattleguard! Saturday, 12, Sep
A moment of silence in remembrance of 9-11 … Friday, 11, Sep

🐴🐴🐴 Keeping an iconic treasure along the Salt River for everyone to enjoy is PRICELESS. However what's priceless, does have a price tag, therefore, we need YOUR help.

💸Please click the donate button below⬇️

Without you the public, the Salt River wild horses would literally be...nowhere. But saving the Salt River wild horses isn't a one time thing, it is a continuing mission that we invite YOU to be a part of.

👉We are starting this urgent fundraiser, because we have already gone through THREE semiloads of weed free alfalfa since the supplemental feed program started in July; at $275 per ton, it is $7000 per semiload. With no rain in sight, we will need at least 3 more, to get them through this period of fire and drought.

💸Please click the Donate button below!⬇️

Lately with the Covid19 crisis affecting people, donations that we depend on, have taken a serious hit. Yet, we still need to pay the bills, so that the Salt River wild horses can continue to be managed for the public and by the public, like we have always promised.

👥👥👥 Because our hard working volunteers provide the labor, 100% of your donation goes directly to the hay we need. If everyone who loves the horses, buys one bale for $15 per month, we will be able to get them through this challenging time!

⬇️Please click the donate button below!

How does the Feed Program work? On a daily basis, we drop the certified hay strategically, divided over 4 feed stations in the forest. Our hardworking volunteers distribute the bales from the truck onto hand carts, and then walk it into the feed stations. (even in temperatures over 110 degrees. )

They then break up the bales, and put them into appropriate amount of flakes for each band, and each band has it's own feed spot with some space in between. We make sure that there is enough even for the lower hierarchy bands, who get to feed last. In this manner we have distributed an average of 190 bales per week. Each feed station provides for up to 80 to 90 Salt River horses, and the horses themselves decide which feed station they visit. We also pay special attention to bands with skinny horses in it, and we try to drop feed them extra.

Why is it needed? We started this program in the beginning of July when all of the forage had disappeared in the smaller area the horses now live in. All of the Salt River horses would be in bad shape by now, had we not started early on. This summer has been brutal with record temparatures and record drought.

Comparison pictures: We have a few indicator horses (they are the hard keepers who are older or have medical issues) who have made amazing weight gains. You can see their improvement pictures below, so that you can see what your help really does.

So while you will find few skinny Salt River wild horses right now, it is because of the feed program success and we really need your help to keep it up.

With over 80,000 followers, we are praying that you will help us share this and contribute if you can. If everyone really did just a little, but really did it, it would make a real difference for the Salt River wild horses.
Did you know that the more it gets shared and commented, the more people Facebook will show it to!?

🙏So please buy a bale by clicking below, make it monthly if you can, and then please share it to everyone, and on every page who loves horses!

The horses are counting on us and we are counting on you! 🐴🐴🐴Gratefully,
SRWHMG. ... See MoreSee Less

1 day ago

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Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers at the SRWHMG, and all the generous donors who also make it possible to keep this wonderful organization running to keep the Salt River Wild Horses cared for and fed and watered and most importantly Wild and Free.. 💜🐎🐴🐎🐴💙

Donated! I love knowing I get to help feed my beautiful horses even though I'm not in Arizona right now. Thank you so much for all the hard hot work that you guys do.

Donated 2 bales. Always want to help these horses to keep thriving. Thank you all.

Thank you SRWHMG for helping to keep our Salt River wild horses at a good weight. I have witnessed several of the horses with a Henneke body score in the two’s and am happy to see them gaining much needed weight. While eelgrass is enjoyed by the horses, it cannot be their only food source and before too much longer there will be no eelgrass once the river flow is stopped for the winter. I love your proactive approach to keeping these horses healthy. I have donated enough for, (4) bales of alfalfa.

Donated! Thank you SRWHMG for helping these iconic beauties!

Donated ♡ wish I could do more. ♡ Thank you for all you do.

Shared and Donated 50.00 plus my monthly donation!! Thank you for your dedication to our beautiful horses 🐎

Donated and shared! This is way too important. Thank you all very much for braving the heat to ensure the wild ones have enough food to survive.

Thank you SRWHMG for all the hard work.I will continue making donations to keep our beautiful wild horses healthy 🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴

Of course! We will donate and share! 💫❤️💫

Thank you for the work you do making sure these horses stay happy and healthy! Unfortunately I don't have the means to donate now, but I hope to in the future

I seldom donate to causes but the joy and excitement these horses create everytime we see them is priceless. Thank you..donated !!

Donated! Thank you volunteers for all your efforts and back breaking work you do for the wild horses. Very dedicated group of people❤️

Donated. 🐴🐴. From San Diego but love seeing these precious beauties when I visit ❤️

Thank you SRWHMG and to all of those donating towards the feed! Donated and shared! ❤️

Thank you SRWHMG this is so very important for our wild horses to keep them in good health and at a good weight. Donated!

Just donated. Can’t spare much, but I know every little bit helps! Thank you for taking care of them

I switched my Amazon Smile donation to you guys (already donate a bit monthly)-keep up the great work!

Thank you, and I love what you are doing for these precious horses.

SRWHMG Hands down, you have THE BEST & MOST GENEROUS followers that I have ever seen ❤️❤️ Time and time again, I am awestruck by the generosity of everyone in this group.

Sending a check. Love seeing the horses when we hike

Donated for 2 bales! Wish I could do monthly but have many I try to give to!! Always share! Love SRWH mgmt❤️❤️

Thanks for all you do to keep these wild horses healthy, wild & free!!!

We are so appreciative of all you and all the volunteers do to keep these horses wild, free and safe!

I hope your able to get grass hay and alfalfa, Alfalfa a lone is a gut burner.

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Special guest:
On Friday night we picked up a horse that was abandoned by someone in the Phon D parking lot in the TNF. She is a broodmare who recently had a foal taken off of her, or perhaps the foal died. She is emaciated to the bone, has hard rock edema in her udders and milk veins, and cellulitis in her hind legs. She also appears to have some tumorous growths.

We don’t know how much time she may have on this earth, but our wonderful volunteer caretakers will show her the kindness she always deserved and the love she may not have ever had.

They are massaging her udders and milk veins, with warm compresses to try to break it up, gently holding her, talking with her and letting her know she is beautiful and she is loved.

Her eyes are soft and she loves every bit of the attention. She is no longer in pain because of a timed regiment of pain meds, antibiotics, gastroguard and a careful refeeding diet. ( because you can't just put a whole bunch of feed in front of an emaciated horse. )

Horses are such kind and innocent animals, often so very used, misunderstood and abused by humans. For her to become this emaciated, it took a long time of neglect. Whatever caused a human to do this to this sweet mare, it makes us udderly sad. (Pun intended.)

If her edema and cellulitis does not resolve by next week, we will do a biopsy to see if it is cancerous. We plan on finding her, plus our other stray livestock rescues (who are all fixed up) a loving home.

Lovingly, SRWHMG. ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

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I am so angry that this sweet girl was allowed to be in this condition and just dumped like trash at the river. She will now live out the rest of her life knowing kindness and love thanks to you. <3

Our 28 year old quarter horse who is loved and adored and pampered , has suddenly lost 300 pounds and looks emaciated and like he is starved. So far, vet tests have shown nothing wrong. We will continue to pamper him. Cannot imagine dumping him somewhere. 💔

Thank you so much for helping her and giving her a loving home. It is sad she was so neglected! People can be so cruel. Hope they will be found. Prayers for this sweetie.

I love you little girl. I'm so sorry humans have done you so wrong. You're in good hands now. Rest. Get better

I am so sad that she is in this horrible condition, but I’m so grateful that the kind and loving volunteers of the SRWHMG are there to take care of her. I pray she can recover and live a happy life with her new family at the Rescue Thank you for the update. 🙏🏻♥️

Always rising to the occasion SRWHMG❤️This is so heartbreaking to see. Beyond my comprehension how a human can let this happen. Thank you for giving her the best days of her life💞

Poor baby 😢 thank you for giving her the best care and managing her pain!

My birthday is this Saturday, May I dedicate my birthday fundraiser to this sweet girl?

It makes me so sad and angry that people treat animals this way. I hope karma is on its way to whoever was the holder of this horse. Thank you team for your caring souls!

OMG, my faith is humanity sinks to new lows every day. This poor animal is so skinny. How demonic to starve an animal to this point. And to have lost a baby, either by death or human cruelty?? I am horrified and angered by the heartless beast that did this to this poor, innocent animal. I hope she makes it and I’m grateful to the volunteers (aka HEROS!!) who are helping her.

You are all so amazing and kind. I don't understand why someone has an animal and treats it this way. It's disgusting. I pray this sweet heart can be saved and live the rest of her life being loved.

It’s beyond me how people continually throw away animals! Especially leaving one who is obviously in pain and starving. Thank you for finding her and taking care of her until she can find a loving home. 🙏🏼💞

I do not understand how anyone can treat these gentle creatures in such horrific ways. Thank you for taking such good care of her. 🤗

Keep up the good and humane work never should have gone this far but thank you for what you can do for her

Thank you very much. Humans not enough of them can be called that. So glad. Hope she will improve and go to gentle loving home. Prayers sent. 😍♥️♥️😍♥️

I know that there’s a special place in hell for anyone who would neglect such a beautiful, sweet soul ... and so, whoever you are, I hope you also know that karma always says “I saw that”. ❤️

She did not nor does any horse deserve that treatment. I pray she heals, is healthy & finds a wonderful home!! Bless you for saving her!!!

I am so angry. I'd like to find the owners and treat them the way they treated this beautiful horse. Is there anyway to find them and prosecute them? I dont own a horse but I have always loved them. Are horses registered somewhere like dogs who have to be licensed every year or anyway to track the owners through previous medical care, IF this horse ever received any care? I hate it when abusers of any animal get off scott free.

Oh Lord. Thank you for helping. She must have been in terrible pain.

Thank you and it looks like she is in the best care she can get at this time... Thank you SRWHM Caretakers for all you do.... ❤️🐎

You guys are the best! Thank you to all of the volunteers who are taking care of her. God bless you all ❤️❤️❤️

Love that the Salt River volunteers will take this one and help out a defenseless animal. Hate that someone would mistreat this horse and the just through her away. If they do this to an animal, they are like this in all aspects of their lives. Thank you to the SRWHMG💜🐴

Thank you all for helping her and the update. Thankfully, as horrible as this is, someone picked the perfect spot to dump her where she would find life-saving help vs a desolate area with no resources. 🙂

So sad. I pray she makes it and can live a longer healthy happy life

Heartbreaking!! Praying she can recover and thankful knowing whatever time she has let she is being taken care of and is loved!

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Sad news:
Flicka in Mick's band had her foal yesterday Sept 20th in the morning. (from the band that we were not able to dart)

We checked on the little colt like we always do and monitored the mare and foal until he had nursed several times, then we left the band to have some peace and quiet.

Unfortunately later in the afternoon the foal was laying in the sun and looked lifeless. Since he was clearly overheating, our volunteers picked him up and cooled him off in the river (that he was not far from), and we even made him a bowl of milk replacer to attempt to get him to drink. He did perk up a bit from cooling off so that he could attempt to nurse from mom, who was watching and seemed to understand we were helping.

Flicka was patient in letting him try and try, and we watched with hope, as he got very close, but never succeeded again. We also could not get him to drink the milk replacer.

We then had a vet come to us in the field who assessed him and gave him some hydration, which we hoped would give him enough strenght to try again to nurse from mom in the field. (Our goal is foremost to keep them wild and free and we do not take foals from mothers just to take them to the vet.)

But then the band stallion Mick, made Flicka leave the foal. That may seem harsh, but we see it all the time when it takes too long for a foal to come along with the band. ( It is the stallions job to make sure the mare survives.)

We then took the foal to the vet (with authorization) , where he got everything he would need to survive, plasma (which saved Snow) a feeding tube, etc.

However, unfortunately he did not make it. We are very sorry for the bad news.
Our volunteers as well as veteranarians tried very hard. Thank you Rick, Rosa and Lisa!

Because he was on this earth for only a day, his name is Dio. Since his body did not have any harmful substances in it, we brought him back to the forest where he can go back to the earth.

Sadly they cannot all survive, that's just not what nature intends. The first two weeks of a foals life hold lots of risk. That doesn't take away that it is a sad thing and that anyone has a right to grieve over this little life that was only in this world for a day.

Run forever free little Dio.
SRWHMG. ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago

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What a terrible loss. Thank you for giving Dio the best chance possible. Run free along the river on the other side sweet boy. ♥️

Light and Love to sweet little Dio. It's so sad when babies die. Thank you SRWHMG for always being there to support the herd in good times and in bad. Thank you for staying with baby Dio when he was first born so he was safe from stallions and other herds. Thank you for rushing him to the vet when it was approved. And thank you for giving him back to the earth continuing the Circle of Life. xooxo

We all know everything possible was done to save him. Run free little guy. Thanking you All again for all you do for these wonderful horses.

So because he was left in the hot sun as the stallion didn't want to wait for him to rest and recover a bit? I feel sorry for this Mom😭I know it happens but it still makes me sad. Bless his little heart🙏Thank you for all your efforts

So heartbreaking, I know you all did what you could do. I am glad he did not die in the hot sun. Fly free Dio. You are free and running at the bridge. Peace to mom who probably just as sad as us.

How sad, yet sometimes nature's course is for the best & happens for a reason. Thank You for the update & for all your hard working efforts SRWHMG volunteers & the Vet's Office as well.

You did what you could but Mother Nature had other plans Sadly tho we do not understand, she has her reasons Again thank you thank you for all you do

Very sad! Thank you for giving him every chance available to survive. RIP Dio run wild and free forever 💔

Run free little one! You are now running with many awesome horses!

There are so many tears left at the river 😢 however every tear seems to be fertilizer for more joyful moments than sad. Onward dear ones and volunteers!

Precious babe Dio, you are free to run in heaven. Poor Mama so sad 💔 Nature will have it’s way merciful or not, the heartache is the same 😢 As always your efforts are recognized and deeply appreciated SRWHMG. 🤗♥️

So so thankful you guys were there and he didn't have to suffer very long alone. Thank you for trying....

Tears but understanding...thank you for your wonderful efforts which you always give with thoughtful care.

Sometimes day one is all they have. Rest easy, little Dio. We will watch over your mama.

As the sun rises over the river this morning, may it light the way for our little Dio ❤️

I am grateful for the work you are doing with these horses. I lived in the area 25 years ago, kept a horse on the reservation and rode among an earlier generation of the bands that you are now managing. The horses often grew thin, and we were always excited to see new foals but knew that the environment was unforgiving. I am sure many never made it. But your work allows this generation of these tough animals to survive and thrive. Thank you.

Thank you so much for trying to give little Dio a chance and not leaving him in the hot sun. It hurts when you do everything you can but nature is nature. You are an amazing and caring group for the horses. So sad for Flicka who will mourn for him. Stay strong. Dio has crossed the 🌈 bridge and is now running wild and free. I just feel so sad about this. Never stop what you are doing for these amazing 🐎. 💔

Thank you so very much for all you did in your efforts to save Dio; and for returning him to the earth. Very heartbreaking for Flicka, and I hope the other mares lend her strength. While it’s devastating from a human view, band stallion Mick was taking care of Flicka’s survival with the band. Thank you again for your kindness and strength ❤️

RIP Little Dio. Praying for mom. Thank you all who volunteer. I was out there with a band yesterday and it just grounds me so much. We are truly blessed to have them so close but they do need your watchful eyes.

Thank you for doing everything possible while also respecting the importance of wild nature. This is truly humane management. Rest In Peace Dio. 😢❤️

I am definitely moved by this and am crying, it's just so sad,,nature can be cruel,but nature knows,all we can do is try and assist,but sometimes there are just things that are out of our control. A huge hug and thank you to all of you volunteers for trying to help Dio,and giving him comfort,,,,I am sure Dio crossed the Rainbow bridge 🌈to join the others,and is happy and rejoicing 🐎🐎♥️.

Thanks for doing all you could for this little one. Sorry he didn’t make it😢 also thanks for keeping us updated. I’m sure it’s stressful for your team and you still find the time to update us. ❤️

I am so sorry fot your loss of little Dio. 😢 Thank you for doing all you could for this little foal. I admire everyone in your organization for the resolve you have in keeping these beautiful animals wild and free. Bless you all!

Thank you for all your efforts to save Dio. It is difficult to understand nature at times and hard for me to know that the band’s stallion got the mare to leave her foal, but knowing that he needed to save the mare, makes it a little easier to accept what happened.

Thank you for putting him back to the earth. I always stop to pull dead animals off the road - find a little piece of earth and give them back to the wild. It is so disrespectful to leave them to get smushed into the asphalt. RIP little one ❤️

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Glimpse into the Peaceful Lives of the Salt River Wild Horses

Glimpse into the Peaceful Lives of the Salt River Wild Horses

Salt River Wild Horse Management Group

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