February 18th

This mare’s name is actually Spring, she is out of mare Winter and sired by Hardy (So out of a Hardy Winter came Spring! No kidding) She is high preggers!

As you all know we don’t have many foals anymore on the Salt River, so when we do have one on the way, we all get very excited, scared and protective, because new foals in the wild just don’t have very high survival rates.

Our 20 years of close documentation show that only about 70% of foals survive their very first year, with the first 3 weeks being the most dangerous. So 1 out of almost 3 foals don’t make it to their first birthday. That’s a pretty harsh reality and it goes for every wild horse herd. We have also saved a lot of foals over the years, when they were orphaned or lost or injured. So if there’s a foal in trouble, we will help.

This morning we actually found a newborn foal that was dead. Very very sad news and nothing we can do to help. We investigated quickly and we found the apparent mother, who still had blood on her hindquarters. No one had actually noticed  that she had been pregnant at all! We are now going back through our pictures to see how we missed that.

We want to let you know these things even if it’s not the happiest of news. The mothers are also at high risk when they are maiden mares (first time mothers), because all kinds of things can go wrong internally, but we checked on her and she and her band are doing ok.

There have been a large amount of people watching the horses lately, most absolutely wonderful people and photographers, but there have also been drones chasing horses, loose dogs, horseback riders, as well as people trying to feed the horses and many trying to pet the horses. It is very concerning and very hard for us as a small organization to handle the crowds.

We are concerned and on high alert for Spring also. She is a maiden mare. She has a good band and her foal has a good chance. Please know and feel free to share that the Salt River wild horses are protected by State Law, ARS 3-1491. It is illegal to harrass them, or chase them or interfere with them and that includes with dogs, or drones, or kayaks.

Please stay 50 ft from wild horses at all times and respect their space.

If anyone sees a foal, or a mare foaling, please immediately back up to more than 50 ft, preferably 100 ft if she’s foaling, because they can leave the foals when they feel unsafe!

Do not interfere or try to approach or pick up a foal under any circumstance.

Please immediately call our hotline: (480)868 9301, we will send out our field team to assess and monitor.

Our hotline is also available to call in harassment and interfering. Please document what you see, and get us a lisence plate, the AZDA will follow up, because as we mentioned, harassment and interfering is illegal.

We will continue to keep a close watch on Spring! Thank you everyone out there who is so good about giving the horses their space! Thank you volunteers, for keeping a close eye out!

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