Help Alberta's wild horses to continue to thrive with your support. Batch Download Slideshow. Although Alberta Parks strives to maintain water quality, we recommend that you bring your own drinking water. Some WHOAS members advocate more aggressive attempts at finding people willing to adopt the horses. (Bill Graveland / THE CANADIAN PRESS) Culling Alberta’s wild horses is the right decision, Premier says, John Ulan, Globe and Mail, Feb. 12 2014. Darrell spotted them first. 16. And there is, of course, no guarantee you'll run into a herd. Comments on the WHOAS blog accuse him of having too much influence on government decision-making, that his voice is too loud during the annual consultation process. the focus of public protest and media scrutiny, said one, to the national Globe and Mail newspaper. 31 per cent of the total wild horse herd has been trapped in the past two seasons and in January of 2014 another record capture season, to cull 200 wild horses, was announced by the ESRD. “They have assumed that everything I’m doing this year, everything I’m doing is wrong or illegal or outside the regulation,” Bradley says. The grasslands at the base of the mountains, owned by the province of Alberta, are where you’re most likely to see small groups of wild horses huddled at the side of the road, on ridges or hills, crossing rivers and marshes. View: 100 | All. Darrell spotted them first. The BLM methods, which have evolved from poisoning well water to the current preference for helicopter roundups, are still drawing criticism for the number of animals injured during capture, not to mention the high costs of permanently housing the animals who don’t get adopted. 2:13 Cochrane horse sanctuary at capacity; founder concerned about fate of Alberta wild horses in 2020. A group of wild horses by a highway in north-central Alberta are shown on May 5, 2014. As a rancher, Bradley is Thiessen’s opposite. ​After stopping in Sundre, why not venture further west and discover the scenic beauty of these beauties' range. Our Charitable Registration Number is 86431 5288 RR0001. Thiessen was considering keeping and taming one for himself, and Bradley hung on to the colt he had kept in his pen. Armed with dart guns, they search for the mares among the herd before silently taking aim. “At what point do they cease to become a wild animal and become a lab rat?” he says. A small family band of Alberta wild horses stood knee-deep in snow on the edge of a forest. ‘Horses’! But the U.S. government is at least prohibited from selling horses for horsemeat, so the controversy in Canada is, if anything, a bit sharper. The Alberta government is looking at rounding up several of the horses as part of a cull. Thiessen and Bradley call the horses “feral” (though they both sometimes use the slang term “wildie,” as well). Tourist groups ride domesticated horses into the backcountry, looking to spot wildies. The Wild Horse Highway/Land Border Office is located in Southern Alberta, on the Canadian side of the US Port, Wild Horse in Montana. Wild horses along David Thompson Highway 11 in Alberta. Affordable Barns Unique design makes our barns quick to erect and cost-effective ; APHC Alberta Paint Horse Club; Elk Valley Ranches Long time breeders of quality Elk & Bison ; Vet Pain Management & Rehabilitation expertise in pain management & physical rehabilitation Find Wild Horse in Canada | Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! Wild Horses of Kananaskis by Gilles Korent Yes, wild horses do roam the forested slopes of western Alberta, covering a fairly large part of the Foothills: from northwest of Sundre down to the Ghost River system area. New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere in Alberta. They are wild by nature, but they are not technically remnants of an earlier time. Every few years, as political tides and public perception change, wild horses come back into the Albertan conscience. Horses! This year, they counted just over 800, about 100 fewer than 2013. There is another, perhaps more pressing concern: the wild horses are being slowly desensitized to human presence. Specifically, Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) takes the majority of the horses from the round-up, gentles them, and offers them to the public to be functional members of a ranching operations or pets. A group of volunteers has helped rescue a horse that was stuck in a deep mud hole with ice around the edges in the foothills of Alberta, Canada. A visit with some of Alberta's Wild Horses, west of Sundre, and happy to see some new Foals showing up. We’ve built a powerful and nuanced and socially responsible wall along the 49th parallel that keeps all those bad dudes out. One is barely noticeable, a blur on the hillside. A small family band of Alberta wild horses stood knee-deep in snow on the edge of a forest. Close. Specifically, Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) takes the majority of the horses from the round-up, gentles them, and offers them to the public to be functional members of a ranching operations or pets. Wild Horses of Alberta (93 images) Share. Thiessen resents the emotional tone of the protestors’ fawning over the wildies. Thiessen and Bradley are unlikely friends on the surface, linked more through their approach to wild horses than through their profession. DSC_9539.jpg: DSC_2069.jpg Wild Horse _1007809.jpg _1007852.jpg _1007973.jpg _1008303.jpg _1008468.jpg: DSC_0447.jpg Wild Horse: Horse Eye Close-up.jpg Wild Horses: Posing Young Mustangs.jpg A mini-documentary about the wild horses of Alberta. In Fort Worth, Texas, the Extreme Mustang Makeover—a sort of pageant for adopted wild horses—offers a prize of $50,000. Now that it’s back, the dust has been kicked up once more. Hundreds of years ago, when North America was first being settled, millions of Spanish mustangs and British thoroughbred horses were brought over to help. Our mission is to ensure the provision of all aspects of the conservation and humane treatment of free roaming horses in Alberta. The horse capture season’s most vocal critic is the Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS), which has taken its campaign to social media and blogs. Darrell spotted them first. Wild Horses of Alberta (93 images) Share. Here, the past is rarely forgotten. Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Right now, there are too many horses for the land to maintain while still leaving enough grass for the cattle. It wouldn’t be the first time. There is also horse overpopulation in the United States, which has very little regulation over the price, management, and sale of the horses. More Photos of Sire, Dam, linage, and her are Available by Request. He is as honest and allergic to what he calls “PC talk” as he is polite. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. Alberta wild horse cull should be done with contraception instead of slaughter, veterinarian says ‘In the last couple of years — the 2011-2012 season, they took over 218 head of horses. A visit with some of Alberta's Wild Horses, west of Sundre, and happy to see some new Foals showing up. Photo by: Kevin M. Klerks It’s unlikely that today’s wild horses are true descendants of those original wildies—in the 1970s, it was estimated that less than 1,000 of the current wild horse population were truly “wild.” In North America, wild horses have been captured and tamed for centuries. Ever since, I had wanted to see and photograph them. Bradley has had some interest from horse hobbyists in British Columbia and Manitoba who would like to buy the horses and the one filly he has also kept. Volunteers quietly track throngs of wild horses through the rugged mountain passes of western Alberta. Wild horse herds of the Alberta Foothills. Many concerned members and citizens have written us over the past few weeks in regards to the feral horse capture currently taking place in Alberta. Bradley and Thiessen both began fielding calls from farm owners and buyers from across the country, all interested in owning a “wildie.” Most of the horses sell for $350 to $500—a bargain considering how much effort goes into catching them. In November 2014, the Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) entered into an agreement with the Alberta Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD). This land that they are driving through—Bradley on his tractor, Thiessen following in his truck—is wild horse country. "[wild horses is] an exercise in understanding a new place stripped of verbose, technicolour depiction. Suggest a correction. Photo about Wild horses, a pinto mare and a white foal in the wilderness of northern Alberta, Canada. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society is a charitable organization that relies on your donations.Our Charitable Registration Number is 86431 5288 RR0001. We pull up next to them in Thiessen’s truck. An ariel count performed by the ESRD in March 2013 estimated 980 wild horses were living in the Rocky Mountian foothills. The metal pen is a half hour ride from here, over hills and wetlands, deep in the foothills that face the mountains. Dec 22, 2013 - Run wild, run free. Of no further use as technology advanced, they were let loose and became feral. In total, Bradley and Thiessen—the only two people who applied for permits—caught 15 horses and one colt. Three mares and a stallion with a twig stuck in his forelock. Of no further use as technology advanced, they were let loose and became feral. Wild horses have not been designated at-risk because Environment Canada considers horses to be an introduced species, as opposed to native. Thiessen is skeptical. Wild horse rescued from bog in Alberta. A second group stood next to the road; among them is an easily recognizable horse that protestors have dubbed White Spirit. See more ideas about Wild horses, Horses, Wild. Misuse and Misinterpretation of Horse Counts (2) •The government says the feral horse population is continuing to balloon and numbers need Smart travel along a legendary Asian trade route that takes you to noodles in Sichuan, sweet duck in Yunnan, and on bone-jolting bus rides. A group of wild horses stand alongside a highway in north central Alberta May 5, 2014. Calgary-area horse sanctuary at capacity; founder concerned about fate of Alberta wild horses in 2020 By Carolyn Kury de Castillo Global News Posted December 29, 2019 7:36 pm Read more Alberta’s Wild Horses. I enjoy photographing everything in nature, but wild horses are my passion. Sundre, Alberta – The horses that roam wild in the foothills of west-central Alberta may have a Russian connection.. DNA testing has been done on 44 of the animals and early results show the presence of an ancient Russian breed, but also a connection to draft horses. On our way back to Bradley’s, after taking down the pen, we spot two groups of horses. Authorities are currently looking for a solution to appease both parties, including the use of hormonal birth control. “Why are we killing our horses? There is the opportunity to see a local herd of wild horses, and to find out about the society and its mission to save and preserve Alberta's wild horses. As the plains sweep dramatically towards mountains, wild horses roam as if the land had never been settled. Photo by Duane Starr. There are less than 1,700 wild horses remaining in the foothills of Alberta. You're certain to pull over and take pictures of the beautiful vistas. Five people were eventually arrested for mischief. Last winter, another wild horse advocacy group, the Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS), negotiated a five-year pilot project that will allow the group to test a contraceptive vaccine for wild mares, and adopt out captured animals. Arriving at the pen—a series of metal gates and trip wires—Bradley notes that one of the wires he had set up had been snapped, allowing the door to swing shut. The wild horses of Williams Creek, Alberta. In eastern Canada, there exists a place that doesn’t seem real. Bradley has taken the brunt of the protestors’ anger. In 2014, the Wild Horses of Alberta Society began a five-year pilot contraception and field monitoring project. Note: The road is mostly gravel, and there is little to no cell service. Like the titular 'wild horses' these poems explore the difficulty of wrangling words to convey the sense of things." There, the horse itself will sell for about 25 cents per pound. The question was whether the province should even “manage” them at all. A typical comment on the blog accused Bradley of “blatant conflict of interest” for being both a license-holder and a member of the steering committee that makes recommendations about capture limits. Bradley suspects protestors cut it. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. Normally, they’re bought for sentimental reasons, as opposed to for breeding, which commands the serious money. The snapped wire would allow the door to shut, trapping them. From the 1970s through the early-2000s, wild horse management was a hot button issue. Much of the debate surrounding wild horses lies in the language. 8.4K likes. Three mares and a stallion with a twig stuck in his forelock. Free to sign up. Your Alberta Wild Horses stock images are ready. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society is a charitable organization that relies on your donations.Our Charitable Registration Number is 86431 5288 RR0001. At one point, the capture had been indefinitely stopped. HAWS and WHOAS used to work … Many concerned members and citizens have written us over the past few weeks in regards to the feral horse capture currently taking place in Alberta. Many ran free. On Bradley’s property there are two horses in a pen, and Thiessen points out certain traits that qualifies them as wildies: they have evolved over time to survive in the bush, rather than bred to look good and for humans to ride. Many concerned members and citizens have written us over the past few weeks in regards to the feral horse capture currently taking place in Alberta. Enjoy fishing this small mountain lake in a non-motorized or electric powered boat. It is located on Highway 41, approximately 120 km (75 mi) southeast of Medicine Hat. The argument is that there are no more truly wild horses left on this land. Donations suggested. Mike Landry, Telegraph-Journal, February 27, 2010 They are wild by nature, but they are not technically remnants of an earlier time. Aurora is a 3year old 16.1hh registered seal brown Friesian/ TB cross mare. The goal for captured horses is to find new homes through adoption programs administered by independent organizations. He has a camera set up, just in case, which has shown protesters sneaking in at night in the past. “I live by my own rules,” he says. Sable Island, Nova Scotia [Photo credit: Instagram/@sableislandwildhorses] Roughly a hundred people usually show up. Wild Horses of Alberta Society . Despite the fact that Alberta’s wild horse numbers are very low and spread out over an enormous range of largely fragmented and disturbed habitat, private interests and the Alberta government have long claimed that the horses … Click here to go back to the top of the page, Linda Hoang - Horseback and Whitewater Adventures, Jody Robbins - Best Things to do in Sundre, Globe Guide - Epic Outdoor Adventures around Sundre, Hike Bike Travel - 9 Reasons to Visit Sundre, Hecktic Travels - New Frontiers Around Sundre, Alberta, Play Outside Guide - Summer Fun in Sundre, This Big Adventure - Hike Snake Hill Recreation Area in Sundre, This Big Adventure - What to do in Sundre, Alberta. These horses have been used to: Help with labour in the fields; Improve quality of life in a variety ways; Provide people with a means of transportation; Most of the original bands of Alberta’s feral horses, are found west of the town of Sundre. They'll gladly welcome you to their rescue facility 15 minutes west of Sundre. The wild horses of Alberta have earned their place as one of the star attractions in this pristine western wilderness. Rye grass is low in nutrients—horses won’t eat it and neither will cows. Bryn Thiessen is a cowboy, a rancher, a poet, and a preacher. Image of rural, outside, snow - 19163494 It’s unlikely that today’s wild horses are true descendants of those original wildies—in the 1970s, it was estimated that less than 1,000 of the current wild horse population were truly “wild.” Instead, they are a mixture of domesticated, work, and outfitter horses that had, at some point, been set free and managed to survive. The five-year agreement allows WHOAS to work in collaboration with ESRD to humanely manage the wild horse population in the Sundre Equine Zone which contains the greatest concentration of wild horses in the province. 717 Main Avenue West, Box 420, Sundre Alberta. Access this border crossing via Highway 232 northbound from Montana, or Highway 41 southbound from Alberta. We quietly got out of the truck, stepping through thick brush to get a better view, but keeping a respectful distance. The wild horses are only protected under the Stray Animal Act, which gives them some protection, making it … This would, in theory, eliminate the need to round up and kill the horses. Armed with dart guns, they search for the … Alberta’s wild horse population do not currently have any legal protection, because the government has deemed them to be feral rather than wild, as they are likely to be descendants from escaped or released domestic horses. The government doesn’t keep a tally on what happens to each captured horse, but most of the horses Thiessen and Bradley caught this year were sold to buyers in Manitoba and British Columbia. Image of rural, outside, snow - 19163494 Last winter, another wild horse advocacy group, the Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS), negotiated a five-year pilot project that will allow the group to test a contraceptive vaccine for wild mares, and adopt out captured animals. EquineNow listing of horses for sale in alberta. Wild Horse Provincial Recreation Area. Those interested in capturing the horses have to apply for a $200 permit and maintain or rent their own pens. View: 100 | All. Sometimes, the horses bucked and kicked the entire way back to his property. It’s called Sable Island. It’s estimated that there are over 15,000 wild horses in the U.S., with the vast majority living in Nevada. The cab of Thiessen’s truck is dusty, the floor covered in grass and wheat. Part 6 – Just Desserts; Part 8 – Horses, Horses Everywhere; Part 9 – The Pinocchio Chronicles Although the main concentration appears to be limited to this range, a few horses are As veterinary practitioners, animal welfare is always our primary concern, whether it is the health and welfare of a single animal or that of an entire ecosystem. In February, when the capture season ramped up, dozens of protesters congregated outside Bradley’s gate. Donate now! HAWS and WHOAS used to work … On the way to Ya Ha Tinda, west of Sundre, can be found most of Alberta's free-roaming wild horses. North of Bradley’s property, a gate blocks off the land on which wild horses and cattle graze. & James Beard Award Winner. Alberta Canada is home to one of our national treasures, the majestic native wild horse. For six weeks this winter, the two men became the focus of public protest and media scrutiny as the foothills became a battleground, yet again, for horse advocates and ranchers holding capture permits. The goal for captured horses is to find new homes through adoption programs administered by independent organizations. It'll take you along a beautiful drive that follows the Red Deer River, and will take you all the way to Ya Ha Tinda. Wild Horses in Alberta. A century later their ancestors remain. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) is a nonprofit society that has been working on solutions for wild horse population management in Alberta since 2002. Every Tuesday, he hosts a “cowboy church sermon” in the small town of Sundre, Alberta, an event he describes as a throwback to rodeo services with bluegrass western music. Previously, the horse population was controlled by methods of trapping and culling. Spotting the Wild Horses of Alberta. The Sable Island horses - the only wild (or more correctly feral, meaning domestic animals that have reverted to a wild state) horses east of Alberta - are thought to be descendants of an unsuccessful farming settlement. I first heard about Alberta’s wild horses 20 years ago. At an open house this year, two researchers presented a solution that would include darting and sedating the horses, administering birth control, and then tracking them. Alberta Wild Horses. A group of wild horses stands near a highway in Alberta on May 5, 2014. Adoption fees in the U.S. are a little lower than $200, but private sales can net much more. In western Canada, a controversy brews once again over the capture and cull of herds of wild horses. We quietly got out of the truck, stepping through thick brush to get a better view, but keeping a respectful distance. But it's probably your best chance. They have evolved to climb hills and cross bogs, they can run through the bush backwards. The horses don’t even spook. The Wild Horses of Alberta Society (WHOAS) is a nonprofit society that has been working on solutions for wild horse population management in Alberta since 2002. You could ride one if you captured it and decided to train it, but “it’s like riding a Dodge with no tires,” Thiessen says. To learn about the wild, free-roaming horses of Alberta, get into contact with the WHOAS. Batch Download Slideshow. The ranches like Thiessen’s that nestle the Alberta foothills are generational dynasties, passed down from family member to family member—Helmer, Bergen, Bearberry, all connected by a road known as the Cowboy Trail. But late in the season, at the very end of the winter, ESRD handed out the permits. Bradley and Thiessen had baited their pens with hay and grass and left the door open–when horses would find their way inside, they would knock a tripwire with their legs. Often, there are too many horses on the land. As veterinary practitioners, animal welfare is always our primary concern, whether it is the health and welfare of a single animal or that of an entire ecosystem. Photo about Wild horses, a pinto mare and a white foal in the wilderness of northern Alberta, Canada. (A few weeks before, protestors had camped in front of the gate, setting fires and blocking the road). The wild horses of Alberta’s eastern slopes are remnants of an era when horses were used for logging and hunting. And what they eat is valuable grass on which cattle, elk and deer graze, leaving only rye grass behind. If you ask him to tag along for a day on the land, he’ll meet you at the local donut shop and then drive you around in his truck, since most city cars can’t maneuver the mud bog that is the spring melt. By registering for e-news, you will be kept up-to-date on all important developments in our community to help you get the best experience possible while you’re here in our Town of Sundre. Although the main concentration appears to be limited to this range, a few horses are Some argue they harm the environment and without natural predators, should be removed. But recently, the two are on a common mission, one that has made them controversial throughout this land: to set up a large capture pen, big enough for three or four full-grown horses and maybe a couple of colts, that they will use to catch wild horses. As the Alberta government reviews its management strategy for more than 950 wild horses that roam the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the newly formed Canadian Wild Horse Foundation (CWHF) is getting set to petition the federal government to declare wild horses a heritage species, focusing their goals initially on Alberta’s wild horses. Some argue they harm the environment and without natural predators, should be removed. In February, when the capture season ramped up, dozens of protesters congregated outside Bradley’s gate, camping out for weeks and loitering around (though not disturbing) the capture pen. Each year, the ESRD decides if there will be a capture—they monitor the number of horses by flying overhead in winter, counting the brown specs on the white snow. Donate now! The 2011-2012 season was the last year the Alberta government approved a wild horse round-up, and according to the National Post 220 licences were sold. The province is careful not to call the management a “cull”; they allow the horses to be captured through permit, leaving the fate of the animals in the hands of the permit holder. He would head out to the pen early at dawn and load any caught horses into a trailer, a slow and steady process that could take hours. A small family band of Alberta wild horses stood knee-deep in snow on the edge of a forest. He is dismissive of his critics—“It’s middle-aged women and teenage girls”—and their motivations. Thiessen and Bradley drive along a steep, potholed ridge to get to where Bradley has set up the six-foot high pen where he traps them. Help Alberta's wild horses to continue to thrive with your support.