Tornado Alley (PROG)

[DesertDrifter]

the mare is better off with the mustangs. The bands of them here often have zebra-striped back legs, and genetic testing has shown that they are spanish in origin (at least partly). Before the present days of rounding them up and paying people to take care of them (the "horse" problem is due to cattlemen wanting the range for their cattle, not wild horses) the BLM used to kick a fresh stallion out once in awhile to prevent inbreeding problems (such as hammerhead configuration). But now it is big business, and a foolish waste of money in my opinion. Each horse that is caught and not adopted (they release horses older than 3 years) ends up on ranches in oklahoma, south dakota, or colorado where the ranchers are compensated several thousand dollars per horse per year.

A place where a budget cut would be in order. If the ranchers out here want the horses gone, they should pay for it, since it relates directly to their grazing subsidy. Personally, i prefer seeing herds of wild horses to looking at some dullard cows but then i am in a minority here.

My neighbor's mare was mostly for being a yard ornament, i have never seen it ridden, it acted more as a street cred so the owner could wear a hat and talk cowboy language. I am cheering for the horse.