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A number of people who understand these horses and the issues involved with adopting have voluntarily stepped forward to help new adopters. Mentoring has been taking place for a number of years although the practice was inconsistent and primarily revolved a few individuals and wild horse and burro interest groups. Many first time adopters were not aware of the need for experienced help when gentling these horses and that such help was available. As a result, many adoptions failed simply because the adopters became extremely frustrated and did not know how to get the basic help which they needed to facilitate progress.
In 1996 a group of people started to assemble on the internet to discuss wild horse issues with an emphasis on what it would take to turn every potentially viable adoption into a success story. This group included such folks as Barbara Eustis-Cross, Jill Whit, Willis & Sharon Lamm, Diana Linkous, Elsa Wahl and Tom & Gwilda Byrd. This group merged a few months later with Angelique Hollinger and her Wild Horse and Burro Enthusiasts group.
The mentors' ranks then grew with the addition of a growing list of talented horse people. Folks such as the Byrds, who were raw beginners when the group first got together, developed skills with the help of the group over a very short period of time and grew to become mentors themselves as well as becoming BLM certified Volunteer Compliance Inspectors. (The Byrds had never owned horses before, yet are now well on their way to having a fairly substantial herd of BLM horses and their offspring.)
The end product of this gathering of kindred spirits is a dynamic, competent and resourceful group who to this date has yet to have failed to satisfactorily resolve any adopter or wild horse problem which was presented to it. This remarkable list of achievements includes resolving problems with completely overwhelmed adopters and badly abused horses.
Mentors' Mission Statement
The Wildhorse Mentors are committed to improving the status and conditions of America's wild horses and burros through involving themselves in the following activities:
- Becoming better educated in the care, handling and training of wild
horses.
- Sharing our gained knowledge and experiences with each other so as to
develop greater proficiency and consistency throughout the group.
- Sharing our gained knowledge and experiences with new adopters in an
effort to help facilitate the safe and humane assimilation of these
animals into the domestic environment.
- Providing support and encouragement to adopters and potential adopters.
- Providing referrals to professional handlers, trainers and
clinicians who are appropriate for resolving training and behavioral
problems when the adoptor is not be capable of resolving the problem
him/herself.
- Providing "on-line" gentling, training and safety information available
to anyone with internet access.
- Providing pre-adoption information and insights so that potential
adopters will be better prepared to adopt and have realistic
expectations.
- Conducting clinics, workshops and other activities which promote safe
and effective horse handling techniques.
- Speaking out as advocates for effective wild horse management programs.
Please note: The term "wild horses" is intended to include wild horses, wild burros, wild mules and, with the exception of the mules, their captive born offspring.
Project Goals
- Eliminate the need for BLM to reprocess animals due to adoption failures.
- Provide proactive adopter education.
- Constructively intervene in problem adoptions.
- Locate alternative adoptors in situations where original adoptions
are not going to succeed.
- Reduce the numbers of horses held long term by BLM.
- Expand adopter capabilities to improve the assimilation potential of
older and more difficult horses.
- Develop a "market base" of those persons qualified to adopt and
gentle older horses.
- Locate and develop training programs which will render older horses
suitable for a wider cross section of adopters.
- Expand the mentor base.
- Encourage competent persons whom the mentors have assisted to join
the ranks of the mentors.
- Generate interest in other experienced adopters to invest some time
mentoring.
- Improve mentor skills and provide quality assurance.
- Review and critique mentoring cases.
- Provide continuing education and regional training programs.
- Develop interest among professional trainers to provide mentor
education opportunities.
- Focus advanced training on identified problem areas.
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Walnut Creek, CA,
1992 Adopters' Workshop
Officer Phil West demonstrating handling
of his new acquisition, Bigun at the
1998 Equifest in California
Getting together for training and
skills development
This captive born mare was badly abused
(broken bones), and was made dangerous
as a result. In this photo she is being
cantered by a mentor, working in nothing
more than ahalter after rehabilitation.
Using broke and gentle horses as safe
teaching models for youngsters
Mentors developing calmness in a youngster
at the 1998 Vallejo, CA, adoption.
Desensitizing a frightened horse
without restraint.
Learning to negotiate obstacles
at the 1998 Vallejo, CA, adoption.
Mentors Sandra, Gwilda, Elsa & Bonnie
at BLM Volunteer Compliance Inspection
school,
(Affectionately known as "The Horse Police!")
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