4/21/17 -

Help HVWHPF with the purchase of MUCH NEEDED panels or gates! It's a great way to know exactly where your donated dollars are going and help with a much needed setup to best care for the horses.

The HVWHPF rescued hered south of Reno is on beautiful acreage, however separating them for vet, hoof, or other care, training, or adoption is difficult at best

HVWHPF needs 20 5-rail fence panels and 5 gates to set up a walk through system of paddock/pens and loading chute.

Panels are $87, gates are $120.

We are fortunate to be able to purchase these at incredible rates and as a non-profit we can puchase them without tax.

A donation to HVWHPF of $87 or $120 (or multiples therof) will be directly applied to the purchase of the needed panels/gates. Donations are tax deductible.

You also have the option to purchase the panel/gate directly and donate them to HVWHPF, however tax would be applied as it would be considered a private purchase and then a donated item. We can provide you with a tax deductible donation receipt for the donated panel/gate.

Either way works for the horses! You can also donate a smaller amount and note that you want to direct it to these purchases.

You can donate through PayPal or with a card using hte bottom PayPal button that allows you to enter any donation amount in the right-hand column of this page. There will be an option to "add special instructions to the seller" where you can indicate you are making a panel or gate donation. (However all donation amounts of $87 or $120 will be put toward these purchases with or without notes.

Or if you prefer to directly purchase the panel or gate to donate you may do so through Foothill Feed & Mercantile in person at 1330 Geiger Grade Rd or by phone at 775-852-0999.

Will you help us with this much needed project today?

04/17/15

I have a wonderful problem to share with you and to ask your help with!!!!  The Bently Foundation has generously granted Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund a $25,000 matching grant!  The proceeds from this grant will pay for feed and pasturing fees at Wynema Ranch and Washoe Valley for our 143 rescued wild horses!!!!!! 

How does this work?  We need to generate a total of $25,000 in public donations.  Once we have reached that goal, the Bently Foundation has kindly agreed to match that very amount with a $25,000 matching grant!  AND, the exciting news is that we’re almost there!!!  We have already raised $19,000 of the total $25,000 needed to satisfy the matching requirement!!!!!  How cool is that!  And with your help, we’ll be able to reach our ultimate goal by raising the final $6,000.  In the grand scheme of things, that’s not a mountain, it’s a hill and together we can climb it and climb it fast!!!! 

We’ll be adding a meter to our website DONATIONS page so everyone can watch the funds roll in!!!

To help us reach this goal please visit www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com and use the DONATE button on the right side of the screen to apply your donation to your credit card.  How much more simple can it get than that?

You can also mail your tax deductible check donation to HVWHPF, PO Box 20052, Reno NV 89515

Any and all amounts will be more than gratefully appreciated and accepted.

A $25 donation will pay the pasturing fee at Wynema Ranch for one horse for one month.  A $15 donation will buy a bale of hay.  $100 donation will feed one horse for one month at Wynema Ranch.  Can you help? 

Thank you so very much for your enduring support of the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund herd!!!!!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

For those who are interested in taking the next step and getting hands-on with projects, we can use your help!! 

This weekend we need help:

-          loading some hay in Washoe Valley.  If you can help, we’ll be meeting at  8:00 am at the Starbucks at Home Depot on Steamboat Pkwy and should be done by about 9:30 am.  You’ll also be able to see our wild horses!

-          cleaning up at Wynema Ranch - pens need to be scooped

Reply to this message if you can help with either of these projects.

We’ll also need some strong young people to help move super heavy panels next weekend at Wynema Ranch.  That should take about 4 hours and again, you’ll be able to hang out with the herd afterwards!!

We also need some strong young people (60 yrs and younger J) interested in helping with fence repair at the Washoe Valley ranch.  That should also take just 4-5 hours with some stunning views and awesome horses to hang with!

Kelly Hyatt is heading up our major fencing projects and is looking for volunteers.  There are many ways to help so chime in and get your name on the growing list of people who want to make a difference.

Please contact outreach@hvwhpf.org if you’re interested in volunteering!!!

PZP PRESENTATION BY DR JAY KIRKPATRICK!!! – APRIL 23^RD AT 6:00 PM AT THE SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY

Dr Jay Kirkpatrick has once again generously agreed to provide his most current presentation on the use and application of the fertility control vaccine PZP.  There has been a lot of chatter and much misinformation and internet gossip about its use and alleged side effects.  We hope you’ll join us and learn about the benefits of this product, how we will be implementing it in the Virginia Range, we will dispel the many myths and stories floating across the ethernet and talk facts, and hope that you leave with a much clearer and intelligent perspective on what is going to be a key factor in the humane management of the historic horses of the Virginia Range.  The public is welcome and we encourage you to share this information and invite others who want to become educated and informed about the fertility control vaccine PZP.  Please see the attached document PZP Q&A – it’s very informative and will help you get familiar with, answer some questions about and stir new questions for you about PZP.

Join us - THURSDAY, APRIL 23^RD – 6:00 PM at the SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY on Wedge Pkwy.

04/01/15

RALLY IN SUPPORT OF NEVADA WILD HORSES!!!

Hi Everyone – an update on the proposed Nevada bill AB431 – a bill that would have put our Nevada wild horses at great risk!!! – has been removed from the Nevada Committee on Natural Resources hearing for Thursday, April 2^nd!!

However, we have not yet confirmed that it will be pulled completely from this Legislative session.  AWHPC reports “We are told, but have not yet confirmed, that the bill may be pulled from this legislative session in order to give the partnership agreement a chance to succeed.”

This is a great opportunity to get out and celebrate and THANK the level heads on the Natural Resources committee for seeing the benefits of what we’re doing!!!  THANK the NDoA and Sandoval’s office for giving this Cooperative Agreement a chance to be successful!!!!

We want everyone to STILL COME TO CARSON CITY AT 1:15 PM tomorrow for a rally in support of the Cooperative Agreement and most of all in support of Nevada’s Wild Horses!!!  This is our chance to show the Legislators in Carson City, and those who might think they can get away with nonsensical bills, that WE THE PEOPLE of Nevada will continue to work for our Nevada horses and fight for them at every opportunity!!!!!

Level heads, knowledge, wisdom, and dedication is what will make a difference – YOUR PRESENCE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!!  Let’s have a tremendous show of force for NEVADA’S WILD HORSES in Carson City THURSDAY, APRIL 2^ND AT 1:15PM!!  Plan your lunch hour for that time if you can!  It’s only a 20 min drive from Reno.

Parking available all around the Capital buildings.  From Reno, use exit 39 (Hwy 50 sign), turn right and head west then turn left on to Stewart Street.  The Legislative building is about 10 short blocks on the right and you’ll see lots of parking lots and parking on the side streets too.  

03/31/15

Another VERY disturbing and lousy piece of legislation has risen from the sewer!!  Just when we get a good agreement signed, some fool comes up with a really bad idea.  A proposed Nevada State Assembly Bill 431 calls for the NDoA to develop a “management plan to achieve and maintain appropriate management levels of horses subject to the management of the Department” and “Use humane methods of reproductive control for both male and female horses subject to the management of the Department”!!!!!  What does this mean – the NDoA has no means to humanely manage and protect wild horses in the state of Nevada so the ultimate outcome will continue to be trucking Nevada wild horses to the livestock auction where they enter the slaughter pipeline.  Dr Josef Mengele Nazi type fertility control experiments being carried out on our treasured wild horses!!!

Obviously, our fight is long from over but with your help and direct action we’ll get this bad idea flushed back down the sewer where it belongs.

Please read more at this link from AWHPC:

http://act.wildhorsepreservation.org/o/6931/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1325342

Please attend the hearing if you can – Thursday, April 2 at 1:30pm.  We need lots of people to attend as a show of force whether you want to speak or not – our numbers speak volumes!!!!  Let’s continue to protect our wild horses!!!!!

Send an email to AsmNRAM@asm.state.nv.us   This will go directly to the committee – send your comments as soon as possible to this address to make sure they get the full impact of exactly who does care about what happens to Nevada’s wild horses!!!!  WE CARE!!!!!

Register your opinion at  https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/78th2015/A/ , use the drop down list to find AB431, select  “Against”, and type in your opinion – support public/private partnerships to humanely manage Nevada’s wild horses, Nevada does not have the resources to support this type of legislation, NDoA needs to focus its efforts on Agriculture and livestock and leave wild horses wild and free, support Nevada’s wild horse tourism industry by killing this bill.  We value our wild horses and want to make sure they are protected, not predated by our state government!!!!!

THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR FIGHTING FOR THE WILD ONES!!!!

Shannon Windle

Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund

03/30/15

Well, we're in the middle of the Nevada Legislative season - Nevada government only meets every 2 years for 5 months!!!!  And it seems we are having our fair share of nonsensical bills being presented for consideration. 

Of interest is an attempt to have the State of Nevada take over federal public land - our public land, open space where we all have the right to go and enjoy the great outdoors, our great American wild west, and our indomitable Nevada culture.  The following information has been supplied from the Sierra Club and is concise and very helpful! 

Nevadans - Please let your Nevada State Assembly rep and Senator know that this is not acceptable and the bill should die. OR attend the hearing this Tuesday afternoon at 1:30pm in Carson City!!!

EVERYONE! – Please take this link https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/78th2015/A/   and register your opinion – keep public lands public, promote Nevada tourism, ensure Nevada maintains its open space and natural resources – don’t let big business “pave paradise and put up a parking lot” (Joni Mitchell).

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE NEVADA LEGAL SYSTEM – let’s kick some butt and save our public lands!!!!!!!!

AB408 misuses the "Enclave Clause" of the U.S. Constitution to stake a claim to all public land in the state of Nevada. AB408 was introduced by tea-party favorite Michele Fiore, and is called the Bundy Bill after scofflaw rancher Cliven Bundy.

The Natural Resources Committee is hearing the bill on Tuesday, March 31st.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Call or email  your Assembly representative and State Senator and tell them you oppose this radical bill to grab our public lands.

To email your legislators, go here:

Assembly            http://asm.leg.state.nv.us/Assembly/AssemblyMembersM.aspx

Senate                  https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Legislator/A/Senate/

If you don't know who your legislator is, go here    http://mapserve1.leg.state.nv.us/whoRU/  

Urge them to oppose AB408. Tell them that all of us, not just developers, deserve to have access to our public lands. Urge them to keep federal protections of our public lands.

2. Go to the "Share Your Opinion"  page at https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/78th2015/A/

and vote AGAINST AB 408. The Bundys asked their followers to comment, so right now the site is clogged with out-of-state "yes" votes.

3. On Tuesday, March 31, at 1:30PM, please consider attending the hearing of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee to register your opposition to the bill. Assemblywoman Robin Titus chairs this committee; Assemblyman Jim Wheeler is the vice-chair.

Carson City: Room 3138 of the Legislative Building, 401 S. Carson St.

Elko: Videoconferenced to Room 120, High Tech Center, Great Basin College,

1290 Burns Rd Las Vegas: Videoconferenced to Room 4401 of the Grant Sawyer State Office Building, 555 E.

Washington Ave

MORE INFORMATION

AB408 would require the state of Nevada, after it asserts a claim to the land, to "sell permit rights" to any individual who goes anywhere on the land and develops so-called beneficial uses -- defined in the bill as logging, mineral development, and grazing. No land off limits. Goodbye Great Basin National Park, Red Rocks National Conservation Area, wilderness areas, critical habitat, hunting and fishing and recreational access. 

Here's the text of the bill:

https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/78th2015/Bill/2042/Text

Does this bill have a chance of passing?

Unfortunately, it might.

Fifteen  members of the Assembly have co-sponsored it . To our surprise, this number includes some, like Carson City's P.K. O'Neill, who ran as moderate fiscal conservatives. And the Bundy family is asking their supporters from throughout the country to show up in Carson City next Tuesday, March 31st when the bill will get a hearing in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

Were you ashamed last summer when the national press headed to southern Nevada to watch Bundy and his followers make a mockery of the laws of our country and of responsible land management? Did you want a chance to tell the world that all Nevadans aren't like that?

03/03/15

WELCOME to MARCH 2015!!  We’ve been languishing in late spring weather here in the west for 2 months now.  We’ve been wishing, hoping, dreaming for winter weather to set in and bring some desperately needed snow to the Sierra Nevada range.  Well it finally came and did it ever!!!  16 inches of snow in the mountains, about 6 inches at Wynema Ranch, and 6 inches in Washoe Valley!  This will take us a long way to where we need to be to replenish our aquifers, raise the levels of our lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, and help the many springs that keep the wild horses watered.  Why, we got so much snow this last weekend, that even the Virginia Range turned white – what a terrific sight it is!!!  Now, if we can just have a few more of those storms come in between now and May the grasses may have a good chance to grow and nourish ALL our beautiful wildlife!!!!!

FENCE PROJECT FOR RESCUED WILD HORSES FINISHED
A tremendous THANK YOU goes out to Kelly Hyatt, super volunteer for the wild horses for her indomitable spirit and determination to see a 50 acre parcel of land fenced in for some rescued wild horses.  The land was donated for use to Dr Pat Colletti of Virginia Range Sanctuary as pasture for a group of wild horses his organization adopted.  But, a fence was needed before the horses could be placed on the property.  Kelly Hyatt put out the call for and organized volunteers, Pat purchased the materials, and after 4 weekends of hard work, through rain, snow, and one of our Reno windstorms, the fencing was completed around a 15 acre portion on Saturday, Feb 28^th.  Thanks to Willis Lamm and the LRTC trailer brigade, the horses were delivered to the property today, Monday, March 2, 2015!  They now have a wonderful place to roam and be happy for many years to come!!!  THANK YOU to all who made this rescue and homing possible!!!!

MARCH FOR HAY FOR THE HORSES!!!!
Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund is declaring MARCH 2015 “March for Hay for the Horses” month!!  Our goal this month is to generate $5,000 in donations towards our hay fund to feed our rescued wild horse herd!!! 
Please visit our secure website at  www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com and make your 2015 tax deductible donation using your credit card.  Or mail your check to HVWHPF, PO Box 20052, Reno NV 89515. 
Thank you for your very kind and generous donation to help feed our rescued wild horses.

HOME NEEDED FOR FAMILY OF 6 WILD HORSES
Fortunately, the good people at Wild Horse Mentors Least Resistance Training Concepts, www.whmentors.org and THANKS to the Let Em Run Foundation, Rojo’s band of 8 horses have found a home with a good rescue in Arkansas.  They will wait until the late spring for transport because there are several babies due over the next several months. 
However, we are still looking for a good home for Waylon and his family of 6.  They are a stunningly beautiful little family who were ripped from their grazing lands in November 2014 when they should have simply been moved to a safer location.  Please pass the word that these horses need a quality, forever home and refer any opportunities to this email address.  Thank you!!!!!!

WORKING MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 3^RD AT 6:00 PM SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY
For anyone who is interested in participating in some of our projects, please join us at the South Valley library on Wedge Pkwy tomorrow evening, Tuesday, March 3^rd at 6:00p.
We need volunteers interested in fencing projects, fund raising opportunities, and our adoption committee.  We are also looking for people interested in working with our water resources group.  Join us if you can!

COMMUNITY BOARD

NEVADANS FOR RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
A message from Don Molde of Nevadans for Responsible Wildlife Management:

I really appreciate everybody's interest and concern.  We do have a chance to get something done with this issue.  Worst case, if the commission refused to do anything, we will be in a good position to look for a sponsor at the legislature when we next have that opportunity.

NEVADA COYOTE KILLING CONTEST PETITION INFORMATION SHEET 02/28/2015

WHEN:  Friday, March 20, 2015 at Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meeting.

WHERE:  TMCC, 7000 Dandini Blvd (Parr Blvd exit off 395), Sierra Building, Room 108 (auditorium).

TIME:  Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m.; petition hearing should begin about 9:30-10:00.

LOGISTICS:  Plenty of parking.  We'll try to have someone by outside doors to help with directions.

NDOW INFORMATION:  ndow.org/public meetings/commission/agenda when posted for public viewing.

PROCESS:   In response to numerous requests to do so, there is no petition to be signed by supporters.  The term, “petition”, is used here in a legal sense (NRS 233B.100) and requires only one signature to bring it to the attention of the commission.  Information we have submitted to support the petition should be posted at NDOW web site (shown above) within a week or so of the meeting.

The petition will be presented by Fred Voltz and me, giving a short summary of the issue and supporting documents.  Public comment will be allowed (3” per comment).  Those wishing to speak need to put your name on a yellow card (provided) so names are spelled correctly in the minutes. Following public comment, the commission will discuss the issue and make a decision.

IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY:  There is no need to be an “expert” or have detailed information.  Since these contests have no scientific underpinnings, represent frivolous, gratuitous killing, and involve the unnecessary destruction of public property (wildlife, including coyotes, belongs to everyone per NRS 501.100), your opinion and related comments are pertinent and sufficient.

WHAT THE OTHER SIDE SAYS:  Proponents claim they are helping to “control” coyotes, protecting human life, domestic pets and saving livestock.  Since there is not (and never has been) a coyote management plan prepared by the Nevada Department of Wildlife, the truth is that these events are nothing more than random killing of the animal with no beneficial purpose.  Science shows that coyotes respond to random killing by increased litter sizes.  The proponents may be making coyote problems worse because increased litter sizes means more juvenile coyotes in the mix and juveniles tend to be more troublesome. If ranchers have depredation problems, they call Wildlife Services, the federal predator control agency for assistance. 

A FEW FACTS ABOUT COYOTES:  No one knows how many coyotes live in Nevada…maybe 100,000 by one estimate.  About 10,000 coyotes are killed every year in Nevada by Wildlife Services, fur trappers, and other random killing.  We've had a “war” on coyotes, ongoing for decades, resulting in coyotes now living coast to coast. What we've been doing to coyotes makes no sense.

FURTHER INFORMATION:   Trailsafe.org, an excellent source, and/or contact me:  skyshrink@aol.com (Don Molde).  Please forward this information sheet widely.  Emails of support to the Governor: cthunt@gov.nv.gov, or to the Nevada Department of Wildlife:  sscourby@ndow.org will help.

SPACE FOR HORSES – ½ ACRE IN THE TOLL ROAD AREA
A south Reno property owner has contacted me about a ½ acre paddock she has for rent for $200 per month. There is a round pen, shelter, you supply the hay but rent includes feeding, plenty of room to play and work. Call Sandy at 775-233-5470.

02/24/15

It’s been awhile but we at Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund have been busy developing projects and working on some exciting events – all to benefit the focus of our efforts:  the Historic Horses of the Virginia Range!  Some of you may not know that these horses are known as “Wild Horse Annie’s” horses.  They are the horses that started Velma Bronn Johnston on her epic journey to save the American wild horse. 

A very kind, intelligent, and most inspirational person once advised that we not get ourselves bogged down in the negative information and heartbreaking stories that surround our American horses – both domestic and wild.  And while we should never ignore the information that comes to us on a regular basis, we should instead maintain focus on all the positive achievements, stories, and efforts taking place that are turning the tide of change in favor of protecting our horses!!  All the people, young and not so young, who continue to fight for the protection and humane treatment  of one of mankinds most magnificent companions and highly revered icons of our American heritage – the horse!  Let’s continue to celebrate the Year of the Horse by declaring 2015 to be the Year of the American Wild Horse!!!

14 Virginia Range Wild horses Still Need a Home!!!!
As you may already know, the NDoA removed another 14 horses from the range in November and December.  They were processed at the Carson City prison and urgent pleas for help were sent out across the globe through our partners at American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.  Thanks to the generosity and open heart of a local Reno family, Mr Shaggs, his mare Misty, and her foal Twyla, were rescued and now have a wonderful forever home right here in Reno!!!!  Also, as a result of some great networking efforts and the kindness of a terrific wild horse advocate from Washington state, Wendell Stockdale, a home was found for Smokey and his family of 5 (Violet and colt Abe, and Rose and her filly Hyacinth). 

But that still leaves us with no placement for 2 families totaling 14 horses.  Waylon and his family of 6 – newly gelded Waylon, a powerful sorrel, Dolly, a lovely bay mare with her yearling Faith and new colt Willie, and Loretta, another bay mare and her filly Shania.  They were taken from the USA Parkway area of the Virginia Range, Nevada, and now have no home.  Unfortunately, we at HVWHPF don’t have the space or financial means to take on any new horses at this time.  The other beautiful family of 8 taken (once again) from the Steamboat Valley community of south Reno in December is made up of a handsome red roan gelding named Rojo and his family of 7 - Condra, Corona, Cayenne, Calonee, Cazari, Coteah, & Cailea!

Can you help these 14 beautiful horses find a home where they will be safe and well cared-for for the rest of their lives?  Please forward this message and/or contact us by replying or at hiddenvalleywildhorses@gmail.com

BENTLY FOUNDATION GRANT TO BENEFIT THE HORSES!!!
We, at Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, are so very excited and honored to have been awarded an extremely generous and so very kind grant from the Bently Foundation,.  As a private foundation, they support organizations and individuals in the areas of the environment, animal rights, and the arts.  Thanks to the Bently Foundation, we have been able to purchase winter hay for our rescued horses and ensure their board is paid.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Chris Bently for his vision, compassionate enthusiasm, and desire to make a lasting difference in the world we all share.  And our endearing thanks goes out to Camille Crowder, Director of Development at the Bently Foundation for her patience, guidance, compassion, and genuine interest in the welfare of the historic horses of the Virginia Range.  We are truly fortunate to join the growing list of exceptional organizations to have been awarded grants from such an honorable benefactor as the Bently Foundation. http://www.bentlyfoundation.org/grants

New Board of Directors to Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund
We’d like to take this opportunity to welcome three new members of our Board of Directors.  HVWHPF held its Board of Directors election at its annual membership meeting on December 17, 2014.  We are so very pleased to introduce Phil Caterino, Sylvia Coburn, and Karen Vineis.  Each of these very fine, upstanding citizens will be bringing their own select talents and resources to this organization that in the end will benefit and promote the historic horses of the Virginia Range.

Phil Caterino                      pcaterino@hvwhpf.org
Sylvia Coburn                     scoburn@hvwhpf.org
Karen Vineis                       kvineis@hvwhpf.org

Ellen Holcomb and Shannon Windle WELCOME Phil, Sylvia and Karen to the HVWHPF Board!!!!

MEMBERSHIP MEETING THURSDAY FEB 26^TH 6pm SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY
Our next general meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, Feb 26^th at the South Valley library on Wedge Parkway at 6:00 pm.  The public is welcome!!! 
And please join us for our monthly working meeting on Tuesday March 3^rd at the South Valley library, 6:00pm.  Our adoption group, fencing projects group, and fund raising group will be pushing forward and making things happen!  Join us!!!

DONATION OPPORTUNITIES
Amazon Smile – don’t forget to use this link https://smile.amazon.com/ch/80-0208865 when purchasing through Amazon.  Logging in once will always take you back so your future purchases will always benefit the wild horses.  There is no added cost to you and no difference in the selection of goods.  Amazon will donate a small portion of their proceeds from your purchase.

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Equine Digestive System seminar
An educational seminar for horse owners

Horse Owners:  Learn about colic, ulcers and more!

Saturday, March 7^th, 1:00-4:30 at Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno

If you have ever wanted to have a better understanding of the equine digestive system – how it works, what can go wrong, and what you can do to help prevent problems, this seminar is for you! Presented by equine health and welfare expert Susan Kauffmann, this one afternoon talk is designed to give you a better understanding of the equine digestive system so that you can optimize your horse's gastrointestinal health.

Topics to be covered will include:

 ·        The anatomy of the horse's gastrointestinal tract

 ·        Colic -- the different kinds of colic, what causes them, and what we can do to try to prevent colic in our horses.

 ·        Ulcers -- symptoms, how they form, why horses are so vulnerable to them, what we can do to prevent them.

 ·        Feeding and management practices that promote good digestive health. (Please note that while some general feeding strategies will be discussed, this is not a nutrition class.) \

The cost to attend the seminar is $35.00 per person, and pre-registration is required. Space is limited, so book early to reserve your spot.

For details on how to pre-register or if you have any questions, please email Susan at: thedarkhorserider@gmail.com, or call (775) 847-0547. 
 
About the Lecturer: Susan Kauffmann is an equestrian educator and journalist who specializes in topics relating to equine health and welfare. Her articles have appeared for over a decade in magazines such as EQUUS, Trail Blazer and Western Horse Review, for whom she also served as Health Editor. In addition, Susan has written content for a number of equine-related courses for Michigan State University's MSU Global program, and she is currently writing a book on the equine hoof for Trafalgar Publishing. Many of Susan's most popular articles are archived on her website, TheEquinist.blogspot.com, and her photography can be viewed at EquineShots.blogspot.com.

Coyote Killing Contests – We say NO!
This information came in from Don Molde with the Nevadans for Responsible Wildlife Management .
Here is a link to a Reno Gazette Journal article on Coyote Killing Contests in this area Critics try to ban coyote hunting contests
“Our petition will be the first agenda item after housekeeping stuff at the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meeting at TMCC on Dandini Blvd in Reno on Friday, March 20th.  I expect the meeting to start at 8:30 a.m or 9 a.m., depending on flight schedules from Las Vegas.  I anticipate our petition hearing should start by 9:30 - 10:00.  It'll go on a while since there is considerable public interest in it...or so it seems to me.  There will be videoconferencing in Las Vegas and Elko.
We encourage public turnout for this one...even if folks don't want to get up and speak.  The commissioners know the same old faces on both sides of the aisle.  People in the audience not dressed in hunter garb, long hair and beards will be assumed to be on our side, even if they don't say anything.
For those who want to do something now to get the ball rolling, I'd suggest emails to Governor Sandoval's office c/o Cory Hunt:  cthunt@gov.nv.gov, and/or emails to Suzanne Scourby, Executive Assistant to the Director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife:  sscourby@ndow.org   No need to be technical.  Comments to the effect that you oppose coyote killing contests and support our petition would be sufficient...and appreciated.”

Upcoming fence projects
Kelly Hyatt is heading up a huge fencing project here in south Reno.  There is tons of planning and logistics to organize.  If you’re interested in helping please come to our membership meeting Feb 26^th and the working meeting on March 3^rd, both at 6:00pm.  Your help will be greatly appreciated!!!!!

Contact Tesla if you haven’t already
The Tesla plant will be built at USA Parkway, in the ginormous Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center 10 mins east of Reno and skirting the edge of the Virginia Range.  Many wild horses call this area and that complex their home.  If you haven’t already contacted Tesla, please take a few minutes out of your very busy schedule to write Tesla a note about YOUR horses - the Virginia Range horses.  Tell Tesla how much we treasure them and want to protect them, and that as good ecofriendly stewards of the world Tesla Motors should do the same and make efforts to ensure our horses are protected and revered as the star American icons they are.  Let Tesla Motors know that you love having them in your backyard, a true gift of beauty and grace that so many people from around the world embrace and adore. 
Contact Tesla Motors      gigafactory@teslamotors.com

DONATE NOW!!
You can help by sponsoring our horses to help pay for their feed, care, and training until placement can be secured for them.  Please visit www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com on the ‘Donations’ page or www.wildhorseadoption.org on the ‘Sponsoring a Horse’ page to set up a recurring monthly donation to help the horses of the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund rescued herd. 
Thank you so very much for your continued support of the historic Virginia Range wild horses!!!!

Thanks so much for your continued support of the historic Virginia Range wild horses!!!!

12/11/14

On behalf of everyone at Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, we want to wish you and yours a wondrous and safe Happy Holiday season!!!  We wish all your hopes and dreams for 2015 come to fruition and thrive.  We have had many wonderful things and awesome people to be grateful for and to celebrate this year of 2014 – the Year of the Horse!!!!!!!!

WASHOE COUNTY COMMISSION PROCLAIMS PROTECTION OF NORTHERN NEVADA’S WILD HORSES!!!
I was honored to attend the Washoe County Commission meeting yesterday, December 9, 2014 to hear Louise Martin, representing American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, and Patricia Phillips speak on behalf of the wild horses, the pending Cooperative Agreement, and of course to hear the Resolution to Protect the Wild Horses and Burros of Northern Nevada!!!  Out-going Commission Chairman David Humke read aloud:

WHEREAS, Nevada is home to more than half of the Nations wild horse populations; and
WHEREAS, wild horses and burros are living symbols of our American Western heritage as represented by the depiction of wild horses on the Nevada State quarter; and
WHEREAS the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 covers the management, protection and study of feral horses and burros on federal land; and
WHEREAS, portions of Washoe, Storey and Lyon counties include habitat for wild horse populations outside the jurisdiction and protection of The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 and under the responsibility of the State of Nevada; and,
WHEREAS, residents within  Washoe County are passionate about the management, protection and preservation of the wild horse population; and
WHEREAS, State statue allows the State to enter into cooperative agreements with public entities and non-profits for the management, control, placement of wild horses and burros, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that Washoe County supports the implementation of humane management cooperative agreements between private non-profits and public agencies to address the management of wild horses and burros not protected by federal law.

We are over the top elated at this long sought after acknowledgement of our beautiful and historic wild horses of the Virginia Range!!!  And it would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of so many people who believe in the value, grace, and benefit these horses bring to our communities and our lives.  Special thanks goes out to Brad and Sharon Stanley, Patricia Phillips, Dr. Pat Colletti, Louise Martin, and Corenna Vance for their special contributions to this effort. 

Earlier in the year, out-going Reno Mayor Bob Cashell made a similar proclamation in support of our wild horses on behalf of the City of Reno!!  How awesome is that.  But we’re not done yet……

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening – Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

We have many, many miles to tread before we’re done, but together we can do this!!!!!!!!  Together, we will bring about the changes needed and sought after for so many years to protect these beautiful horses!!!!
HERE’S TO THE HORSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  For without this beautiful, gentle creature as a partner in our evolution (and who evolved on the North American continent before travelling across the Bering Strait land bridge before the last ice age!!!) our lives, our societies, our souls would have been so very different and cold.  And HERE’S to doggies, too!!!

PRESENTATION ON THE USE AND APPLICATION OF PZP & ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17^TH 6:00 PM
Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund is very proud to bring Dr Jay Kirkpatrick via teleconference to our next meeting, Wednesday, December 17^th at 6:00 pm at the South Valley Library on Wedge Parkway.
Dr Kirkpatrick is the Director of The Science and Conservation Center, Billings, Montana and holds a Ph.D. in reproductive physiology from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.  Dr Kirkpatrick will offer a presentation on wild horse fertility control - the use and applications of the fertility control drug PZP.  PZP is the drug that will be employed for the fertility control program of the Virginia Range wild horses.  This is a wonderful opportunity to become more informed and knowledgeable about a very important aspect of the proposed humane management of our horses.  Your attendance will be appreciated and welcome.  The more informed we are the better we can help our horses and ensure their longevity and survival on the Virginia Range!!  Dr Kirkpatrick and Dr Fazio have provided a Q&A which is attached to this message that will answer many of the questions you may already have. 

We will also be holding our annual elections at this meeting for the Board of Directors of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. 

TESLA MOTORS COMING TO THE VIRGINIA RANGE
As many people in the northern Nevada area have heard, Tesla Motors will be moving to our area in the very near future.  What does this mean for our horses?  The plant will be built at USA Parkway, in the ginormous Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center 10 mins east of Reno and skirting the edge of the Virginia Range.  Many wild horses call this area and that complex their home.  If you can take a few minutes out of your very busy holiday schedule to write Tesla a note about YOUR horses, the Virginia Range horses, and how much we treasure them and want to protect them, and that as good ecofriendly stewards of the world Tesla Motors will do the same and will make efforts to ensure our horses are protected and revered as the star American icons they are.  Let Tesla Motors know that you love having them in your backyard, a true gift of beauty and grace that so many people from around the world embrace and adore.  Contact Tesla Motors                 gigafactory@teslamotors.com

CONGRESSMAN GRIJALVA ELECTED RANKING MEMBER OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Congressman Grijalva has been a supporter of wild horses and requested Interior Secretary Sally Jewel for review and reform of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program earlier this year.  We wish him luck as he leads the committee that oversees what Secretary Jewel does………or doesn’t do!!!!

http://grijalva.house.gov/news-and-press-releases/rep-grijalva-elected-ranking-member-of-natural-resources-committee/

EUROPEAN UNION BANS HORSE MEAT FROM MEXICO!!!!!!!!!
Please sign up for news from the highly respected folks at the Equine Welfare Alliance.  They fight for all horses and report on news and topics relevant to the world of equines. 

http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001vyxPS_LLFLDQhmGuzhLqGQ%3D%3D

This information is more than amazing and absolutely wonderful!!!  The European Union is banning the import of horse meat from Mexico!!!!!

Currently, there are an estimated 140,000 horses sent annually through horrendously cruel slaughter in both Canada and Mexico.  99% of those horses are regular, healthy, well trained, wonderful domestic horses that people just can’t afford to keep, are unwanted from breeding farms, or any multitude of other reasons, end up on a transport truck packed in like sardines and headed north or south to the borders.  Horse slaughter is cruel and horrendous as the horse is fully aware of what is happening (they’re darned smart creatures!!) and are often still alive when being butchered.  Sounds nasty, well it is.  And it’s real. 

The reason the European Union is banning the import of horse meat from Mexico is because there is no good way to track or know how many of over 43 drugs on the market today a horse has been given over its lifetime that would render the meat “not fit for human consumption”.  Examples include deworm medication and a myriad of pain medications.  The United States defunded meat inspectors of horse meat because of this very reason.  Therefore, we currently have no horse slaughter in the United States.  And as reported by EWA, this defunding has been secured through 2015!!  And yet, we (the United States) continue to ship our horses out of this country knowing the meat will make the dinner tables of thousands of unsuspecting Europeans and others around the world.  If the US labels it “unfit for human consumption” why do we think it’s okay to ship that same meat to other people who don’t know it’s not fit meat?

Contact your representative in Washington DC and ask them to sign on to Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE Act) S 541(Senate) and HR 1094 (House of Representative)

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s541

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1094

Contact the committee members and encourage them to bring the bills before their committees for approval so they can be moved to the House and Senate for a vote and then before the President for his signature where it will then become law.  Again, it’s easy to do, and if we all do it we might just make the earth move a little!!!

NEWS FROM THE FIELD & OTHER FUN STUFF!!!
Please join in some holiday fun and festivities at a Christmas Celebration with Lacy J Dalton and Dale Poune at the Red Dog Saloon, Virginia City on December 19^th at 7:30 pm.  This performance will benefit the wild horses – tickets are $27 each and available online at the Red Dog Saloon website at http://www.reddogvc.com/ or call 775-847-7474.  Eddie Floyd of America Matters Media will be hosting the evening and will perform his first-ever cowboy poem!!

Thanks goes out to one of our super volunteers Margie Rick who happened upon and helped rescue a lost baby bull last weekend in Washoe Valley!!  Great job Margie!  Picture attached….. 

11/11/14

We had a great rally in support of the historic wild horses of the Virginia Range on Saturday!!  We had a good showing of support – over 50 people holding signs, cheering on and waving!!  And 30-40 people stopped by to get more information about calling the Gov (775-684-5670) and NDoA (775-353-3600) and letting them know you want to keep Nevada’s wild horses wild and free roaming and to sign the Cooperative Agreement allowing for the humane management of our horses!!!

Relocation, rather than Permanent Removal

Fertility Control, to reach a Healthy Sustainable Population

Diversionary Feeding, to keep the horses safe and on the range

Fence-out projects, to keep horses off of roadways

On-The-Range Management, veterinary care, documentation, tracking

Thank you to all who came out and enjoyed the excitement, the satisfaction of doing something positive for the horses, the shirt sleeve weather, and great company!!!  Channels 2 and 4 came by to get some great footage (Thanks so much Michelle for bringing the kids!!) and do some interviews. And Thank You Kevin and Kenzie for bringing the great and healthy snacks for us all to enjoy!!!  We had some great signs and made some terrific new friends!  But no surprise there because as we already know, the majority of people love the horses and want to see them protected and safe and off of our streets and highways!!!!

Here’s a link to some great pics – thank so much to all who contributed!!

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenValleyWildHorses/posts_to_page#!/john.pocino/media_set?set=a.10152818661733360&type=1

28 HORSES AT THE PRISON – THEY NEED OUR HELP!!!

As we reported previously, there are another 28 horses at the prison – permanently removed from the range because of the NDoA’s lack of management and responsibility for the tasks they have been charged with according to NRS 569 - http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-569.html  .  The NDoA has been offered help from our Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates to humanely manage the historic horses of the Virginia Range but instead of moving forward and proactively and cooperatively working to resolve public safety issues regarding our horses, they are wasting valuable time by trying to set unrealistic goals and measures when they don’t even have a baseline to start measuring from.

All the while, the fate of these 28 horses remains in the air.  Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund doesn’t have the money or space to take them.  We have several “maybe we can” responses but the facts remain:

                We need space to place them

                We need funds to feed them and pay for their space

                We need good, quality, dependable horse gentlers (not wranglers) to volunteer to work with the horses so they can move to the “adoptable” category

                We need good, qualified adopters

If you know anyone who can help these horses, please let us know.  Go to http://www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php?c=adoptions and fill out the adoption application and agreement.  Any of the 28 horses not placed by the time they are released by NDoA run the risk of going to slaughter.  THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!

AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ACTION IN SUPPORT OF THE VIRGINIA RANGE WILD HORSES!!!

Please take action using the link below to contact Governor Sandoval of Nevada and let him and his office know that there are thousands of people out there who care about what happens to Nevada’s wild horses!!  It’s easy, it’s quick!! 

We did it 2 years ago - let’s make sure Governor Sandoval receives another 18,000 FAXes before they return to work on Wednesday!  Please share this message with your friends, family, colleagues, club members, social media friends!  We know we are the majority so let’s make sure THEY know we’re the majority and TAKE ACTION NOW!!!

http://act.wildhorsepreservation.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18755  

CLICK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

WASHOE COUNTY CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13^TH 6:00PM SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY

Please come if you’re able – to the next CAB meeting at the South Valley library – to tell them how important it is to you that any future development in the Damonte Ranch community, including the proposed 260 home ‘Palisades’ project, must incorporate the use of barriers to keep the horses safe on the hillsides and off our congested streets and that public safety take precedence over developer’s profits.  The more people come to these meetings, the more positive the impact for the horses when decisions are made that affect their safety.  I know we are asking a lot of you but showing your support by coming to meetings makes a huge statement – as demonstrated at the last Planning Commission meeting after we all left and only a handful of people remained for the rest of the agenda.  Remember you can submit your Public Comment in either written form or by speaking at the meeting or both.  Your comments can also be emailed in advance of the meeting to stone@washoecounty.us.  Your voice counts for those who can’t speak and aren’t welcome to attend these meetings.

NEVADANS FOR RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Please visit www.nrwm.org  and become more informed about the humane treatment we should afford our Nevada wildlife!!  Dr. Don Molde and others are working tirelessly to ensure wildlife management practices and needed reforms are being implemented to protect Nevada’s wildlife.

If you can take the time, please attend oral arguments regarding their request for an injunction pertaining to the upcoming trapping season in front of Judge Scott Freeman on Thursday, November 20^th at 2pm in the Washoe County Court House at 75 Court St.  Street parking (meters) and parking garages are close by.

If you own a dog or cat or horse, you should know that horrible leg-hold traps have been found in and around our communities, within feet of well used walking paths, in county and state parks.  I know I thought trapping was banned decades ago.  Why do we need it?  The answer is - We Don’t.

This is a cause worthy of your support and attention – we love our wildlife, alive and wearing their own fur.

11/08/14

We had a great turn out at both meetings showing awesome support for our wild horses!!!  Thank you so very much to everyone who attended!  Your support makes a huge difference for these horses!!

Reno Planning Commission meeting – Palisades above Damonte Ranch High School

Probably 95% of the people at the meeting in attendance were there in support of the wild horses!!  There were some very insightful and great public comments added to the record requesting the horses be taken into consideration during every phase of development.  This project is being “continued” until the December 4^th meeting because the Planning staff didn’t notify the neighboring property owners about the project moving forward.  So after several meetings and a lot of negotiating, the developer agreed to postpone discussion while they work with neighboring property owners.  We need to head back to the Dec 4^th meeting and make our comments again so the Planning Commission will get the importance of employing measures to ensure public safety and keep our horses on the range where they’re safe!!! 

Nevada Dept of Transportation meeting – USA Parkway 12.5 mile extension to Silver Springs
Kelly Hyatt reported that “ almost every single person who got up to speak in the public comments was concerned first and foremost with the wild horses and other wild life. It is confirmed that fencing, water sources and at least two wild life underpasses are to be included in the plans for the road.”  Please remember that we can all still provide public comment to the NDOT at info@dot.state.nv.us until Nov 21st - tell them they need to include provisions for the wild horses and other Virginia Range wild life along the proposed 12.5 mile road extension of USA Parkway to Silver Springs.

PEACEFUL RALLY IN SOUTH RENO – SATURDAY, NOV 8^TH 10-2PM ROUNDABOUT AT GEIGER GRADE & MT ROSE HWY

Please join us at a PEACEFUL (but very exciting!!!) RALLY IN SUPPORT OF OUR WILD ONES!!!! Come join us for a blast back to the 1960's where we really did make a difference with our rallies and protests!! Bring a sign of your own or carry one of ours or be a warm body or come to meet people who care about the horses like you do or come to sign up as a volunteer or come to get more information about where we are now and what we'll be doing going forward. Tell your family and friends to join us SATURDAY, NOV 8TH 10-2 at the roundabout at Geiger Grade - take I-580 South, exit 57B (Virginia City and Hwys 341 & 431) then turn left at the signal in the direction of Virginia City! You can't miss us!!!
We’re protesting the lack of cooperation from the NDoA to help manage our beautiful wild horses of the Virginia Range!!!! Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out! The more people we have, the more NDoA and the Governor’s office will know that we are the majority and the majority is in support of the horses. They need to stop listening to the few people who don’t like the horses and start taking proactive steps to manage our historic horses effectively and protect them.

Thank you everyone for your support - let's show how much we all care about the protection of our historic horses and that we want them wild n' free on the range, the way it should be!!!!

POOPER SCOOPERS NEEDED THIS SUNDAY AT WYNEMA RANCH!!!

Contact me at 775-297-2955 or reply to this message if you’d like to help scoop and clean up the corrals and stalls up at Wynema Ranch on Sunday.  I’ll be heading up there about 9:00 am for several hours of a good work out – so why pay monthly gym fees when you can help us scoop horse manure!!  And you can visit with the horses while you’re there, too.

‘ABOUT THE HOOF’ SEMINAR – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22^ND 1-5

Susan Kaufman, internationally respected equine health and welfare specialist, is offering a seminar “About the Hoof” at the Truckee Meadows Community College, Dandini campus – cost $35.  Hope to see you there!!!

For more information http://reno.craigslist.org/grd/4731675875.html

11/04/14

We had a blast this last Saturday, November 1^st, in Carson City at the Nevada Day Parade celebrating 150 years in the Union!!  The day started out with a blast of cold freezing rain and wind but turned into a beautiful crisp and sunny day.  We were float #116 out of over 200 entries!!!  Kelly Hyatt and Bonnie Matton dressed in beautiful period costumes and looked just stunningly lovely!!!  We also had the Technical Large Animal Rescue team and several mustangs ride along with us – followed of course by the Pooper Scooper team!!!

On a sad note - one of the riders, Bonnie Reploggle rode her beautiful mustang Falcon.  We are very sad to report that later Saturday afternoon, Bonnie left this earth and is now in a beautifully peaceful place.  Willis Lamm said about Bonnie – “she was a real trooper, over the years even taking on a few of the barely gentled adoption horses and starting them to saddle for placement.  She had a can-do attitude and a great sense of humor.  She will be missed.”   

CAN YOU ATTEND ONE OF THESE MEETINGS?

There are two important meetings for wild horses upcoming in your area. We want to make sure that we have as many people as possible showing support for the wild horses.  Please attend one of these meetings if you can.  Our message is to make sure they know you are attending the meeting in support of the wild horses.

USA PARKWAY EXTENSION
What: Hearing for the proposed extension of the USA Parkway which lies between I-80 and US 50 and would construct 12.5 miles of new road connecting to US 50 at Opal Avenue in Silver Springs, Nevada.
When: Wednesday, November 5th 4-7 pm
The hearing will be an open house format from 4 to 7pm with a presentation at 5:30 pm followed by a question and answer session.
Where: Silver Stage High School, 3755 W Spruce Ave, Silver Springs, NV 
Why You Should Attend: The proposed 12.5 miles of new roadway will cut directly through the grazing lands and migration paths of hundreds of historic Virginia Range horses. These mustangs need your voice in this planning process. We need to call for measures to be taken to have the necessary protections put in place to prevent problems with wild horses -- including fencing, underpasses and other measures.
Read more information here.

Let the organizers know you are there to show your support of the wild horses and that you want to know what is being planned to ensure the horses and other wildlife are being included in their planning of the road.

DAMONTE RANCH DEVELOPMENT
What: Palisades Development - 260 new homes behind Damonte Ranch High School.
Public Comment will be taken on a tentative map to develop up to 260 new homes on a 189.5 acre site directly behind the Damonte Ranch High School in south Reno. 
When: Wednesday, November 5th 6:00 pm
Where: Reno City Council Chambers, 1 East First Street, Reno, NV
Why You Should Attend: The proposed 189.5 acre development is on traditional grazing land used by approximately 100 historic Virginia Range horses. We need to ensure that the developer will build a wild horse friendly subdivision that includes proper fencing, public education and other measures as a part of the development plan to ensure wild horse safety.
You can make your public comment in written form or speak during the public comment portion.  Ask what steps will be taken during construction to ensure the horses are safe and point out that doing nothing as other developers have done means creating public safety issues and putting the horses as well as the public at risk by not preventing the horses from accessing our busy streets.

Please attend one of these meetings if you can and speak on behalf of the wild horses to ensure the safety and protection of our wild horses is at the forefront and implementation of these planning proposals.

PEACEFUL RALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE WILD HORSES!!!

Join us SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8^TH at 10:00 am through 2:00 pm at the roundabout at Geiger Grade and Mt Rose Highway in south Reno.  We’re having a peaceful rally in support of our wild horses and protesting the lack of cooperation from the NDoA to help manage our beautiful wild horses of the Virginia Range!!!!  Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out!  The more people we have, the more NDoA and the Governor’s office will know that we are the majority and the majority is in support of the horses.  They need to stop listening to the few people who don’t like the horses and start taking proactive steps to manage them effectively and protect them.  Please come and bring your family members, friends, and neighbors!!!  Tell your neighbors about what is happening and ask them to come out and get informed.

Please help the horses – let’s create a show of force that can’t be denied!!!!!!

‘ABOUT THE HOOF’ SEMINAR – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22^ND 1-5

Susan Kaufman, internationally respected equine health and welfare specialist, is offering a seminar “About the Hoof” at the Truckee Meadows Community College, Dandini campus – cost $35.  Hope to see you there!!!

For more information http://reno.craigslist.org/grd/4731675875.html

10/31/14

HAPPY NEVADA DAY!!! Nevada is celebrating its 150^th year as a State!!!  And it’s going to be a great year for Nevada’s wild horses!!!!!  We are as determined as ever to get the Cooperative Agreement implemented and keep our horses safe!!!!  But until that’s done, here’s the latest!

28 MORE HORSES WERE ARRESTED!!!

Sadly, before the last 28 horses were released to rescuers from the prison on Tuesday, Oct 14^th, another 10 Virginia Range wild horses were being brought in – forever removed from the range!!!  We have since received reports of 18 more wild horses arriving at the prison.  All of this in reaction to the incredibly sad and so very tragic death of a motorcyclist who hit Bubba, a long-time highway savvy stallion, in the wrong place at the wrong time – illegally lured near the highway by a resident putting out water.  The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike but survived.  However, he was immediately run over by 3 vehicles and killed.  Again, the wild horses are paying the price of our State’s decade’s long lack of wild horse management on the part of the Nevada Department of Agriculture. 

And the trap just off of Geiger Grade on Riata Circle where the homeowner trapped 5 horses -  after we spoke with her, she apparently had a change of heart, opened the gate to the trap on her property and let the horses go.  A small victory, but an important one.  It goes to show the more information we can bring to the public, the better choices we as a community can support and implement.  When she heard about the terms of the Cooperative Agreement, she was excited about getting involved and helping – why?  Because it’s a WIN-WIN-WIN agreement for our horses, communities, and government!!!
Why then is the agreement not yet signed and executed?  More on that later…..

If you can help us place these horses, please contact us at hiddenvalleywildhorses@gmail.com – fill out the adoption application and agreement from our website www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com and mail it to HVWHPF PO Box 20052, Reno NV 89515.

HAY DRIVE CONTINUES!!!!!!

Our HAY DRIVE is still on – let’s get those trucks of hay to Wynema Ranch!!!!!
Jessica McKenna from Missoula, Montana is organizing a hay delivery to the ranch of donated hay rounds, each weighing in at approximately 1,000 lbs.  The farmers are donating the hay, we have a trucker who can transport for the price of fuel.  Details on the cost are still coming in.  You can help!!!  Consider a donation or monthly sponsorship.  Go to www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com to use your credit card or mail your tax deductible check to HVWHPF, PO Box 20052, Reno NV 89515.  Our hay costs approximately $5,000 per month and we’ll be feeding our horses hay through the winter until about April or May when spring brings fresh grasses.

YOUR DONATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND WELCOME!!!!  THANK YOU!

NEVADA DAY PARADE, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1^ST IN CARSON CITY
Come join us in Carson City Saturday, Nov 1^st for a very special Nevada Day Parade!!  Today is the first day of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial year-long celebration!!!  Join us to ride on our float or stake a spot on the sidewalk and enjoy the entire parade!  It’s always a terrific event with about 200 floats.  And remember, this is Nevada…..there are always interesting and colorful entries!!!!

If you’d like to join the float, we’ll be lining up at West Adams Street about 9:30 and are Float #116.  Contact Bonnie Matton at 775-720-5134 or Sheila Schwadel for horse information at 775-721-4785

MUSTANG MATTERS e-MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2014
Please enjoy another edition of the new Mustang Matters e-Magazine!!  It’s free and full of interesting information and opportunities to get involved!!!!  ENJOY!
http://issuu.com/mustang_matters_magazine/docs/mustang_matters_magazine_-_october_

Thank you to Wynema Ranch Wild Horse Sanctuary for sponsoring this beautiful e-magazine!  Contact Kelly Rush at kelly@americamatters.us for advertising opportunities and more information.

WHAT A GREAT FALL FESTIVAL AND BARBEQUE!!

Thank you to all who came out and supported our Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund 2014 Fall Festival & Barbeque.  It was a great success and everyone had a blast!!!!  We had a great crowd, there were a ton of wonderful raffle prizes, everyone enjoyed the horses (Cahill, Mara, and Traveller), the food was scrumptious, and the children had ball with all the games we organized!!!!

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who helped to make the day a wonderful success!!!  Frank took care of the hay ride, Sandy Todaro sponsored the face painter, Jennifer & friends organized all the games, Betsy organized everything, Kelly handled our booth and raffle ticket sales, Margie was in charge of the grilling, John C organized the food, John P helped with the set up, Terri Farley brought her children’s books, Andrew handled the horses, Linda S brought her horse Cahill, Elmira contributed to marketing, and Ellen supplied our booth!!!!  I apologize if I’ve left out any names - no matter how many different events we organize, they are only as successful as the participation and involvement of our volunteers.  We can’t do any of what we do alone, and believe me we don’t ever want to do anything alone.  THANK YOU!!!!

PATAGONIA FENCE TEAM PROJECT – COMPLETE!!!

A huge THANK YOU goes out to the Patagonia Shipping Department volunteers who came out to help us repair and maintain the fencing around the Hidden Valley community and install new fencing at Wynema Ranch and Washoe Valley pastures!!!  We are so very appreciative of Gavin Back and Derek Smitherman for organizing this project and their teams to help keep the wild horses of the Virginia Range safe and wild n’ free!!!!!

10/13/14

We’ve had a very busy few weeks with all the horses – wild and free and our rescued herd!!  Thank you Kelly Hyatt, Willis Lamm, Larry, Nathanie, Corenna and Karen for the successful rescue operation of an on the range young stud who had a 3 inch nail in his hoof - it was successfully removed!!  And thank you to Shirley Allen (LRTC Orphan Foal program) for helping to treat an 8 month old on the range colt for worm colic – he’s doing great and will now grow to be a healthy, strong stallion.
Thanks goes out to the volunteers who came to scoop the poop in the Curti Ranch community Saturday morning – John, Janet, and Christina!!!  And to those who cleaned out the pens at Wynema ranch today – Terri, Dee, Margie, and Kelly!  You are all very special and we so appreciate the time you spent and the work you accomplished – for the horses!!!!

Sadly, we have only found placement for 14 of the 28 Virginia Range horses at the prison.  Thank you so very much to those who donated to the medical and transportation funds for the 14 going to permanent homes!!!  They will be released Tuesday morning.  The fate of the remaining 14 horses (10 mares and 4 gelded stallions) will not be a happy one.

CRITICAL NEED FOR HAY DONATIONS
We are in critical need of your generous donations to help feed our rescued wild horse herd!  Can you help?  We have only collected a fraction of what is needed to feed our beautiful Virginia Range wild horses rescued since September 2012.  While we’ve been very successful in finding good quality homes for almost 50 of our rescued horses, we still have 152 horses in our care.  Winter is quickly approaching and we need to secure more hay for our herd.  Our total hay bill will be approximately $45,000 through April 2015.
Please visit www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com to donate via paypal using your credit card or via snail mail to
HVWHPF
PO Box 20052
Reno NV 89515
The horses need your support now!  Thank you so very much!!!!!

2^ND ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL & BBQ – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18^TH 11 – 2 AT BARTLEY RANCH
If you don’t already have your tickets, please jump over to www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com on the Shopping tab and purchase them now!!  Adults $12, Children under 12 $7.50 – includes one hamburger or hot dog, bag of chips, soda, and deliciously decadent desserts.  There will be a raffle, music, horses, your picture with Traveller the pony, games for the kids, and great gift items for sale!!!  And much more!  Don’t forget to bring any gently used mens jeans and boots to be donated to the inmate wild horse training program in Carson City.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - We can still use help with the events of the day.  We’re also looking for feed sacks for the sack race.  If you can bring a bag of ice, please let us know.

GENTLING 101 CLASSES BEGIN THIS SUNDAY, OCT 19^TH 10AM
We are very excited to welcome KAREN VINEIS to our Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund family.  Karen is a long time horsewoman and a Least Resistance Training Concepts trainer.  Karen has agreed to take over the HVWHPF training program and our adoption program!!!  Our goal is to get all our horses halter trained, farrier ready, and trailer savvy.  Karen will be working fulltime with our horses at Wynema Ranch to achieve that goal.  We’ll be bringing you regular updates on the progress of all our horse kids in training.
Additionally, Karen will be holding Gentling 101 classes starting this Sunday, October 19^th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.  This session will run for 4 weeks (Oct 19^th, 26^th, Nov 2^nd, 9^th).  We are looking for people who can commit to these days and who will commit to at least 20 volunteer days going forward.  We will have various levels of interaction with the horses from hands on gentling as noted above, to regularly scheduled skill re-enforcement, to working with the foals and yearlings.
For those who have already signed up, I’ll be contacting you directly!  There is no charge for this training but you must become a member of HVWHPF and sign our liability insurance waiver.  A safety helmet is also a requirement (riding helmet will do), as well as good footwear.  Bring your own lunch, water will be provided.

Thanks so much for your continued support of the historic Virginia Range wild horses!!!!

10/07/14

The Nevada Department of Agriculture has removed another 28 horses from the Virginia Range over the last 8 weeks.  They gave us no confirmation of having these horses until September 24^th.  We have been reaching out to find permanent placement for them but times are tough for all. 

We have found permanent placement for 14 of these beautiful horses but are desperately looking for qualified adopters for the remaining 14 horses – all adult gelded stallions and mares.  We have no pictures of these horses, we just know we might have 3 black stallions and the remainder are primarily bays.  These horses were “arrested” on Toll Road, Rhodes Road, east of Sparks, and Lockwood.

Please spread the word and if anyone can help, please complete the adoption application and agreement found on our website at www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com on the Adoptions tab.  Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund will be handling all the adoptions.  Please return your paperwork either:
                via scanned document attached to an email sent to hiddenvalleywildhorses@gmail.com
                or snail mail to HVWHPF, PO Box 20052, Reno, NV 89515

We are asking for donations to help pay for the fuel needed to haul these 14 stunning horses from the prison in Carson City where we will be” springing” them and taking them to their new homes.  Our goal is to raise $800 for fuel – can you help? 

Some of the lucky 14 will be going to a beautiful sanctuary in California.  They will need coggins tests, vaccinations, deworming, health certificates, and brand inspections to cross the state line.  Our goal is to raise $1,100 for this medical care.  Please help us get these 14 horses off to a good start and consider a donation to help pay for their initial care.  THANK YOU!!!

VISIT www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com AND USE THE ‘DONATE’ BUTTON ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.  THIS METHOD OF PAYMENT REQUIRES A CREDIT CARD THAT WILL BE PROCESSED THROUGH PAYPAL.  AN ALTERNATIVE IS TO MAIL A CHECK PAYABLE TO HVWHPF, PO BOX 20052, RENO, NV 89515

Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund is working with Return To Freedom’s American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign to ensure placement for as many of these beautiful historic Virginia Range horses as possible.  We are seeking quality homes for all 28 horses.  Can you help?  Contact us at hiddenvalleywildhorses@gmail.com or call 775-851-3692 for more information.

Thanks goes out to all of you for your encouragement, donations, and amazing support!!!  You are making a difference for these horses!

09/25/14

I can’t believe we’ve crossed into fall already!  I love this time of year here in northern Nevada!  Our days have cooled to warm instead of toasting, evenings are cool but mornings are becoming a tad crisper.  Our wild ones are trying to pack on the calories anyway they can that will help take them through this winter.  It’s not going to be an easy one for any of them.  We still haven’t seen any measurable precipitation and it seems the weather forecasters don’t see any on the horizon for us either.  Our volunteers continue to watch over the horses on our slopes and continue to move them to safety.

UPDATE ON THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH STATE OF NEVADA
Leaders from our local Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates met with representatives from Governor Sandoval’s office and the Nevada Department of Agriculture yesterday afternoon.  The purpose of the meeting was for all of us to come together in a face to face meeting and take an interactive approach to define and hammer out definition on some of the points in the proposed agreement.  We had a terrific, collaborative engagement that resulted in many positive discussions.  After almost an hour and half, we dispersed with some assigned action items and a renewed sense of building cooperation and moving forward with the goal of finalizing an agreement that will benefit the horses in an environment of trust and collaboration.  Another meeting is being scheduled – we’re moving forward folks!!!!!!!

FALL FESTIVAL & BARBECUE – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18^TH 11-2
We’re ramping up for our 2^nd Annual Fall Festival & Barbecue at Bartley Ranch Flying B picnic pavilion on Saturday October 18^th from 11:00 am thru 2:00 pm.  We’re looking for volunteers who are interested in planning, helping the day of, and promoting the event.  We’d also like to reach out to vendors and ask if you would like to set up a booth at this event – Christmas shopping time!!!!  Tickets available at www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com on the SHOPPING tab.

Would you like to help? – we sure would love to have you on the team!   Come to our monthly membership meeting tomorrow night at 6pm at the South Valley library or email back saying you’d like to help!

MEMBERSHIP MEETING – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25^TH, 6:00 PM SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY

Come join us Thursday evening at our monthly membership meeting.  If you’re interested in volunteering and helping to shape the future for our wild horses, we’d love to have you at our meeting!!!  There are so many upcoming opportunities and projects that we need help with – the horses need YOU!!!

Projects we need help with – install ‘Illegal to Harass Horses” signs, plan placement of and install fencing, walk existing fencing and report back, learn horse identification and reporting, scoop poop in neighborhoods and at the ranch, learn to safely and calmly move horses, and other fun things!!!

 INFORMATION BOOTH THIS WEEKEND

We will once again set up our booth – this time at the intersection of Toll Road and Geiger Grade this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday from 9am-noon.  If you’d like to learn more about what we do or volunteer to help, stop by and chat. 

THANK YOU TO THE EMPLOYEES OF HENRY SCHEIN INC, RENO, NEVADA
We were blown away when one of our very dedicated supporters said she had organized a fund raiser at work and that she and many of her colleagues had come together and raised $1,175 to benefit our rescued wild horses!  What a monumental and simply wonderful effort this was to benefit the wild horses!!!  A tremendous THANK YOU!!!!!! goes out to Paula Spurrier and her many wonderful co-workers at HENRY SCHEIN INC. in Reno, Nevada who contributed to their monthly cause – which was the wild horses!!!  It never surprises me at the willingness for the people in our community to want help animals.  The more people find out about the horses, the more people want to help.  THANK YOU again Paula and gang!!!!

HIDDEN VALLEY GARAGE SALE
Once again Mary Gomez and her team of Garage Sale savvy experts went all out and sold and sold and sold!!  Each year Mary solicits for donated items she can sell at the annual Hidden Valley Garage Sale and each year she and her team seems to outdo themselves!  They sell everything from blankets, to lamps, to hot dogs and sodas!!!  Her prime location in the Hidden Valley community really pays off.  For those of you who have never been, this is an annual “event” and draws thousands of people from across the area who are seeking that special find, that special treasure!!!!
Thank you Mary Gomez and your team for your hard work and your donation of $2,386.10!

MARVIN PICOLLO SCHOOL’S EQUINE THERAPY RIDING PROGRAM

Join everyone at the Fall Family Fun Day at Marvin Picollo School, 900 Foothill Drive in south Reno, Saturday October 4^th from 9:00 – 3:00.  Craft vendors, petting zoo, face painting, go carts, and much more!  Proceeds from this event go to benefit their Equine Therapy Riding program.  We’ll have a booth set up so please come and join in the fun and learn about this program.

09/20/14

It was 2 years ago today that together we embarked on this journey - to save some of the most beloved wild horses in the world – Wild Horse Annie’s Virginia Range herd!!  All told and with your help, support, and encouragement, we rescued 137 between September 19,^, 2012 and January 9, 2013.  We’ve come a long way since that time, overcome a tremendous learning curve, and had our share of “life experiences” along the way.  But in the end, we have grown stronger as an organization, seen first-hand how the power of positive energy prevails whereas that of negativity becomes nothing more than an anchor in a deep dark sea; we’ve come to know so many wonderful and true friends of wild horses, and realized the strength of our Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates - true and strong partners working on important collaborations for the benefit of wild horses. 

We have been so very fortunate to be associated with so many good people – those whose true motivations are to improve the conditions and treatment of wild horses.  Those people are not just here in and around Reno, Nevada, but hail from cities and towns across this nation, north across the border into Canada, and around the world.  People who have seen the mismanagement and mistreatment of our American wild horses and are standing up and doing something about it.  Right now, more senseless round-ups are underway in Wyoming.  We support and encourage the humane management of our Virginia Range wild horses designed and implemented to benefit the herds for decades to come.  We currently have no management of those horses by the state agency tasked with managing them.  As we’ve said before and will continue to say it – “We’re NOT going away!!! ” None of us will.  We will continue moving forward to get the cooperative agreement with the state of Nevada signed so we can work on positive changes coming for our horses.

 FALL FESTIVAL & BARBEQUE – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18^TH 11-2
We’re ramping up for our 2^nd Annual Fall Festival & Barbeque at Bartley Ranch Flying B picnic pavilion on Saturday October 18^th from 11:00 am thru 2:00 pm.  We’re looking for volunteers who are interested in planning, helping the day of, and promoting the event.  We’d also like to reach out to vendors and ask if you would like to set up a booth at this event – Christmas shopping time!!!!  Watch for upcoming details on the fun things we’re organizing for this terrific family event!!!

 PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Our attached pictures are of Dehlia, one of our young mares, with Andrew, our new trainer.  Andrew is making incredible strides with our little group of horse kids.  Dehlia is scheduled to have her hoofers trimmed next week!!!  Great work Andrew!!!

KUDOS to Toll Bros, one of the largest developers in our community, for being so proactive and working with us to get a solid gate installed at one of the biggest construction site entrances in Damonte Ranch.  Thank you for helping us keep more horses safe, off the streets, and wild and free!!!!!

INFORMATION BOOTHS
Thanks to Kelly Hyatt’s great idea to set up our booth in our own neighborhoods, we’ve had 2 very successful Information Booth days.  Labor Day weekend we set up at the roundabout at Geiger Grade near south Virginia, then last weekend we set up at Veterans and Rio Wrangler Pkwys. 
From Kelly – “Had a great day on Monday 1 September, Labor day, helping to raise awareness about the perils our wild horses are facing. We set up the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund booth on the roadside across from the Maverick station on  Geiger Grade, a very busy intersection that wild horses unfortunately cross regularly to get to water. I want to say thank you to Margie Rick,  and Anna for working the booth for  a few hours and to Mary Murby for staying all day with me, and to  Tamie Hainlin Gerdts and Pat Phillips , Sherry Snider, Mona and Katrina Louise Shelton for stopping by to help out for a bit and for taking flyers home with them. We had lots of cars honking and about 20 or so people stopped and asked questions, gave donations and took home literature and a new understanding of what is the truth about the Virginia Range horses and the difference between Virginia Range and BLM.  And for those folks who did not stop,  just a short way  up the road was a HUGE bright pink and yellow sign that said  “Wild Horse Trap” (has since been removed, yeeeaahh!!!) with an arrow pointing over to the trap, Reno’s newest tourist attraction. It was a good day for educating our local residents and tourists alike.”
We met some great people and got loads of information out to the public.  We’ll continue doing this so if you see us in south Reno stop and say HI!!!!! If you’d like to help out with this type of event, just drop me a line – we’d love to have your help!!!

 MUSTANG ROBIN FIGHTS ON WITH HER COMMITMENT TO SAVE WILD HORSES AND BURROS!!!

I encourage you check out what YEA (Youth Equine Association) is up to and especially encourage young people to get involved with Robin’s organization.  The wild horses and burros of America need you and YEA is working tirelessly to raise awareness and affect change.  They’re a great group of kids supported by some amazing adults – thank you Mustang Robin for working so hard for our wild and free horses and burros!!!!! www.yeaspage.com

 LOOKING FOR WOOD WORKERS TO MAKE WOODEN HORSES

Can you or anyone you know make wooden rocking horses?  Wild Horse Preservation League is looking for talented woodworkers who could donate some time to making wooden rocking horses that they would like to sell to help raise funds.

Please contact Bonnie Matton if you can help - 775-720-5134 or bonnie@wildhorsepl.org

GO DON!!!! LAW SUIT FILED TO STOP TRAPPING SEASON IN NEVADA

Long time Hidden Valley resident and staunch wildlife advocate Dr. Don Molde has been fighting a great fight to stop the bear hunt in Nevada and reform trapping practices in Nevada.  Recently, Dr Molde and Mark Smith have filed a lawsuit that seeks to actually stop this year’s trapping season in Nevada because current trapping laws and regulations are not being followed and animals are suffering.  Great work Don!  Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to our fragile wildife!!!

https://www.facebook.com/NevadansForResponsibleWildlifeManagement

MEMBERSHIP MEETING – THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25^TH, 6:00 PM SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY

Come join us this week at our monthly membership meeting.  If you’re interested in volunteering and helping to shape the future for our wild horses, we’d love have you at our meeting!!!  There are so many upcoming opportunities and projects that we need help with – we need YOU!!!

If you’d like to participate and volunteer to help the wild horses roaming free and wild or our rescued horses, please respond to this message and we’ll get you set up!! Or contact one of our Directors

08/26/14

Well, here we are once again nearing the end of August – ramping up to be yet another terribly busy fall with all the horses coming down from the highlands.  It happens every year as those of us who move horses have come to know.  And it was just over 2 years ago, on August 16^th to be exact, when our journey together started.  The first 23 horses were picked up on Clean Water Way – why we still have not received a reasonable response and most likely never will.  No houses, no schools, no businesses, just open land and access to water for the horses.  No public safety issues there or within a mile of that location.  Just a perverted predator on the loose.  That was the beginning – as December approached, we saw 149 of our beautiful Nevada State horses removed from the range – your horses, my horses, horses that belong to the people of this State.  Together, we all said No More.  Things seemed to change and progress was made.  And then a long period of not much happening.  But my patience has run about as thin as it’s going to get.  We won’t sit idly back for much longer Gov’.  Today was a testament to the true sentiments of the people of this State.  A huge cheer goes out  to the residents of the Curti Ranch community who (completely unsolicited) expressed their displeasure and dissatisfaction to the Brand Inspector today with the way the NDoA is “doing business” in our community – there’s another horse trap on Curti Ranch Maintenance2 property!!!  No management is no management.  I don’t blame the people who are paid to do their jobs – they just get the earful in the street.  It’s the responsibility of the individuals in charge to take responsibility for what the Nevada Revised Statutes (Nevada laws) have tasked them with or move on!!!   And cut the lying!!!!!!!!!!!!!  If we don’t rescue the horses when the NDoA picks them up, they’re going to the slaughter auction.  Don’t let anyone else tell you differently.  It’s in writing!  And NO, the horses DO NOT go into a training program at the prison.  But you know what!!  Since employees of the NDoA are telling the public the horses they are rounding up do go into a training program at the prison, then please produce the directive to back up this statement…….AND put ALL future State of Nevada horses you pick up into this “training program” you’re telling people about.  AND once the horses have graduated, then we’ll take them from you and find good homes for them.  AND if this training program really exists, why haven’t we seen or heard of it.  Did I get in the wrong line?  Is the line for the training program at the Sparks NDoA office?  ‘Cause I have 152 horses I’d like to enroll in that program - NOW!!!!!

Thank you to Mona, Kelly, Tammie, Tom, Mary Ann, Tanya, Gail, Pam, Sandy, Betsy, Buck, Pat, Suzanne, Norma, and MaryAnne for moving horses out of the streets and out of danger!!!  You do it quietly, without fanfare and bluster, and with your heart and compassion for the horses.  They need good people like you to help them and watch out for them – THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

And THANK YOU to all those who have been sending in your alerts about horses in the streets!  You play a huge role and we thank you so very much for helping the horses!!!!!! Zac, Lisa, Sylvia, Linda Jo, Mickey, John, Sherry, Toni – Thank you!!!!!!!

Without a volunteer base, we’d be nowhere and the horses would be disappearing before our very eyes.  What a horrible thought.  And what wonderful people you are!!!!!!!!  (I apologize if I’ve left out any names!!!!)

MONTHLY OPEN MEETING – THURSDAY, AUGUST 28^TH, SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY 6:00 PM

The public is welcome to join us this Thursday evening at 6:00pm at the South Valley library (the door on the far left side of the building will be open).  We need to get the gears rolling for our 2^nd Annual Fall Festival and BBQ!!!!!!! What would you like to see at this event?  Bring your ideas and energy to help make this another great event to remember!!!!

We’ll also be talking about some campaigns that we will be getting off the ground.

Would you be interested in helping to document and log our rescued horses as well as the wild & free horses? 

We also need volunteers to help scoop poop in our streets and at the Wynema Ranch - come visit our horses, Shari and the gang at the ranch, and help make a difference for the horses! 

 1^ST ANNUAL VIRGINIA CITY WILD HORSE FAIRE – WHAT A BLAST!!!!!!!!!

We were all just blown away at the incredible response and support that came to Virginia City last Saturday for the big Wild Horse Faire!!!!!  I think it’s safe to say that a great time was had by all who came and we can’t thank everyone enough for the outpouring of support and encouragement we saw for the wild horses!!!!  I think the topper for the day were the 5 wild horses standing in an empty lot on the hillside between B Street and C Street as the parade went by!!!!  Only in Virginia City – what an honor it was to be part of such a wonderful celebration for our wild horses.  We had many opportunities to get reacquainted with some old friends, meet many new friends, and have many wonderful laughs together!!!  We met people from Texas, Oregon, Washington state, California (of course!!! J), from southern Nevada, Idaho, and beyond!!!  Our good friends and fabulous volunteers Jeff and Virginia Hudson of the Equine Welfare Alliance came all the way from Montana!!!

There were 37 vendors selling all sorts of great things and delicious food.  Let ‘Em Run and Wynema Ranch teamed up together to sell their beautiful t-shirts and swag, Wild Horse Preservation League had a full store of goodies, Pat Colletti’s Virginia Range Sanctuary had a lovely booth filled with great people and interesting stuff, Samantha S. was there with her Nevada Discovery Ride information, Save Nevada’s Bears had a beautiful booth, Nevada Humane Society was represented, the Reno Mustang Car Club was there to shine and honor their namesake and host of our weekly talk show ‘Mustang Matters’, Eddie Floyd was there to officiate at the Parade.  

And there was our booth – Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund – filled with tons of beautiful prints, greeting cards, calendars, books, mousepads….all made and donated by Ellen Holcomb!!  THANK YOU to Juanita, Sandy, Phil, Betsy, and Ellen for working the booth and raising money to feed our hungry horses!!!!!!

The concert was fabulous with Lacy J Dalton and Dale Poune headlining the evening, David John & The Comstock Cowboys, The Mountain Girls, All Hat No Cattle, Harold Roy Miller, and Willis Lamm and the Mountain Outlaw Band.  What a line-up!!!

Willis Lamm was there with the LRTC Wild Horse Mentors Large Animal Rescue Squad to demonstrate the amazing work they do to save large animals in northern Nevada/California, Midori Morgan gave a terrific horse gentling demonstration, and the Dayton Elementary Choir sang their lovely hearts out for the horses!!!  The Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates decorated what was by far the most beautiful float in the parade and thank you to Ellen, Kelly, Gigi, Katie, Sandy, Virginia, Jeff, John, and Betsy for decorating and riding it through the parade!!!  The theme was “Wild Mustangs Rock Around the World” and Bonnie Matton brought 3 large wooden rocking horses that rode through town with us!!!!

Check out this link to Patty Summerson-Bumgarner’s facebook photo album with tons of great pictures of the day’s events https://www.facebook.com/4daytonbums/media_set?set=a.10203067094890952.1073741852.1013102934&type=1

Momma Shirley was there with little River and new rescue arrival baby Cante!!!  What a thrill that was for hundreds of folks to see them and hear their stories!!!!  Palomino from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang Rescue was there with their new emergency foal mobile!!!  And the big news is that little River and his buddy wee AJ got adopted!!!!!!!! It doesn’t get any better than that folks!

 We’d like to throw a hugely tremendous THANK YOU to Hugh Roy Marshall, Robert Steiner, the staff of The Silverland Inn & Suites, Lacy J Dalton (what a terrific Lady!!!), Bonnie Matton and the teams of volunteers who made the 1^st Annual Virginia City Wild Horse Faire such a wonderful success!!!

Thank you to Benson’s Feed in Carson City and Olivia Fiamengo for the terribly generous hay donation of 34 hefty bales of grass mix that were enjoyed by some of our rescued horses at Wynema Ranch on Sunday evening!!!!  And Wynema Ranch received 2 brand new donated hay rakes!!!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR’S EVENT!!  It was such a terrific success that I know we’ll be holding a 2^nd Annual and so on….!  We hope those who were not able to come this year will be able to celebrate our wild horses with us next year!!!

2015 CALENDARS ARE AVAILABLE!!!!!

Please check out the new “2015 Wild & Free on the Virginia Range” calendars by Ellen Holcomb – they’re stunning!  Thank you so very much Ellen for doing this for the horses!!! 

100% of the proceeds from these calendars goes to the wild horses!!!  They make wonderful holiday gifts and are easy to buy and ship from this website 2015 Wild & Free on the Virginia Range calendars by Ellen Holcomb

We already have a link on our webpage as well at www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php?c=shopping

 HIDDEN VALLEY GARAGE SALE

We’d like to extend a huge THANK YOU to Suzanne Saucier and Mary Savage for raising money for the wild horses at this year’s Hidden Valley garage sale!!! Suzanne allowed us to set up a snack & soda stand in her driveway at the corner of Mira Loma and W Hidden Valley Drive while Mary Savage had a full blown garage sale and hot dog/soda stand operating full force all day at her home on the corner of E Hidden Valley Drive & Tamarisk!!!  It was hot as blazes but that didn’t stop the hundreds of people who seek out this particular garage sale year after year – for some it’s a family tradition!!!  Thank you both for your kindness and generosity towards the wild horses!!!

08/20/14

UPDATE – on the rescue of the wee colt named Cante – short for Cante Wakan Tiwahe Waste, Lakota meaning ‘his heart is sacred, his home is good’.  See the attached picture with his new big brother Chance.  Baby Cante is one strong and tough little boy.  He has a huge strong heart and soul.  He is now the newest resident at Momma Shirley’s orphan foal home – 1 of 5 horse kids she’s caring for. 

Cante has been followed for several weeks by volunteers tracking his progress.  His dam was killed (probably hit by a vehicle) and he was taken in by a lone stallion who has spent at least the last three weeks watching out for him.  Cante was spotted yesterday on his own – he was no longer able to keep up with the stallion.  Rescue efforts were set in motion and Cante was wisked off to Momma Shirley and Uncle Bruce’s where he will be well cared for and one day be available for adoption. 

If you are interested in helping with the Least Resistance Training Concepts Orphan Foal program, please go to http://www.wildhorsepl.org/ and click on the DONATE button – use the notation box to indicate you want your donation to go to the Donna McElroy Endowment Fund.

 WILD HORSE FAIRE TIME

It’s right around the corner!!!  Just 4 more sleeps until the Biggest Little event of the year taking place in Virginia City, Nevada this Saturday, August 23^rd – the 1^st Annual Virginia City Wild Horse Faire fun starts at 9:00 am and goes until 9:00 pm!!!  All thanks to the Silverland Inn & Suites, Lacy J Dalton’s Let ‘Em Run Foundation, and the Wild Horse Preservation League of Dayton!!!  All proceeds go to the wild horses!!!!

9:00 am                Vendor Booths open for business – 50 vendors with great stuff to get a jump on your Christmas shopping

10 – 12                  Pancake Breakfast at the Silverland -  provided by the Bonanza Restaurant

12 noon                Parade down C Street - come see the wild horses on parade – no shooting allowed!!!

1:30                        Reno Mustang Car Club Show & Shine down E Street

2:00                        Large Animal Rescue demonstration

3:00                        Wild Horse Gentling demonstration

4:00                        Wild Horse Exhibition

4:30                        Opening Ceremonies – including Dayton Elementary Schools Combined Choir & Native American Percussion demonstration and Lakota Blessing

5 – 9 pm               Concert begins – All Hat No Cattle, Mountain Girls, Harold Roy Miller, Willis Lamm & the Mountain Outlaw Band, Lacy J Dalton & Dale Poune and David John and the Comstock Cowboys

 There will be food, drink, entertainment, pony rides, hot air balloon rides, a jet flyover, raffle, silent auction, Virginia City drunken brawls with rowdy Comstock Lode era characters to mingle with!!!! And much, much more!!!!

 RIDING HORSES IN THE PARADE

If you want to ride your horse or burro in the parade, please contact Sheila Schwadel no later than Thursday at 775-721-4785 or at schwadel@aol.com – horses & burros must be parade proof trained!!!!

PLEASE NOTE – If you called Peggy Irving about riding one of your mustangs in the parade, please call her again as she needs contact information and details…..and would be honored to ride your mustang!!!!

 GET YOUR RAFFLE AND CONCERT TICKETS

We have raffle tickets and concert tickets for sale!!!

Fabulous prizes available to view at www.wildhorsefaire.com plus loads of information.

                Raffle tickets - click on the “Raffle” tab to see some of the great donated prizes available for the raffle drawing.  You don’t have to be present to win and there is everything from a 48 inch Vizio TV, gift baskets, antique collectibles, crystal serving pieces, artwork, jewelry, books, and much, much more. This is one raffle you don't want to miss!!!
            Tickets are $5 each, 6 tickets for $20, or 40 tickets for $100

            Charity Concert tickets – all performers are donating their time so that 100% of the proceeds from this event will go to the wild horses!!  Come join in the fun and enjoy the live performances of Willis Lamm & the Mountain Outlaw Band, All Hat No Cattle, the Mountain Girls, Lacy J Dalton & Dale Poune, and David John and the Comstock Cowboys!!!
            General Admission Tickets are $22 each (children under 12 get in free).  The Concert starts at 5pm and will run until about 9:00 pm.  But don’t miss the opening ceremonies at 4:30pm!!

            At www.wildhorsefaire.com , click on the “Auction” tab to see some of the treasures you’ll want to have for your very own!!!  There are travel packages, golf packages, a gorgeous acoustic “wild horse” guitar, crystal, wine, artwork, jewelry, and more!!! 
Winning bids will be announced at 7pm, August 23^rd, and will be posted.  Winning bid holders will have until 8:30pm to pick up and pay for their winning bids or the next lowest bid will be notified that they have been selected.  All prizes must be paid for and picked up by the close of the concert, approximately 9:00 pm.

 VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED!!!!

Can you help with decorating our float on Friday evening in Virginia City?  We still need help to work our booth between 10 am and 5 pm and especially during the parade from 11:30 – 1:30.  Let me know – call 775-297-2955.

Also, volunteers are still needed to help in many different areas of the event.  Please contact Bonnie Matton at 775-720-5134 or bonnie@wildhorsepl.org if you can spare a few hours.  There’s tons of stuff to do but as a volunteer there are plenty of benefits too!!!

08/12/14

As I made my way home heading south along I580 through the rain this last Saturday evening after a very fruitful trip to Fernley to meet Michael and Pat, I glanced over to my left and saw such a beautiful sight!  A rainbow.  A huge rainbow, that stretched from the northern tip of the Virginia Range near I80 all the way up and over and down to the south end of the range near Carson City – shining beautiful in color, light, and magic on those hills……those hills filled with our beautiful horses!!  It is after all The Year of the Horse – a time to celebrate and be proud to know that we have one of America’s great icons in our very backyards!!!!  And celebrate we will!!!!!

 1^ST ANNUAL VIRGINIA CITY WILD HORSE FAIRE – SATURDAY, AUGUST 23^RD
PLEASE JOIN US, WON’T YOU!!!!  The fun, excitement, interesting demonstrations, and music and laughter!  All to benefit the wild horses of the Virginia Range!!!!!  There will be pony rides, pancake breakfast, train rides (on real trains!!!), a parade, the Reno Mustang Car Club show & shine, large animal rescue demonstration, vendor booths, music, a town filled with characters, and so much more!!!  AND don’t forget to get your tickets for one ultra fabulous concert featuring our very own Lacy J Dalton and many others all performing to benefit the historic horses of the Virginia Range!!!  Take in the sights and sounds of Virginia City – a trip back to the days of the Comstock Silver Lode with bandits, and sheriffs, and miners, and loads of fun, things to do, and sights to see!!  The home of the wild horses!
Find more information at  http://www.wildhorsefaire.com/ and see the attachment for details on the concert! 

Bonnie Matton, President of Wild Horse Preservation League is asking for volunteers to help sell concert tickets as well as raffle tickets starting now.  Bonnie wants to make sure the concert is a sell-out so, if you can help sell some tickets, the horses would be most appreciative!!!!
This is a great chance to help out our wild horses and be a part of something very cool!  And meet some other like-minded, wonderful people in the process!

Please call Bonnie at 775-720-5134 for information about selling concert and raffle tickets – THANK YOU!!!!

Also, Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund is asking for volunteers to help out at our booth on the 23^rd.  We will set up at 7:30 am and tear down at 7:00 pm. If you can help to work the HVWHPF booth for a 2-3 hour shift, we would be ever so grateful!!!!    

HIDDEN VALLEY GARAGE SALE, SATURDAY, AUGUST 16^TH

It’s hard to believe but YES, it’s that time of year again!!!  The Hidden Valley garage sale starts at 7:00 am and runs until about 2:00 pm this Saturday.  It’s a great opportunity to find those hidden treasures and things you knew you always wanted.  Come on out to Hidden Valley this Saturday – eastern Reno, using either Pembroke Way or Mira Loma.
If you have items to donate, please contact Mary Savage at reenew@charter.net .  She will be selling garage sale items as well as operating a hot dog stand.  All proceeds go to the wild horses.

 We will also be running our booth at the corner of Mira Loma and W. Hidden Valley Drive.  We’ll be selling our tshirts, photos, 2015 calendars, as well as coffee, Danish, ice cream bars, water, and soft drinks.  We are asking for donated canned soft drinks – please reply to this message if you can contribute. 

THANK YOU!!!

ORPHAN FOAL RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM

There are few people who work harder and do so without fanfare and bluster than those who rescue and care for the orphan foals of the Virginia Range and other open rangeland in this part of the country.  These precious creatures are often found injured, dehydrated, starving, alone, lost, frightened, and sometimes on death’s door.  But for people like Shirley and Bruce Allen, Palomino and Matt Armstrong, and Willis and Sharon Lamm, rescue is what they do.  They’ve been doing it for many years now and have spent countless hours in the field executing perfect rescue plans, searching for and recovering injured foals, transporting them great distances to the warmth, safety, and love of their rescue homes, and spending countless sleepless nights and hours watching over these babies and in many instances nursing them back to health from the brink of death. 

Not all babies make it, but these people have the knowledge, practice, wisdom, innate sense, and sheer patience that often makes the difference between life and death for some of the wee ones.  They don’t give up on these babies until the babies let them know it’s time.  They are very special, hardworking, dedicated people who receive no compensation for what they do.  Caring for these babies is expensive.  Their food and supplements cost over $200 a month and that doesn’t include any veterinary care they might need. 

If you can help, please visit www.wildhorsepl.org and click on the DONATE button - If you wish to contribute to this very worthwhile cause, simply click on the ‘Donate’ button [on this page] and in the box under the word ‘Purpose,’ type in ‘Donna McElroy Endowment Fund.’ If you prefer, you can donate by sending a check to W.H.P.L., Post Office Box 1958, Dayton, NV 89403. Please indicate on the check it is for the endowment fund.
This is a very worthy cause and the babies that grow up out of this program are some of the most wonderful little critters you’ll ever meet.  They grow up to be good companions and wonderful friends to humans.  THANK YOU!!!

ILLEGAL TO HARASS WILD HORSES SIGNS!!!

We have been given a wonderful $500 donation from one of our wonderful supporters who is dedicated to helping animals and doing the right thing when it comes to the protection of creatures who need a helping voice.  We will be purchasing “ILLEGAL TO HARASS WILD HORSES PER NRS 504.490” signs and installing them in various locations where they’re most needed.  THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH JANET!!!!

  TAFFY & TRUFFLES AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!!

Our two sweet candy fluff girls, Taffy and Truffles, are available for adoption.  Megan has been working with them for four weeks now and gotten them completely used to people, and halters, and trailers, and other scary stuff!  THANK YOU MEGAN!!!!! 
Taffy is a precious 15 month old filly, is a gorgeous solid sorrel with a mixed red and flaxen mane, and a pretty elongated star and very slight partial strip.  She’s a push over when it comes to learning new things, picks up on anything new very quickly, and loves getting her mane braided!! She is halter trained, can pick up her feet for the farrier, and loads on and off like a charm.

Truffles is a sweet little 16 month old filly, has a stunning dark red bay coloring, a right front full pastern, right rear full pastern, and a strong star/strip in the shape of a dagger.  She’s very curious and has a pleasant personality, is willing to try new things and is looking for a solid life-long commitment to her forever human companion.  Truffles is also halter trained, can pick up her feet for the farrier, and loads on and off like a charm, too.

If you’re interested in adopting either of these fillies, please respond to this message and we’ll arrange for you to meet each other.

WYNEMA RANCH UPDATES

We had a great Trailer Day both Saturday and Sunday at Wynema Ranch!!!  Our three little boys in training loaded nicely and without hesitation not once, not twice, but yes ladies and gentlemen….three times!!  Not only that, but we went for a ride around the ranch each time as well.  They’re no longer little babies, but are growing up fast and turning into wonderful, gentle creatures.  We also got Simon and his new best friend, our one and only Lil’ Diamond, loaded on the trailer several times.  This is a big step for my friend Simon and we’re all very proud of him!!!

Volunteers needed to help clean stalls and clean out water troughs several times a week.  Can you help?

 GENTLING 101 – A CLASS FOR THOSE WANTING TO WORK WITH THE WILD ONES

We’re setting up a gentling program for those who would be interested in learning and working with our gentled horses.  If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll get you on a separate email list.  This should be very informative, exciting, rewarding, and memorable for all who take part in this unique opportunity to work with the wild ones – some of the smartest, most willing friends you’ll ever find.  NOTE: You must be willing to purchase your own safety helmet.

URGENT PLEA FOR DONATIONS NEEDED TO HELP FEED OUR RESCUED HORSES

We have received our first truckloads of hay from a local farmer.  Now we have to pay for it!!!! You can see in the attached photo what a ‘truckload’ of hay looks like = 450 bales.   We’ll be getting 5 more just like it!!  We are reaching out across the globe asking for donations needed to help feed our rescued Virginia Range wild horses.  

You can help by making your tax deductible donation

at www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com and using the DONATION buttons on the right side panel

OR mail your check to                    HVWHPF   PO Box 20052   Reno   NV   89515

Consider a Sponsorship – set up a recurring donation one time and watch as your monthly donation flows seamlessly to benefit the horses.  Just a $1 A Day can make a huge difference for our rescued Virginia Range horses.  Your continued support, encouragement, and participation is so greatly appreciated!!!  THANK YOU!!!!

The horses’ success depends upon you – please spread the word and donate now.  We all love and want to create good lives for these horses – they need your help now!!!

Thank you for your support, kindness, and generosity towards our beautiful rescued Virginia Range horses!!

 RAISE YOUR COFFEE MUG TO SUPPORT OUR RESCUED HORSES

ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN HELP!!!!  Fill your coffee mug with GIVING BEAN Gourmet Fresh Roasted Coffee and Tea and support the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund Wild Horse Rescue Operation!!!  Purchase your next smile at  GIVING BEAN COFFEE FOR WILD MUSTANGS  and get some high quality, fresh roasted coffees, teas, and cocoa delivered right to your home or work place.  Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund receives a portion of each sale so please shop, shop, shop!!!  You can even set up a recurring fresh roast coffee delivery! They don’t roast your beans until they get your order and then they ship it right to you.  Sit back, enjoy your coffee at work or at home and know that you’ve made a difference for the horses you helped to rescue!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!    

08/03/14

BRING JUSTICE FOR LITTLE EBONY!!!!
The findings are in and have led us to inconclusive results. While no metal was indicated in the x-rays taken, there are clearly 2 holes in the front of little Ebony's skull - one in the middle of her pretty little star and the other several inches higher.
The events of these last weeks have simply re-enforced upon us the urgent need for the Nevada Department of Agriculture to finalize and sign the Cooperative Agreement with Return to Freedom/AWHPC allowing for the management of the Virginia Range horses to fall on local area advocates. The NDoA does not currently have adequate resources available to allocate for the proper and humane management of the Virginia Range horses. And as important, they should be focusing their existing resources on our Nevada agricultural industry - and not the horses. But instead, their resources are being stretched beyond reason between agriculture business and wild horses. And when that happens, "things" fall through the cracks and the wild horses pay the price. In this case, little Ebony did not get the attention and justice she deserved in declaring a clear and final case for her cause of death. Questions loom, speculation will forever surround the circumstances of just what happened in the early morning hours of Monday, July 21st - simply because the time and resources needed for a thorough and responsible examination were not there for her. This is just a sad state of affairs for our historic Virginia Range horses. But Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund is determined now more than ever to see that the winds of change move from a breeze back to hurricane force!!!!
To the Nevada Department of Agriculture - Get out of the wild horse business! Sign the Cooperative Agreement now - be responsible and give our horses the attention and protections they need through this agreement to keep them safe from those who would do them harm. Work with us to improve public safety and don't ever try to sweep the historic horses of the Virginia Range under the rug again!!!!
Visit http://www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com/ for more information about the Virginia Range wild horses and ways you can help.
Thank you to all who care about and support these wild horses!!!! They need our help now more than ever before. We will continue to fight for and protect them. If you have any information about the death of a wild horse killed in the early hours of Monday, July 21st, 2014 on the dirt road between Hidden Valley and Damonte Ranch (Desert Way), please let us know. We currently have an active case open with the Washoe County Sheriff's office and are determined to Bring Justice for Little Ebony!!!!!!!
Please SHARE this information around the world and come to Reno, Nevada to visit these beautiful horses - we love sharing them!!!

 1^ST ANNUAL VIRGINIA CITY WILD HORSE FAIRE – SATURDAY, AUGUST 23^RD
This promises to be such a wonderful event – filled with fun, excitement, interesting demonstrations, and music and laughter!  All to benefit the wild horses of the Virginia Range!!!!!  The day is going to be packed with so many wonderful things to do – pony rides, pancake breakfast, train rides (on real trains!!!), a parade, the Reno Mustang Car Club show & shine, and large animal rescue demonstration.  AND there will a fabulous concert featuring our very own Lacy J Dalton and many others all performing to benefit the historic horses of the Virginia Range!!!  Take in the sights and sounds of Virginia City – a trip back to the days of the Comstock Silver Lode with bandits, and sheriffs, and miners, and loads of fun, things to do, and sights to see!!  The home of the wild horses!
Find more information at  http://www.wildhorsefaire.com/ 

Please see the attachments for more information!  Bonnie Matton is in real need of tons of volunteers to make this an event to remember.  It lasts all day and into the evening so you will be able to choose almost any time of the day to help out!  This is a great chance to help out our wild horses and be a part of something very cool!  And meet some other like-minded, wonderful people in the process!

Bonnie says any questions please call her at 775-720-5134 or Robert Steiner at 775-847-4484.

 TRAINING / GENTLING UPDATES
Megan Robson has been making great progress with Taffy and Truffles!  Truffles has her halter on, been on and off and in and out of the trailer and is getting her hair braided!!!!!  She is available for adoption and we might have a forever home for her, but we’ll keep you posted on that!!!  And Miss Taffy is picking up everything new and rolling with it like a champ!!  She is also available for adoption so if you or anyone you know might be interested, please contact us and go to our website www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com to get the adoption application and agreement.   Keep up with their progress on facebook at Star Horses https://www.facebook.com/Starhorsetraining  . 

 HORSE SLAUGHTER TAKES ANOTHER BIG HIT!!!!!

Please read the attached “Notice of Withdrawal of Application” for Valley Meats out of New Mexico!!  The people who wanted to force the US Government to re-open their horse slaughter plant have gone out of business.  And so it should be.

This is a good day for our American horses – especially the domestic ones!!!  And thank you so very much to Yvette Dobbie for sending us this great news!!!  But please don’t think our horses are safe – they won’t be until our government puts an end to horse slaughter in the United States for once and for all.  Please take a look at the following information and take action – contact the people on these committees and your Congressman and Senators. Killing horses is just wrong.  Encourage them to support the SAFE Act by signing on as a sponsor and to tell the committees to get it moving to the floor!  Each House has a bill – HR1094 and S541.

Please contact the committee chairs and ranking members noted below and tell them to approve HR1094 -the SAFE Act

The House version - https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1094

The Committees -     https://www.govtrack.us/congress/committees/HSAG/29

Contact Congressman Rick Crawford       Tel 202-225-4076  FAX 202-225-5602

Congressman Jim Costa                                Tel 202-225-3341

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/committees/HSIF/14

Contact Congressman Joseph Pitts          Tel 202-225-2411

Congressman Michael Burgess                  Tel 202-225-7772  FAX 202-225-2919

Congressman Frank Pallone Jr                    Tel 202-225-4671  FAX 202225-9665

Please contact the committee chairs and ranking members noted here and tell them to approve S541 -the SAFE Act

The Senate version -      https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s541

The Committee -              https://www.govtrack.us/congress/committees/SSHR

Contact Senator Tom Harkin                       Tel 202-224-3254  FAX 202-224-9369

Senator Lamar Alexander                             Tel 202-224-4944  FAX 202-228-3398

Find your Senators and Congressional representatives here - https://www.govtrack.us/

Call, FAX, email, facebook your representatives and ask them to sign on to the Safeguard American Food Exports Act today!!!

VOLUNTEER PROJECTS!!!!

Thank you to Shirley Vittorino, Kelly Hyatt, Pat Pruitt, Betsy Brownfield, and Ellen Holcomb for digging out the 2 cattleguards on the dirt road just south of Hidden Valley!  It seems the flash flooding brought loads of dirt and rock right down the road and it settled right into the slats.  It was hard work but worth every second as some of our large fluffy friends were making their way right across them and visiting their human friends around the corner.  All safe now.

And a tremendous thanks goes out to Becky and Gary Cantara for their work on repairing the gate, welding the steel post, and straightening the metal bands at the cattleguard at the old gun club.  You may remember that it was rammed about the same time little Ebony was killed.  Gary and Beck have contributed so much to help keep the wild ones safe and wild – we are truly grateful for everything they have done over so many years.  And they never bellow or complain, they just do what is needed. 

And an huge Thank You to Kelly Hyatt and Craig for re-engineering and building a new gate at the construction site next to the old gun club.  It’s now easier to open and close which should encourage the workers to close it at night, thereby preventing the horses from wandering through and out to the streets!  Great work!!

THANK YOU to each of you as well as Mona and the gang for continuing to move horses out of the streets and watch out for their safety – you are all my unsung heroes!!!!

URGENT PLEA FOR DONATIONS NEEDED TO HELP FEED OUR RESCUED HORSES

We have negotiated a good price for our hay from a local farmer.  Now we have to pay for it!!!! We are reaching out across the globe asking for donations needed to help feed our rescued Virginia Range wild horses.  The continued drought conditions in northern Nevada have dramatically reduced the amount of feed available for grazing for the Virginia Range wild horses you helped rescue from the slaughter pipeline.  We are way ahead of schedule in providing supplemental feed for our 94 adult horses at Wynema Ranch. 

You can help by making your tax deductible donation

at www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com using the DONATION buttons on the right side panel

OR mail your check to                    HVWHPF   PO Box 20052   Reno   NV   89515

Consider a sponsorship – set up a recurring donation one time and watch as your monthly donation flows seamlessly to benefit the horses. 

The horses’ success depends upon you – please spread the word and donate now.  We all love and want to create good lives for these horses – they need your help now!!!

Thank you for your support, kindness, and generosity towards our beautiful rescued Virginia Range horses!!

RAISE YOUR COFFEE MUG TO SUPPORT OUR RESCUED HORSES

ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN HELP!!!!  Fill your coffee mug with GIVING BEAN Gourmet Fresh Roasted Coffee and Tea and support the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund Wild Horse Rescue Operation!!!  Purchase your next smile at  GIVING BEAN COFFEE FOR WILD MUSTANGS  and get some high quality, fresh roasted coffees, teas, and cocoa delivered right to your home or work place.  Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund receives a portion of each sale so please shop, shop, shop!!!  You can even set up a recurring fresh roast coffee delivery! They don’t roast your beans until they get your order and then they ship it right to you.  Sit back, enjoy your coffee at work or at home and know that you’ve made a difference for the horses you helped to rescue!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!   

Just a $1 A Day can make a huge difference for our rescued Virginia Range horses.  Your continued support, encouragement, and participation is so greatly appreciated!!!  THANK YOU!!!!

 WORKSHOP MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 5^TH 6:00 PM SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY

Please join us this Tuesday evening to talk about the 1^st Annual Virginia City Wild Horse Faire, the upcoming Hidden Valley garage sale, and other important projects.  We need your help so if you can volunteer your time to help the horses, please come!!

07/24/14

DEAD MARE FOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DIRT ROAD

First thing this last Monday morning I received a call about a dead mare in the middle of the dirt road which appeared to have been shot in the head.  She wasn’t hard to find and after a quick review of the scene, it seemed very obvious that she had been shot at point blank range, simply fallen over and was left to bleed to death.  There were no other indications of any trauma, broken bones, or any marks on her body.  I immediately contacted the NDoA brand inspector and confirmed that he had not “dispatched” her and he agreed to come right out to take care of the situation.  However, what seemed all too soon and too quickly he announced his findings of her death to be caused by a vehicle strike and that she had not been shot in the head and is refusing to entertain the idea that she might have been shot or give an explanation about the origin and cause of the 2 holes in her head.  So, over the last several days, Kelly and I have been doing some research, asking questions, requesting assistance, calling people and asking for reports (from public agencies which are of course public records).  Simply put, speaking for the wild horses when it seems that too many so-called voices working on their behalf have dulled and taken a bizarre direction – a direction that serves the human ego and not the wild horses.

Since the mare is dead and the NDoA left her remains for the coyotes (which is appropriate and part of the circle of life), she technically now belongs to the earth.  That being said, we have taken her remains to be examined and x-rayed for indications of cause of death. 

I have had two veterinarians examine her in the field.  One vet made a “blind” observation, knowing nothing about the circumstance of her death, and reported that it appeared she had died of two gunshot wounds to the head but no indication of trauma from a vehicle strike.  The other vet made the same observation.  We should have a determination in a few days about whether her death involved a gunshot or not. 

Over the last 3 days, every person who saw her (except the one noted above) said the same thing – it appears she was shot twice in the head. 

You may ask why does this matter – she’s dead.  Well, this innocent little mare had a life, hard as it was, it was her life. And by the way, her name is Ebony, and she is just one of about 2,000 wild horses in the Virginia Range that deserve better, deserve to be protected from people who would just as soon do them harm, and deserve better treatment from the people who have been tasked to “manage” them and keep them from harm.

It’s not acceptable to me and many others that we sit back and know that these horses are being harassed and do nothing.  It’s not acceptable that anyone intentionally harm these horses – these beautiful, trusting souls, and we do nothing.  We now have a case open with the Washoe County Sheriff and will continue to work with them to ensure that our wild horses are treated humanely and with the respect they deserve.

The cost of the examination and x-ray is $440.  The gate at the end of the dirt road was rammed and needs to be repaired – it keeps the horses from trying to cross the cattleguard and get into the streets (where they would get picked up by the “Nasty” truck) – estimated cost of repair is at least $400.  We need more signs installed reminding people that it’s illegal to harass the wild horses – estimated cost $300.  Can you help with any of these costs?  If so, please visit www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com , make a donation using your credit card and add a note indicating how you would prefer to have your generous donation spent.  Or mail your kindhearted check to:

                HVWHPF
                PO Box 20052
                Reno NV 89515

Also, if you or anyone you know has any information about the death of Ebony, the 2 year old mare, please let us know.  And spread the word - it’s illegal to harass wild horses and WE WILL NOT allow the killing of our wild horses to continue.

 1^ST ANNUAL VIRGINIA CITY WILD HORSE FAIRE – SATURDAY, AUGUST 23^RD
This promises to be such a wonderful event – filled with fun, excitement, interesting demonstrations, and music and laughter!  All to benefit the wild horses of the Virginia Range!!!!!  The day is going to be packed with so many wonderful things to do – pony rides, pancake breakfast, train rides (on real trains!!!), a parade, the Reno Mustang Car Club show & shine, and large animal rescue demonstration.  AND there will a fabulous concert featuring our very own Lacy J Dalton and many others all performing to benefit the historic horses of the Virginia Range!!!  Take in the sights and sounds of Virginia City – a trip back to the days of the Comstock Silver Lode with bandits, and sheriffs, and miners, and loads of fun, things to do, and sights to see!!  The home of the wild horses!
Find more information at  http://www.wildhorsefaire.com/ 

Please see the attachments for more information!  Bonnie Matton is in real need of tons of volunteers to make this an event to remember.  It lasts all day and into the evening so you will be able to choose almost any time of the day to help out!  This is a great chance to help out our wild horses and be a part of something very cool!  And meet some other like-minded, wonderful people in the process!

Bonnie says any questions please call her at 775-720-5134 or Robert Steiner at 775-847-4484.

TRAINING / GENTLING UPDATES
We are just so tickled with the progress our trainers have made with some of our “kids”!! 

Megan Robson has been working with 2 of little girls – Taffy and Truffles ~ both sweet as candy!  Taffy is already in her halter and Truffles is getting closer each day.  Keep up with their progress on facebook at Star Horses https://www.facebook.com/Starhorsetraining  . 

Lorie Barrett has made some terrific progress with one of our favorite boys – Mr Simon!!!  See the attached picture of him – he’s munching away on his goodies inside the trailer!!!  We’re all so very proud of him – this was not an easy task for him given the bad experiences he’s had with trailers, but he has really come around in the last several weeks!!

Thank you so much Megan and Lorie!!!!!

WILD HORSE SPONSORSHIPS – IT’S SO EASY!!
I’d like to introduce ya’ll to Shakey Jake, the new mascot for the “Chillin’ with Bobby Joe” radio show on www.renegaderadio.org and locally at 101.3FM.  Bobby Joe Holman has stepped up and started a sponsorship for one of our horses he has named Shakey Jake!!!  As a matter of fact, Shakey Jake already has his own facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shakey-Jake/1604051926516257 .  Like his page and Share it!!!!

Please consider a sponsorship of one of our horses. Come on out to Wynema Ranch and pick out which horse you’d like to sponsor!!!  Get pictures together and open your own facebook page for your sponsored horse!  Visit www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com and go to the “Donations” tab for instructions on establishing a sponsorship.

VOLUNTEER PROJECTS FOR THIS WEEKEND – SATURDAY, JULY 26^TH ~ EARLY
PROJECT #1, SATURDAY 7 AM - We need people to come out and help dig out 2 of our cattleguards!!  It will go fast with lots of people helping.  Please bring your small garden hand shovel (they fit between the steel slats), gloves, a cushion (optional but make it comfier), and sun protection.  The cattleguards are on the south side of Hidden Valley and can be easily accessed from East Hidden Valley Drive and Hidden Highlands Drive (turn right onto the dirt road and follow it to the cattleguard.

PROJECT #2, SATURDAY ABOUT 9 AM – Fix the gate at the construction site at the end of Rio Wrangler.  We’ll rework the existing gate to make it easier to close up.  This is the gate that is continually left open by the construction workers and where our 9 beautiful bachelors were recently snatched up by the NDoA.  We can’t risk any more horses lives.  We need to make sure our fences and gates are regularly maintained to keep the horses safe.

FENCING SAVES LIVES AND KEEPS HORSES WILD AND FREE

A huge THANK YOU goes out to the people who made their way out to Fernley to install about 1,000 feet of fencing along the edge of a new development.  A band of 9 horses had found their way into a new community in Fernley and were getting out on the highway.  Thank you Anne Hall for sounding the alarm and rallying volunteers to come out and install fencing that would keep the horses back on range – wild and free!!!  The NDoA had threatened to come around and pick them up but thanks to some hard work and quick action by a few dedicated volunteers, these horses missed the “Nasty” truck by hours and are now SAFE!!!!!!

SHOPPING, SHOPPING, AND MORE SHOPPING!!!!
Check out our website www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com on the SHOPPING tab – Our t-shirts and caps and visors are now available for sale!!!  AND WE’LL SOON BE ADDING 2 GORGEOUS PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER DEBBIE SMITH!!!  So keep checking for new items.
Light and easy shopping experience – just add as many goods to your “cart” as you would like and check out using your credit card or paypal account.  We’ll prepare your order for immediate shipment via USPS.  So don’t forget the wild horses when you’re thinking about what to buy for a birthday or any occasion gift.  Also, Ellen is hard at work on our 2015 Wild Horse calendars so stay tuned – we’ll let you know when they’re ready! Contact me directly if you prefer to purchase our swag using a check instead of going through PayPal.

 REMINDERS

Just a $1 A Day can make a huge difference for our rescued Virginia Range horses.  Your continued support, encouragement, and participation is so greatly appreciated!!!  THANK YOU!!!!  Head to www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com to use your credit card to make your generous donation or mail your kindhearted check to

                HVWHPF, PO Box 20052, Reno NV 89515

Fill your coffee mug with GIVING BEAN Gourmet Fresh Roasted Coffee and Tea and support the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund Wild Horse Rescue Operation!!!  Purchase your next smile at  GIVING BEAN COFFEE FOR WILD MUSTANGS  and get some high quality, fresh roasted coffees, teas, and cocoa delivered right to your home or work place.  Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund receives $5.00 for each sale so please shop, shop, shop!! 

 MEMBERSHIP MEETING – THURSDAY JULY 24^th  6:00 PM – SOUTH VALLEY LIBRARY
Just a reminder of our monthly membership meeting, Thursday, July 24^th at 6:00pm at the South Valley library – the public is welcome.

We’ll be talking about some very important projects coming up.  We need help and ideas about what we can do about the 9 beautiful bachelors from Damonte Ranch that got picked up several weeks ago.  We have no room and donations are not coming in for us to rescue them.   

We’ll also be talking about the suspicious death of the mare found in the middle of the dirt road on Monday. 

We also have various projects that need volunteers – determining alternative water sources, fencing (planning & installing new & fixing old), and fund raising events and planning.  We also need people who are interested in helping with our horse adoption program.  There are lots of things to do for our rescued horses!!  If you can volunteer to help we’d love to have you!!

Please come join us Thursday, July 24^th 6:00 pm and feel the satisfaction of helping the wild and free Virginia Range horses and our rescued Virginia Range wild horses.

07/11/14 

Let’s cut right to it!!  It’s hot, hot, hot out here and will get hotter this weekend!  We had a dump of desperately needed rain on Tuesday but it seemed that was just enough to keep the dust down.  We need good, strong, positive energy out here to break this drought.  But with good people surrounding us and our horses, I know that good things are on their way!  Our friend, Ginger Kathrens, founder of the Cloud Foundation was in our neighborhood just a few weeks ago and stopped by Wynema Ranch to say HAY! to the horses!!!  Thank you Ginger for your support and encouragement – it means a great deal!

06/28/14 

PLEASE HELP NOW!!!!

06/25/14

06/18/14

05/30/14

Call, FAX, email, facebook your representatives and ask them to sign on to the Safeguard American Food Exports Act today!!! 

05/21/14

04/30/14