4,534 Yakama Rez Horses-- $100 Each

[sherigraf]

what is a chaser?

[dcsmmi]

Any member of the tribe can get a special permit that allows them to gather their own horses. (Either for personal use or for resale.) They're known as 'chasers' - because they chase the horses (motorcyle, atv, helicopter etc) into catch pens.

[chatty]

we need a chaser, so we can get age, color, orphen, ect.. they will tag the ones we want and sell them to use at 100.00 or less..the other way we must take what they have...foals that need help, won't get the needed help without a chaser...

[cybercat]

have we decided that we are going to try to save the youngest ones first? I think I lost track here, a little bit...

Does the Yakima Rez use a newspaper or radio source for their local news, chatty? Can we put together some flyers talking about the gather and what we hope to accomplish? Where could they be distributed do you think?

Do you think we could utilize some of the young riders clubs or 4-H to help gentle and groom foals? If we think that is a possibility, can someone familiar with these groups step up to help
us contact these groups? County Extension Service, perhaps? Guess we'd want to know who is taking foals so we could contact groups in the local vicinity...

[chatty]

everyone of us and others are looking to save as many as possible...foals will be the most in danger in this or any round-up...to try and get them seperated from the larger combative group of horses will save them from injury and/or death...
what we can't get out will go up for auction and then we will have to out bid all others (who every they are)

were talking the valley here, I'll try to put it in words ..you would have to go down there and try to mix with the people and that is very hard if you don't know someone...a very closed community..you must know the language (I have Bob to help me, I understand a little spanish), the customs, it is very hard..
Seals (the feedlot as we know it) is smack in the middle of the valley and people aren't braking to gates down to save horses...
group of young 4-H'ers or others would be best found out of the valley..Ellensburg, Moses Lake, take I-90 and head east...PLEASE I'm not racist, Bob and myself were borned and raised with the knowledge of family... it's just the way it is...
I understand or speech (a little) of my family tongues..Portuguese, spanish, italian and all the mixes of these (yah they mix the words)...and yes again I have to use my maiden name...so in Yakima Valley I use Bob's last name and my maiden name when needed...

newspapers, two I know of (sunnyside and yakima's) in the valley...then spread out to the north and N. east communities...watch what you say or the nation will close the doors...

at this time I have 4 foals place, their just waiting..have gone to each home (I know them personaly) and help with the pen they will need , their ready..we are going to QT them at our place (better to keep them together for QT)..I know 4 doesn't sound like much, but it's a start...

think what I have written and we can talk more.... chatty

.P.S. field grass (asper) and range grass comes up the same time..they haven't planted field yet, cold season..

[chatty]

It's morning and back to work here..

E-mailed Christine B. Jackson...Yakima County Extension...4-H of Yakima County...

Ask if she could talk to any and all / group or persons who would like to help with this project..

NOW- what can we offer these kids ? How many of you are will to help them with getting
a foal as a 4-H project ?

Need some Ideals if and when she answers my e-mail TALK TO ME GIRLS

[tfrancis]

Mustangs and burros are hardy animals, but foals who are orphaned at an early age are at great risk. They need intensive and specialized care in order to survive. Once they have made it past their first critical month as an orphan they usually grow up to be normal healthy animals and are well worth the trouble to save.

Really, orphans are just like normal foals with the exception of not
having mom around (you are mom). The only additional requirements
are milk replacer, special care to get them over the stress of being
transported usually within days of birth, introduction of normal gut
bacteria and a warm shelter.

The most critical time for these little babies is the first few days to the first month, especially if they are newborns. Newborns who did not get their mother's colostrum, or first milk, are the most difficult to raise. Foals are born with no antibodies to any germs or diseases. The colostrum contains antibodies from the mare, and in this way the mare transfers her immune system to her foal. But foals who do not get this colostrum are at great risk for aquiring deadly infections. They must be kept absolutely clean, and provided extra nutrition.
STRESS CAN KILL

Any orphan foal goes through a period of extreme stress in the days following its becoming an orphan, due to being separated from its mother and having to adjust to a changed diet, changed living conditions, etc.

One thing Melissa notes is that when these babies arrive at the
rescue they can be quite sick for the following reasons:

1. Stress of transport usually within days of being born

2. Stress of being separated from mom

3. Stress from lack of food
FEEDING

Orphans require continuous monitoring/food/care, especially for the first critical month. Dawn & Bert Lappin of W.H.O.A. (Wild Horse Organized Assistance) in Reno feed their new orphans every two hours around the clock for the first 2 - 4 weeks. This takes a heavy toll on the caretaker, but the Lappins have a high success rate with orphans.

Orphan horse foals drink 5-8 gallons of milk replacer per day per foal. Orphan burros drink less. Milk replacer is very expensive. Plan on $100-$150/month per foal or about half that for a burro. There are many brands on the market - which one you use will probably be the one that is most readily available in your area. In the West, Foal-Lac and Mare's Match are the most common brands. Dawn Lappin states that in her experience either is good nutritionally, but most of the foals she has raised seem to prefer the taste of Mare's Match. In the East, Melissa reports that Buckeye's Mares Milk Plus is readily available. Check with your local feed dealer for whatever is available in your area. Although milk replacer is complete nutritionally for young foals, the composition varies slightly from brand to brand. It is best to stick with one brand if possible, because the slight variations from brand to brand can cause digestive upsets.

If you have access to goat's milk, this can also be used successfully. When we had our baby burros, it was suggested to us that it would be cheaper to go out and buy a milk goat, rather than to buy the milk replacer. This is true, but we chose not to take on another animal, who we would still need to care for after we no longer needed the milk. But if you have goats anyway, they are the perfect "foster mother" for most mammalian species.

Offer your orphans free choice clean hay from the very beginning. At first they will only nibble a little, but before long they will actually be eating significant amounts of hay. Once or twice a day feeding of special foal pellets (the Lappins recommend Carnation's Calf Manna), and vitamins are also recommended.

Caring for an orphan foal is quite time consuming for this first month. Plan on a lack of sleep, just like taking on a human newborn, but it is well worth it, and the time passes quickly. After the first month, feedings can gradually be spaced further and further apart, especially the night feedings. By 2 months, the foal can usually get by with 4 feedings per day (early morning, noon, late afternoon, and bedtime), and the caretaker no longer has to get up in the night. By three months, the foal can be cut back to 3 feedings per day, and by four months, they CAN be weaned, although many people feel that continuing once or twice a day milk feeding until 6 months gives the best start.
VACCINATIONS

Here's a link to a veterinary website with an excellent recommended vaccination schedule: Equine Vet Services Vaccination Schedule
WARM, DRY SHELTER

New foals must be kept warm. This can be problematic. They need more than a blanket. Straw is preferred as bedding material. Straw allows the foal to bed down in it and provides better insulation to keep them warm. If you are worried about absorption use shavings etc. on the bottom and add straw on the top for warmth. In severe weather, a heated stall or an area indoors is preferable.

FIRST MONTH IS MOST CRITICAL

Once you get them past this first month they will generally do well (first month is full of worry with nutritional problems, risk of diarrhea/etc). Then they are like normal babies in concerns to training/vaccinations (although you treat them like babies whose mothers weren't vaccinated)/etc.

EXPENSE: You do need to plan for the expense of raising an orphan. In the case of foals orphaned at BLM holding facilities or as a result of the gather process, BLM will contract with volunteers to raise the orphans, and will usually reimburse you for your direct expenses in buying food and medicines for these babies. Milk re-placer, feed, wormer, vaccinations, supplies, and vet visits can add up. But, are well worth it in the end to save one of these precious babies.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS:

Watch for problems, and if one develops, catch it quick and correct it! Diarrhea, ulcers, and colic are just a few (basically the same issues as a normal foal could have). Pneumonia is another common and potentially deadly problem. Septicemia (generalized internal infection) from infected navel stump is yet another problem to watch for and to try and prevent through cleanliness and applying Iodine to the affected area.

Diarrhea/Scours: This is one of the most common killers of orphan foals. One cause of scours/diarrhea in the foals is due to the fact that foals are born with a sterile gut (lacking normal bacteria we all have in our intestines). Regular foals with their mothers will (sorry this is gross but true) eat their mom's feces to gain that bacteria. An orphan doesn't have a mom around. So, you must introduce those bacteria into their system (pro bios, other horse's feces- I would only
recommend this if they are your horses).

It also helps with scours to feed your foal one tablespoon of vanilla/plain yogurt per gallon of milk re-placer.

Ulcers can be another issue with orphans due to the amount of stress these foals experience and the particles in the milk re-placer. However, a good preventative measure is to give your foal a DAILY over the counter antacid treatment (like Zantac/Tagment/etc generic form is good). You crush this up and add it to their morning milk.

Pneumonia/Respiratory Distress: This is a serious problem which requires urgent professional veterinary care - beyond the scope of this website. CALL YOUR VET! ASAP!

Learn more about Nurse Mare Foals
SUPPLIES LIST FOR RAISING ORPHAN FOALS:

1. Milk Re-placer readily available in your area (Plan to spend $100-150 month per foal until 4-5 months of age. Orphan burros will cost about $70 per month)
2. Yogurt- plain/vanilla 1 tablespoon per gallon of milk re-placer (generic fine)
3. Pro Bios- give to foals to prevent scours (sometimes called "probiotic")
4. Foal Pellets (creep feed)
5. Excellent Quality grass/alfalfa mix hay
6. Cooler with lid removed- We recommend this to mix and feed milk re-placer in. Keeps it cold and you can make larger quantity-we placed milk jugs with ice in them- if kept cold must change every 12 hours
7. Halter/lead rope- (you will need to halter train your foal)
8. Zantac to prevent ulcers (generic brand fine)
9. Bag Balm or ointment to keep bums from getting raw if your foal gets scours
10. Vaccinations - (contact vet for vaccinations needed in your area)
11. Pepto Bismol if your foal gets scours (generic fine)
12. Activated Charcoal (available from vet/hospital pharmacy) if your foal gets scours
13. Warm dry place to keep foal (barn/garage/etc)
14. Straw - keeps foals warmer then shavings/saw dust
15. Poop scoop
16. Feed buckets
17. Hay feeder
18. Water bucket - need water 24/7
19. Contact a vet let them know you are planning to adopt an orphaned foal) and make sure s/he is Avail/comfortable in helping you if needed.
20. Large syringes for medications/milk feeding if needed
21. Grooming supplies (brushes hoof pick etc)
22. Foal Blanket

[cybercat]

Tammy, are you then recommending that the 4-Hers may not be dedicated enough or skilled enough to take on orphan foals? I'm sure it WOULD be tough to take on a foal...but I was thinking more like the kids could come out to wherever the foals are at, and be supervised while gentling and grooming and such...

Maybe I am missing something here...Chatty, at first the foals will be taken care of in pens at the reservation, right? And then we would move them when they are adopted, or do you think they should be moved after they are first gathered to make room for more in the pens?
I am trying to imagine how this all works. Having never seen or been to a wild horse gathering or the Yakima Valley area, I don't know what to expect...
Can you help me by describing how you think this will work? And since so many of us are not of the Nation, will we be helpful or not? If this project needs to be handled by the local folks, then we need to make sure we all understand what our "jobs" will be in helping.

[tfrancis]

Gosh cybercat, sorry if my posting implied anything. It was just an informational posting .

I think the 4-H ideal is GREAT, if you look at previous posts, I had even suggested getting clubs involved in sponsoring rescues or adopting.

The information came from a BLM site, Andi Harmon has taken in many orphans, so she has vast knowledge with the trails and tribulations of such a rewarding undertaking.

If I upset you and others, I apologize, it was not my intent. I was just posting what I thought was helpful information.

Once again, I am sorry to have upset you.

[dcsmmi]

Actually I WILL say that C-cat - orphans are not USUALLY a good thing for kids to raise. I've raised a few and rescued more than one after it became a handful. If the child has horse-savvy parents and ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY MUST have a calm, accepting horse for socialization - then ok - maybe - but it's a tough call.

Orphans do not believe they are horses. Many I have rescued have become food aggressive, and will even charge, bare teeth etc if challenged because they were not raised correctly. Little babies are too cute - human nature is to coddle and hug them instead of treating them like the 1000 lb animal they will become. We should really reallllly watch this one guys.

Keep in mind - foaling season will start soon and for the most part run up through May & June. Some are even later - but that should be the bulk of it. Chatty - has the tribe agreed to separate young foals from mares? Or do you think they care?

I have to place horses before I can take any - and with a 6+ hr trailer ride for them - it would be best that I don't get any youngsters until they are at least a month old - so that puts me out into June at least.

Just my 2 cents - gotta run for now.....

[cybercat]

Don't worry, you guys...I wasn't upset at all, just trying to understand how this would all go together...I didn't want to be stepping on toes just in case I misunderstood chatty's intentions here. Chatty has been so careful to explain how things are different in the valley, so I wanted clarity on how this would all work.

[chatty]

They will run foals and all into the pens, unless we can have a working plan to get them in a safe place..Be it with moms or ages and needs...
It's great that we are covering all bases...A good plan to present to the Nation our wants for horses we wish to save...

1. number of horses age, sex, color
2. ages and condition (injured, so on) >first<
3. taged and pens for our horses

NOTE: paper work in hand.....each person for themself or to represent a number on people..
>if you represent a group, have paper work showing this<

Have your transportation arranged...Be at holding pens as they have arranged >viewing on Tuesday, make your app. to be there a week before<..
QT ready....PLEASE DON'T TAKE ON TO MUCH

They have said we will be contacted before the round-up, so we can make plans to be there..>will ask to have the older foals placed in one pen, mares/foal pairs in another and last orphan foals together...not saying they'll agree, but we can try...

[chatty]

Just sent a e-mail to ask the following (about foals)
1. do you or can you seprate them from the herd in the pens
2. ones needing emergence care be given by one of us and/or a vet

also told him I tryed to find a chaser with no luck and could he through one or two my way

[cybercat]

chatty, thank you so much for doing this.

[dcsmmi]

I should say too - (now that I have more time to read carefully) - kids can do wonderfully with weanlings as projects. At least in my opinion. But the orphan thing (meaning it's most likely separated from other horses who will 'socialize' it 24/7 - and also one you are probably bottle feeding every couple of hours (or bucket feeding - which is much better)) - is really a challenge. I've had 3 through my rescue, all high risk horses who were difficult to place because of behavior problems. That says alot - because I generally had 20+ horses including wild stallions at the time - and they were EASIER!!! lol I don't think anyone was upset by postings - and no toes stepped on - but it is something I can say I feel very strongly about. (I hope my posts fall under those same categories? Toes anyone?)

Having a gentle quiet older horse to babysit for you is a Godsend. I have one - if anyone wants to borrow Mama Bella!

[chatty]

Have a few want list here:
Corral panels ( anyone in the valley know what happened to the feedlot panels, that would be cattle feedlots) This would help start people out alot, help them set up pens easier...

post if you can help, area, price, ect.

no news chatty

[dcsmmi]

I'm so far south.. I feel out of the loop. =(

[djrepp]

What is the reservation going to do to cut down on the number of horses? Are there any plans to stop the breeding? Seems they have let things get way out of control.

[stormlady]

I went out and got photos of the dozen horses they currently have in the pen. I will send them to dcsmmi? or Chatty? for uploading as I don't know how to do that. There are currently 3 mares and the rest stallions.

As far as stopping the breeding, dj, at this point they are simply hoping to bring down the existing population. They are on top of current technology for population control, but none of it is practical for the number of horses out there. They are at this point almost completely unfunded, although working on that. It would be defeating their current goal to release any horses once they are caught. Right now they just have to reduce the number of mouths on the range at all. Culling and managing the herd breeding is something they will tackle if they can get the overall numbers down to a manageable level.

Jenelle

[chatty]

stormlady I'm like you can't down load a ant if I had to...dcsmmi is our best choose...Please remember these horses have been running on the REZ for so, so, many years...Have talk to gentleman in their 90's, the great storys they tell when they were kids and watching the wild horses run through the canyons...Apart of history

Now after all these years, population has hit a number where at this piont save some or let natures take it's course...That would be the end of Yakima Nations horses.....`

[cybercat]

send the photos to me stormlady...I'm getting the hang of putting them up!

Sending you a PM with my email address!

[cybercat]

Chatty, I have another question for you...what are the local farm supply stores in your area? For those of us out of the state, it would be nice if we could donate gift cards that could be used to purchase new panels if needed. In Oregon the local farm supply stores are Coastal and Wilco, so I know I could buy gift cards there and send them up...and we can send VISA giftcards too...
And just to help people who are concerned about donations for the Yakima horses, should someone specific be in charge of funds?

[chatty]

cybercat, great idea.. East side of Washington has Big-R's and saw a Wilco in Sunnyside (it carried medical suppies), I'll check and make sure...
We need a banker...ANY ONE.............Through this at you..Someone to e-mail or post on other rescue/horse webs to get the word out that these horses will be coming up for adoption/sale and how to get appilcation

App's are through Yakima Nation web...e-mail them with requist....

haven't heard anything back from the 4-H, will keep you up to date chatty

[maverick]

Is anyone interested is taking the chestnut stud? If you are contact me.

My Buster said to me today, mom he looks like me we have to try to do something for him!

i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/cbercyber/Yakima%20Reservation/020607_ChestnutStud_OffOblique1Yak.jpg

Amy

[chatty]

Sent a letter to the editor of the Sunnyside paper...Hoping to get through the back door and straight to the front page..You know the editor will give it to a reporter to write a (hope) story.. Still working at this...

[chatty]

Just got a e-mail back from Mr. Stephenson....

Questions I asked about the foals in my e-mail to him :
1. do you or can you seperate them from the herd in the pens.
2. ones needing emergence care be given by one of us and/or a Vet.

Here's my replay : Kathryn,

So far we haven't had very many orphan foals and those
have been adopted out.

Thanks,
Jim

People this is short and to the point....Yes they have had some foals come in..And yes they were seperated...
Now this means we have to be on our toes..As soon as we get the word there will be another group rounded up, have someone there as they come in.
Q: Wheres the moma's to these orphens? Only 3 mares in the pens.

Chatty

[dcsmmi]

Even worse... if this is happening..you know the reverse is as well. These babies are just being born. As with Sheldon National Wildlife horses last year - there will be mares brought in showing signs of recently giving birth - but no foal. (separated in the confusion and left to die on the range.) Or, due to the stress, aborting in the pens. Anyone adopting a pregnant wild mare this time of year has to be prepared for that heart break. Just when you think you've gotten them over the hump... they lose the baby.

[cybercat]

some of the pregnant feedlot mares lose their foals too...

Is it REALLY necessary to herd animals by running them? Seems like they'd move along if you were following them slowly.

Or is that just me being a mom?.......

[dcsmmi]

They can move them as slowly as they want to... but that's not normally very 'profitable'. grrrrrr

Even when they are handled calmly and slowly, they still sometimes abort, but there should be NO excuse for leaving foals behind, or separating mare/foal pairs at all. BUT... again... we can't say or do anything at this point for fear of losing our chance at saving any.... Maybe in the future.

[chatty]

Here's my mid-week ckeck list...
(1) if your (or know someone) interested in getting a one of these very, very nice animals, please down load a purchuse agreement..
(2) if you need any help (any thing) please ask..

OK..It's early and Bob has a doctors app. at the VA...got to go.....check in this afternoon..chatty