Help Care for the Rescued Gila Herd

The rescued Gila herd continues to do well at their current home on 1000 acres of leased pasture in Alturas, CA. Changes are coming, as RTF now has an opportunity to move more than half of the herd to a private Ranch in Shasta County, CA, mirroring our other satellite in San Luis Obispo and expanding our Mustang Conservator program to facilitate ranch owners to provide private life long sanctuary for rescued wild horses and burros.  

These satellites are the beginning of what we hope to be an eventually more common practice of private landholders willing to take in family bands and herds who have been removed from public lands, allowing them, as RTF has, to keep their social structure intact even though they have lost their homes on the range.

In preparation for this move, we have had 100 tons of meadow grass hay harvested from the ranch and stored in the barn there at the new location in preparation for the coming winter.  Also, in the next couple of weeks, we will be tearing down old fencing at the new ranch and building new ones.

While this relocation reduces lease costs, we still carry the cost of on-going operational needs for daily oversight and care.  It’s only knowing that our supporters—like you—are with us, that we can have the faith to proceed with this exciting opportunity.

We have also been caring for several Gilas at our headquarters in Lompoc, CA, and 2 more geldings have recently been adopted together and will go to their new home in September.

Thank you for getting the herd to CA, and for helping them find interim pasture as they make their way down the trail to lasting sanctuary and new homes and friends. We—and they—still need you by our side as we undertake this new chapter in the story of the Gila Herd.

All of Us at RTF

                                                   Checking in on the Gila Herd

As we've related previously, the original property on which RTF had housed the rescued Gila Herd was sold, early in our lease agreement, which necessitated moving them again to Green Valley, onto a 1,000- acre pasture. The move was successful, and the herd is doing well there.

An added opportunity has arisen, as the owner of this property is open to selling us the property, and applying our current payments to the purchase. We have long needed a larger property with water, so this is an exciting goal for the longer term if we can find the funding.

We rescued the Gilas from public auction and almost certain slaughter, and our intention from the beginning was to find a conservation organization to take them on as a project. At this point the herd will largely remain together in bonded groups on a private ranch and some of the younger gelded horses are being adopted to individuals or organizations equipped to provide them a secure and happy life.

As part of the eventual movement of the herd out into the world, two untouched wild Gilas were sent to a clinic to teach people the first approach to horses. As a result of the four-day clinic/workshop, both Gilas have been adopted. To date, five younger Gila geldings have been adopted to a beautiful sanctuary, two have joined four of RTF horses at Midland School for their youth equine program where they live in beautiful pastures in Santa Ynez CA, two others have been adopted to another wonderful organization and two others have been successfully adopted. 

Caring for large numbers of horses means we are periodically faced with both births and deaths. Although the Gila’s came through a long, cold winter rather well, one very old stallion passed.

Spring 2019 also saw two viable births. Our statistics have not changed from last year, in terms of PZP efficacy:  7% of reproductive aged mares became pregnant, and our efficacy rate is 93%. Our years of experience with this non-hormonal and reversible birth control provide a basis for the on-the-range management practices we advocate for wild horses on public lands, as a way to replace or minimize traumatic roundups which shatter family bands.

Because of the long winter, which brought mud, snow, and ice complications to the ranch where the Gila’s are pastured, our pending fencing project has not yet been completed.  Weather is beginning to improve, however, so this is an upcoming task.  Meanwhile, the Gila’s still reside in their smaller pasture totaling 400 acres, but it is large enough to be interesting, with hills, two ponds, many trees, and several large, open areas.  

The two-year-olds and yearlings are inquisitive, and this makes birth control administration challenging. 
Celeste Carlisle (RTF) and Kayla Grams (the Science and Conservation Center) darted 50 mares with PZP boosters April 26-27.  Fifteen more will be boosted later in the month, and one young mare will receive her first inoculation.  An RTF volunteer who lives close to the ranch where the herd is located is assisting Celeste with photo updates.

The overall condition of the herd is excellent, with body condition scores solid. The herd is still very curious and friendly with visitors.  Though there are obvious family bands, the entire herd moves about as one group much of the time.

As much as we love them, the addition of this many additional horses has strained our finances, and this large rescue has challenged us from the beginning. However, RTF is committed to their welfare and future, and with the support of people like you, they will never lack anything, and will never again face the dangers from which they were saved.

We are, as always, grateful for your support, both moral and financial. You are an important part of everything we do for horses, both here and on the national stage. Thank you!

All of Us at RTF