I thought this would be good news for your Sunday!

Remember how, over the last few months, the Horse and Man Group has helped the people of the Virginia Range buy back, house, feed and transport the horses of the Nevada Virginia Range – after these estray and wild horses were baited, caught and sold at auction repeatedly?

First there were the Stagecoach 8. These were the horses that had been captured from the people of Stagecoach who desperately wanted them back.  The townspeople had secured land, were building fencing but needed money to buy back the horses at auction.

Those horses are now running free inside their new home in Stagecoach.

Then there were the Virginia Range 41- more wild horse bands were baited and sold at auction.  Again, we all rallied and saved them.

Lastly, just a few weeks ago, we had the Carson City 6.  Baited, rounded up – the lead mare on the outside and frantic – and intended to sell at auction.

During this time, The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign has been politely but firmly contacting the government officials in charge.

AWHPC asked us to flood the powersthatbe with emails, phone calls, petitions… you name it, they initiated ways to create a voice for the wild horses.

At one point, they asked if we all could write letters… The AWHPC received approximately 2000 which were hand carried and presented to the Nevada Governor’s office.

TODAY WE HAVE GOOD NEWS!

Well… today we have good news!

Through good manners, sanity, intelligence, strategy and temerity, we have a small victory!

A small victory, which hopefully will lead to good things…

Below is a kind letter explaining the victory from the AWHPC.

I did watch all 20 minutes of the video… it is raw but also very important that we see the people on the ground, working to help these horses!  Would you walk to the Governor’s  office on a cold January day?

They did…

Also, the letter she reads aloud is a very good example of the letters that should be written across the country for our wild horses.

I hope they created a template from this.  Or, just listen to it and write it down…

BRAVO EVERYONE!   THAT’S ONE FOR THE HORSES!

 HERE IS THE LETTER

Hi Everyone
The time has finally come to celebrate!!!!!  Please read the press release from the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) about the Cooperative Agreement signed this week with the Nevada Department of Agriculture.  This agreement will prevent our wild horses from being dumped at the livestock auction when the NDoA removes them from the range.  Instead, they will be available for purchase by the AWHPC directly from the NDoA for a nominal fee of $100 per horse.

http://wildhorsepreservation.org/media/state-nevada-wild-horse-group-sign-agreement-protect-states-mustangs

This is truly exciting and looooong awaited GOOD news by sooooo many wild horse advocates.  We are absolutely thrilled with this first step in establishing a program designed to ensure the safe and humane treatment of our wild horses.  The next step is to create a solid, viable plan that will incorporate the concerns of all parties involved with the realistic and achievable goal of protecting our cherished Nevada wild horses.  We look forward to working with the NDoA, the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC), and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to ensure the success of this and all future programs.  With your persistence and support to raise awareness about Nevada’s wild horses and the State’s concern for public safety, we have been able to find common ground and now embark on a path to implement productive and responsible methods and solutions that will ensure our Nevada wild horses remain safe and wild for generations to come.
You deserve a standing ovation for the support and generosity you have given our horses!!  None of this would have been possible if you hadn’t taken action by caring enough about these gentle, graceful creatures to cause a small earthquake that created a wake-up call to those who didn’t know we were out there.  ‘Thank you’ is simply not enough to capture how purely wonderful your response has been towards the Virginia Range wild horses.  When I stand amongst our horses, whether on the range or in their pasture, my thoughts turn to you, so many people that I have never met and who have never met our horses.  You amaze me!

Donations Needed – Always!
We still have a long way to go and until I win the lottery, I’ll need to ask for your continued support to help feed and board our Hidden Valley horses and care for the Virginia Range wild horses still on the range.  Visit www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com to donate using our secure “DONATE” button, or mail your donation to HVWHPF, PO Box 20052, Reno, NV 89515.

Videos on youtube
Please visit our youtube channel at HiddenValleyVRHorses.  We have started to load some videos we think you’ll enjoy.  Right now, we have the video from January 4, 2013 when approximately 2,000 of your letters were delivered to Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval’s office.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb8YYWBO0TA  (CLICK HERE)

We also have a short clip from Blackie & Blanca’s band at Wynema – note that Blackie is in his usual position which is the speck in the background at the end of the clip, taking a nap in the afternoon sun J

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ7FtLpjvx0  (CLICK HERE)

Thanks so very much!!!
Shannon
Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund

All the money allocated to the rescue of our wild horses comes from donations received from local, national, and international sources.  The HVWHPF is an all-volunteer registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Virginia Range wild horses.  Find us at www.hiddenvalleyhorses.com or on facebook at Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. Also, check out our adoption facebook page at Hidden Valley Virginia Range Wild Horse Adoptions.

Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, PO Box 20052, Reno, NV 89515