Horses Harming Environment on Assateague Island

[itsbob]

WHy is you can say Assateague but not pet####??

 

[BlackSheep]

I know that Jack Kumer (who oversaw my study) is just trying to do right by ALL the animals he is responsible for.

Hmm, Jack Kumer?? To be honest, my search on Kumer showed he's an expert on coastal revitalization, not horses! You'd think they'd have someone on staff that specializes in horses....but maybe I'm presuming too much. Is there ANYONE in the dang park service that knows a friggen thing about horses?

Geezuz H Christ, this is not hard to fix. For one thing, the FD auction of ponies is a time-honored tradition, should remain, and should be done on the MD side of the park as well.

Secondly, geld the yearling colts. Simple, quick, effective and cheap. There is a simple formula to keep herd populations small, and genetically diverse. Any breeding specialist can take the numbers and give you a simple formula of what to keep, what to sell, and what to geld.

With the small amount of animals on these islands, this can be fixed in one year. NPS wants to maintain a wild herd with natural characteristics. Is there some approximately minimum number of horses for that? If there is, maybe NPS is thinking to determine that number, and subsequently determine how many, if any, deer could be allowed to co-exist with the horses to maintain the health of the island.

But of course, our government would rather spend a fortune, year after year, to NOT fix the problem.

 

[BlackSheep]

What do you think should be done to control the pony population?
The National Park Service wants to hear from people concerned about the horses.
Send your ideas to:
Assateague Island National Seashore
7206 National Seashore Lane
Berlin, Maryland 21811.

 

[Cowgirl]

Secondly, geld the yearling colts. Simple, quick, effective and cheap.

Well, it would be more effective to sterilize the females or keep them on whatever contraception methods they were already using. It doesn't matter if there are 30 studs or 1 stud...the females will still be bred. I don't see why they can't just sell more horses. The BLM adopts out adult horses all the time.

 

[riggs]

riggs

riggs hhhhhgelding the stallions would be easier but it will raise havoc with the herds. Maybe they should somehow tag one whole herd then bring them on land to live. Then if they choose to geld those stallions, then find homes for them.

Hmm, Jack Kumer?? To be honest, my search on Kumer showed he's an expert on coastal revitalization, not horses! You'd think they'd have someone on staff that specializes in horses....but maybe I'm presuming too much. Is there ANYONE in the dang park service that knows a friggen thing about horses?

Geezuz H Christ, this is not hard to fix. For one thing, the FD auction of ponies is a time-honored tradition, should remain, and should be done on the MD side of the park as well.

Secondly, geld the yearling colts. Simple, quick, effective and cheap. There is a simple formula to keep herd populations small, and genetically diverse. Any breeding specialist can take the numbers and give you a simple formula of what to keep, what to sell, and what to geld.


With the small amount of animals on these islands, this can be fixed in one year. NPS wants to maintain a wild herd with natural characteristics. Is there some approximately minimum number of horses for that? If there is, maybe NPS is thinking to determine that number, and subsequently determine how many, if any, deer could be allowed to co-exist with the horses to maintain the health of the island.

But of course, our government would rather spend a fortune, year after year, to NOT fix the problem.

 

[MorganLover]

I was thinking the same thing geld the dang horses. I thought Mares were the ones that controlled the herd anyway? am i wrong? if you leave half of the stallions you'd still have stallions just not as many, and then geld thet babies, wouldn't that be cheaper/easier then giving the dang mares all that birth control EVERY year?? Seems to me the less stallions the less the population or maybe spay the older mares, i know that is more difficult and more expensive but i am sure they can find funds from horse lovers to help with those fees. They didn't seem to be a problem way back then when they were taken to the island if you ask me it is the PEOPLE that cause them trouble not the other way around. With more camping, and people taking over THEIR land of coarse they are going to have to graze on something else that is much more limited. What about round bales of hay, i know that is expensive as well, but come on. and too see those prices on dreamhorse is CRAZY how can people sell wild horses for that price? Anyway, i don't normally care, but it is something when animals have to be affected b/c of human population.

 

[aps45819]

Geezuz H Christ, this is not hard to fix. For one thing, the FD auction of ponies is a time-honored tradition, should remain, and should be done on the MD side of the park as well.

Re-read the provided info. The MD horses are public property. The Va horses are owned and managed by the VFD.
As soon as you try and sell a MD horse, somebody will show up with a lawyer and sue you for selling government property.