Hello and Happy Monday!
I get asked a lot if I think we will be able to save the TRNP horses.
For starters, my #1 pet peeve is wasting my time. If I felt like we could NOT win, all of this would be an extreme waste of my time. As a pet peeve, it would be driving me nuts!
So, can we win?
I really think so. BUT we have not won ~ YET! There is still a lot of work to do. Every little thing, like making a phone call or sending an email to Congressman Armstrong, plays a small part in the bigger picture to save these horses.
“Inch by inch…it’s a cinch”, right?
I am a HUGE Ted Lasso fan. This quote has been resonating with me lately:
“Now these next few months might be tricky, but that’s just ’cause we’re going through our dark forest. Fairy tales do not start, nor do they end in the dark forest.”
I truly feel like we are making our way out of the dark forest that came when Theodore Roosevelt National Park announced their plans to eliminate the entire herd of horses back in December. I am starting to see the “light”. Hopefully you are too!
I can’t stress enough, there is STILL A LOT of work to be done. You know the stories about the person who gave up right before the big breakthrough was coming.
That is where we are – so please, don’t stop now!
The park’s report showing snippets of the over 19,000 comments they received is ABSOLUTLEY INCREDIBLE! The number of organizations that stepped up to make sure they got their comments in for our horses was UNBELIEVABLE!
I will say again, THAT is the power of all the single voices coming together to get loud!
I have also been asked what that report means to the park’s plans.
It means nothing to their plans.
That report is more than likely a formality that was required. The park is responsible for EVERY COMMENT they received; they HAVE to read them. It seems like they had to find a way to “code”/sort the 19,000+ comments they received. This report shows how the comments were broken down.
IF these comments, or the number of comments they received, made a difference to their proposed action, they would let us know.
Until they tell us otherwise, believe that they are still working toward eliminating the entire herd of horses from the park.
I hope that we have that good of a response to the next two comment periods!
They said that the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) will be out this summer. Once that is released, we will get a chance to comment on it. We will also get a chance to comment one last time once the Final EA is released.
We only get one chance to fight to save these horses.
Can we save them?
How can we not try everything possible to fight for them?
Don’t forget, I have a meeting with Congressman Armstrong’s office this FRIDAY. Were you 1 of 10 people that made calls and sent emails TODAY? https://chwha.org/2023/05/31/the-simple-math/
Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates is committed to advocating for a wild horse management plan and protection for these unique wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home! We are fighting for a management plan that is guided by science especially when it comes to decisions regarding the removal of horses and the administration of birth control. Many other wild horse management plans have proven to be successful with their science-based plans. We are asking for the same for this amazing group of wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home.
