“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

~ Margaret Mead

I cannot tell you how many times I have read that quote over the last two years.  Every time we had the smallest of wins, this quote always brought tears to my eyes as it reminded me what was possible.  That quote rang through my head all day yesterday as tears of joy just could not stop coming out of my eyes!

In December of 2022, when the park announced their plans to eliminate this herd, I had absolutely no idea how we would save them, or if it was even possible. 

This has been an absolutely amazing journey!  There are so many people and organizations who have stepped up to help us.  My dear friend Sandy Sharkey said it so beautifully in a comment on a post this morning: “The fight to save the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park never lost steam. In fact, it gained steam. Like ripples in a pond- more and more people added their voices.”  I am beyond blessed to have not only had so many individuals and organizations join us in this fight, but am eternally grateful for all of the truly wonderful friends I have made in this process.  Their support throughout this process was instrumental in helping me not only in my quick learning curve to understand everything that was happening, but also their sheer support in the moments when I truly wondered what the heck I was doing.

I know there are a lot of questions, and I did speak with Senator Hoven’s office yesterday and do have some clarity.  This will be a long post, so please bear with me!

I want to start with gratitude.  My phone never stopped ringing yesterday between calls, messages and emails.  I also lost count of the number of posts and comments I was tagged in.  THANK YOU! 

This is not and never was about me.  This is about a concerned group of citizens who got together and demanded change.  I want you to know that while I have been asked how we can contact Senator Hoeven, his office actually asked me to express their sincerest thanks to all of you.  Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer sent me an email this morning, Representative Boschee called me last night.  I also spoke with ND House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, ND Senator Dean Rummel and so many others yesterday.  All of them thanking US – all of us – that make up Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates for our hard work and dedication to saving this herd.  It is important for me to share that with all of you because this victory belongs to every one of us that fought so hard for the last two years to change the outcome of what seemed like a truly impossible situation. 

More than anything, I hope that this outcome gives everyone some hope.  Especially in the insane world we live in today. Hope that we CAN be the change we want to see in this world.

For those of you who have asked about sending Senator Hoeven a note of gratitude, and we do encourage it, his office asked that you please use the form on their website: https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/contact/email-the-senator/form  This will cause the least amount of commotion to their day-to-day schedule for everyone in their office. 

I also sent the following email to Superintendent Richman and her staff on behalf of all of us:

Superintendent Richman and staff:

Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates (CHWHA) and our followers would like to extend our sincerest appreciation for the park’s decision to terminate the current Livestock EA.  Thank you for being a model of how the NEPA process along with public engagement can help an agency find solutions that work for everyone. 

CHWHA and our followers are excited to see what the future management of this herd evolves into and are willing to work with Theodore Roosevelt National Park management in any capacity we can to help ensure that a genetically viable herd of horses is always part of the landscape of the park for future generations to enjoy the same way we do today.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

Thank you again!

Sincerely,
Christine Kman
Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates
www.chwha.org

You are also welcome to send a respectful email to Superintendent Richman if you choose.  I do stress that if you choose to, you be nothing but respectful.  Her email address is: Angie_Richman@nps.gov

As you know, the park was engaged in a NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process.  We kept telling you that this process had to play out before any additional action could be taken.  The Park started this process and it had to finish it.  The way they chose to finish the process was by terminating the process altogether. 

What does that mean?

Senator Hoeven’s office said that the park decided NOT to move forward with ANY of the proposed alternatives.  As a reminder, these were the alternatives they were considering:

Alternative A – No Action Alternative: Continued herd management under the 1978 EA and 1970 Management Plan Alternative A enables no new management action. Stewardship would continue under current management plans with a population objective of 35–60 horses and up to 12 cattle.

Alternative B – Action Alternative: Expedited Reduction of Herds to No Livestock This alternative would require active capturing of horses in the Park with the methods best suited to reducing the population to zero in an expedited fashion.

Alternative C – Proposed Action: Phased Reduction of Herds to No Livestock This alternative would also require active capture of horses with the methods best suited to reducing the population to zero, but in a phased approach.

The entire description of each alternative and all of the other documents shared throughout this process will remain on the Park’s Planning website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=105110

So, if they aren’t moving forward with any of those, how will they manage the horses?

That remains to be seen.  The Park did also issue the following press release yesterday:

Theodore Roosevelt National Park Terminates Livestock Planning Process   

Medora, N.D. — Theodore Roosevelt National Park announced today that it is terminating the Livestock Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA). The decision was made after careful consideration of the information and public comment received during the EA process.  

The park began the livestock planning effort in the winter of 2021. The EA was released in September 2023 and the planning team has spent several months reviewing the public comments received during the process. Throughout the EA process, the team held three public comment periods and the park consulted with affiliated Tribes, state officials, and the North Dakota congressional delegation. 

The park appreciates the comments and public engagement over the last three years. Information gathered will be used to inform future efforts to manage livestock, horse and cattle herds. All materials will remain on the project website for future reference.  

“Information gathered will be used to inform future efforts to manage livestock, horse and cattle herds.”

Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates is not only looking forward to what those future efforts will be, but we are already actively working on making sure that includes nothing less than allowing a genetically viable herd of horses to be managed properly. 

Senator Hoeven’s office suggested that we take a moment to enjoy this moment and appreciate that the park abandoned the process.  They said that in the coming months the park will be addressing the current management issues. 

We all also have to remember that there is a lot more happening with the management of the park – aside from the horses that are so important to all of us.  They DO have other issues and obligations they need to take care of.  The town of Medora is also preparing for the start of a busy tourist season. 

What happened yesterday brought an end to the process that seemed dead set on eliminating the herd.  For that, we are eternally grateful.

Please know that Senator Hoeven’s office is committed to making sure that a genetically viable herd of horses remain in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. His full press release reads:

HOEVEN: NPS TO MAINTAIN WILD HORSES AT THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK

Announcement Follows Senator’s Efforts, Legislation Calling on Park Service to Maintain Horses

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that he has secured a commitment from the National Park Service (NPS) to maintain the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP). The NPS will immediately terminate its proposed removal of horses at TRNP under the environmental assessment (EA) process initiated in 2022, and as a result, the existing management plan for the wild horses will remain in place. This will allow for a healthy herd of wild horses to be maintained at the park, managed in a way to support genetic diversity among the herd and preserve the park’s natural resources. This follows Hoeven’s successful efforts to:

• As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, pass a provision in annual funding legislation directing NPS to maintain “the historic scene commensurate with the historic herds during the period when President Theodore Roosevelt was a rancher in the area.”
• Secure a 30-day extension of the public comment period on the agency’s proposed options for managing the herd, giving the public additional time to submit feedback to the agency.
• Advance this priority with NPS officials, including Director Charles Sams, Midwest Regional Director Bert Frost and TRNP Superintendent Angie Richman.
  • The senator repeatedly pressed NPS to strongly consider the broad public support expressed by North Dakotans and other stakeholders for maintaining the wild horses.

“These wild horses are emblematic of President Theodore Roosevelt’s time in North Dakota, a formative experience that shaped his presidency and lasting legacy,” said Senator Hoeven. “Given the broad public support for maintaining the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, as well as the measure we passed through Congress, this is the right call by NPS. We appreciate Director Sams, Regional Director Frost and Superintendent Richman for working with us on this priority and being responsive to the input we and the public provided.” 

On the flip side…

Two years and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars later, we STILL do not have a proper management plan for these horses.

We also, as my friend Sandy Sharkey stated in the quote I shared, gained a lot of steam over the last two years.  That steam CANNOT be allowed to die out!  If it does, all of our efforts these last two years would have been for nothing.

One of our followers commented on one of our posts yesterday, “We won the war, but the battle rages on.”

We have to win the battle.  If we do not move forward with federal protection for these horses NOW, some day in the near future the park will make this attempt again.  History shows us that this is true. 

My conversation with Senator Hoeven’s office yesterday included talks of their promise to review the options of federal protection for these horses.  This is something that will likely take us YEARS to complete. 

We are also working with our state legislators as they begin preparing for their 2025 session. 

What I am saying is…

We STILL have A LOT of work to do. 

We are going to need the same ripples of support to help us be able to see this to the finish line.  We can all breathe a little easier knowing the immediate threat of the removal of the horses is over.  We just can’t stop now.

The horse in this post that I chose to share with you is Stallion Sidekick.  He and Stallion Cloud have claimed the title of the oldest stallions in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Both stallions turn the big 2-0 this year. Over the last two years, we have lost a lot of really great stallions in this TRNP herd.  In the moments of sadness as we mourned them, in my heart I took comfort in knowing that they were able to live their entire lives wild and free, while we hoped the same would be true for their relatives that remained. 

Yesterday, as I sat with Sidekick and his band, my heart was filled with warmth knowing that Sidekick should also be able to live out the rest of his life wild and free.  You can see from the photo, he didn’t appear to be too concerned about that, or anything else.

As it should be.

With all my heart, THANK YOU to each and every one of you who have helped us realize this amazing moment. 

Enjoy the moment! 

P.S. Please don’t forget to check out our online silent auction!  You can bid on over 90+ great items through 8 pm MT SUNDAY April 28, 2024! You can view all of the items, and place your bid, here: https://chwha.betterworld.org/auctions/chwha-spring-2024-silent-auction

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