Farm helps horses rescued from the wilds of Alberta

Photo: Doreen Zyderveld-Hagel

Darrel Glover of HAWS, an Alberta horse rescue society, with rescued horse Nikita..

Queasiness gripped me as I entered the paddock.

These weren’t ordinary horses but wild, orphaned foals sharing pastures with their adoptive mothers and saddle ponies. Surrounded by curious youngsters, I gasped, feeling claustrophobic as they jostled for position to meet this stranger.

Although I've had extensive experience with equines, I lost my edge a long time ago. A devastating riding accident on my mustang quarter-horse cross in 2016 altered the course of my life.

Dusk, a yearling, moved in for a warm embrace by wrapping his head and neck around me. Wow! Did you catch that? I exclaimed. Being lovey-dovey was short-lived. The wild horse, predictably, then tried biting my ankle and arm. To subtly obstruct his approach, I positioned my elbow in his path. The manoeuvre was harmless to both of us, and Dusk moved on to hassle another colt.

My wild horse encounter took place at the North of 40 Ranch (home of Darrell Glover and Barb Robinson of HAWS (Help Alberta's Wildies Society) near Olds, Alberta. Their menagerie included everything from a donkey to abandoned cats, the latter having been callously dumped by someone on the roadside. The seniors saved every creature on their land from a horrible death.

I'm awestruck by their kindness and their ability to rally support for animals in need during crises. Before my visit, I checked out many YouTube and Facebook videos about them saving abandoned baby horses. For instance, Dusk, orphaned, sought to integrate with a new herd. He attempted to nurse from several mares, but they rejected him and the stallion chased him away.

Photo: Doreen Zyderveld-Hagel

Darrell Glover and Barb Robinson of HAWS.

The HAWS team received calls about Dusk from several people. At the ranch, he was raised by a substitute mother. The team’s searches often include lactating mares who recently lost their foals. To help mares accept orphaned colts, they're sometimes dressed in the hides of stillborn foals and the mares are given bonding drugs. Both the foal and its previously bereaved mother benefit because she thinks it is her own and raises it as such.

• When he was just a month old, Hunter's mom passed away. Left by his band beside his deceased mare, he remained there for more than a week, subsisting on foul water and fending off scavenging birds trying to feed on the carcass. It's remarkable that Hunter avoided detection by wolves, bears and cougars.

• Lost and alone, some outdoor enthusiasts found Nikita. The foal had infected puncture wounds from a coyote attack. Now with a foster equine mom, she's thriving.

• Upon discovery, Sarge was barely alive. Another stallion, not its father, tried to kill him by grabbing the foal's neck with its teeth and shaking him vigorously. Males perform infanticide to guarantee the female's return to estrus and subsequent reproduction. Thankfully, he wasn't successful. After getting a new mom at the ranch, the now weaned pinto is doing wonderfully in his new adoptive home.

However, not all the rescued survive. A young foal named Warrior had to be euthanized because of a purulent, paralyzed back leg, and his companion Timber suffered the same outcome later. Almost all foals on the ranch arrive immunodeficient, which could account for their desertion. TLC from HAWS helps most to recover. When old enough, the HAWS team places them with pre-screened human families.

My brief observation of Darrell and Barb revealed their humility, sincerity, and genuineness. Though fame followed naturally, it wasn't their goal. Their focus is solely on aiding wild horses in distress, encompassing both physical and political support. Because of their limited expertise and facilities, they can only help younger mustangs in need.

I applaud their resilience and determination, which was bolstered after their temporary incarceration with other HAWS members for a peaceful protest of trapped horses destined for slaughter.

"If you ever hold another demonstration, I'll go with you,” I said.

"Yes, I'll call if we need someone to go to jail with us," Darrell laughed.

HAWS is a powerful lobby group dedicated to saving Alberta Foothills' wild horses from a birth control program that would sterilize mares for years or even permanently. Predation and other natural causes result in the death of half of all wild foals.

Over 10 years of exploring crown land, I've seen countless wild horses killed by thrill-seeking poachers. Combine that with capture pens and death by other causes, their numbers are declining.

These unique horses are close to extinction, with approximately 1500 remaining. That the horses inhabit a large area unsuitable for humans further proves their harmlessness and positive environmental impact. They don’t compete with cattle for feed.

To help end the government of Alberta's equine genocide program, call (780 644-7353), email ([email protected] and cc: [email protected]) or write to Todd Loewen, Alberta’s Forestry and Parks minister, at: 323 Legislature Building, 10800 - 97 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5K 2B6.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.