Welcome to the blog by Marylu Weber

This blog contains dozens of posts and photos of the wild, feral horses from the park and some of the people involved with them. These horses are owned by the park and not managed by the BLM. To see most of the photos, scroll to the bottom of this page. To find earlier posts of interest go to Blog Archive on the right and follow this guide:

For some of the history of the horses and people involved:

2008
Wild Horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
2009
Tom Tescher's Story
The Boicourts
The Roundup

The Sale

For some of the special horses' stories:
2008
Fire's Story
Whisper's Story
2009
Our Boys Come Home
Dancing with a Wild Horse
Whit's Story
2010

The Dance Continues
Training Update

More Dancing with Hawk
More Training for Hawk
Bashful, the Steps of His Life

Post of Interest:
2009
Four Stallion Fight
Hazards, Did I Mention Hazards?

Thursday, March 12, 2015

The North Dakota Badlands Horse Registry is proud and honored to announce the signing of an agreement between Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the North Dakota Badlands Horse Registry. The entire Board of Directors wish to extend our gratitude to the entire TRNP park staff and in particular Wendy Ross-Acting Superintendent, Bill Whitworth-Resource Manager and Blake McCann-Wildlife Biologist. Please read the National Park Service Release below for more information.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park Enters Partnership with North Dakota Badlands Horse Registry

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Date: March 10, 2015
Contact: Eileen Andes, 701-623-4466
Contact: Bill Whitworth, 701-623-4466
MEDORA, ND: Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the North Dakota Badlands Horse Registry (NDBH) have signed a partnership agreement to facilitate transfer of excess feral horses from park lands in the South Unit to private ownership. The park maintains horses as an "historic demonstration herd" for visitor enjoyment, but these horses must be actively managed to avoid overgrazing and resource damage.

In recent years, the park has conducted helicopter based, large-scale roundups every four to five years. Surplus animals were then sold off-site through traditional sale barns. Roundups were expensive and labor intensive. The agreement provides a less expensive and safer management alternative using low-stress handling techniques and transferring them directly into private ownership.

NDBH is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that promotes, advocates for, and registers horses removed from the park. Under the agreement, NDBH will develop a program to identify willing recipients who can provide long-term homes for the horses. Through direct sale, sealed bid, or auction, NDBH will assist park management in transferring horses to private owners. Proceeds will be used solely for covering costs incurred by NDBH and the park for the placement of animals. The agreement can be renewed after five years and does not preclude the concurrent development of other partnerships.

The park has long recognized the benefit of cooperators in its mission to conserve natural and cultural resources. Successful partnership agreements have been developed for managing elk, bighorn sheep, bison, wildland fire, historic preservation, water quality, invasive weeds, and native plant seed production.

"This partnership will provide an innovative solution to the long-standing safety and expense problem posed by horse roundup operations," said Acting Superintendent Wendy Ross. "We look forward to improving management techniques, conducting research, and enhancing public relations in cooperation with the North Dakota Badlands Horse Registry."