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Our little herd of horses from Theda in the far north which we keep wild in a conservation area near Broome is doing well. They are proving that small herds improve the land by grazing down grasses which help prevent fires, they make single narrow tracks for other wildlife to follow, leading them to water and avoiding snakes, they spread the indigenous seed promoting growth and always come to their water trough at nightfall where we can feed them hay and check their health regularly. All six boys are gelded and the filly has turned 1 year old and will soon go to the Equine Therapy Project in Broome. Thankfully we have had very few call outs for foals lately, we've brought the beautiful mare Sage in for training and she is now best mates with Roi the foal saved from Bililuna. Here are some photos of our Theda herd as foals dating since we started them in 2014.
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We thank everyone who donated to make it possible for us to save these foals and to keep travelling into wild horse areas to check on them. We continue to monitor the areas where the horses live and record the benefits that they bring to the environment. Firebreak tracks, grazing down fireload, soil tilling for regrowth, soil fertilising and indigenous grass seed spreading, etc.... Researching our herd behaviour is also important. Gelded stallions become guardians for new foals and are diligent about it, giving mares confidence to relax. Family groups are very loyal and sharing. Mares form girls groups and geldings go off on private adventures but always come back to the herd. Grazing patterns ensure wild herds have a balanced diet, green or dry feed. Best places to hide from the heat, where the best breezes blow, the best trees for shelter. Wild horses are very clear about which area they own, which territory is theirs. Here is our new foal Mistral and other foals we found.
After a call from Balgo community in the East Kimberley we got ready for a long drive to collect two foals that had been mistreated by kids. This was cancelled as police said we couldn’t enter. So the foals were put into the schoolyard and we managed to send out foaling pellets and lucerne chaff and canola oil which seems to have saved them and they’re now doing well and will be released into a herd again soon
A call from Warmun community in the East Kimberley about a foal attacked by dogs and badly injured. Saved by nurse Tena who treated the wounds and kept him alive with skimmed milk until Lee drove out from Derby to collect him. Both Tena and Lee as well as Andrew put long hours and very hard work into saving this colt, now called Hunter. He’s had his wounds cleaned out several times and the infection is bad. We sent Profelac silver, which he Loves, and lucerne chaff, antibiotics and Chinese herbs and he’s met Lee’s other horses. He’s a real little fighter, has good and bad days but is very keen to eat and drink. He spends time inside under the aircon and spells in a sling as his wounds heal.
 Oberon, our 12 month old colt, was gelded today. This completes our herd of 7 geldings who have a great life together running free on the plain.    The wild horses living near Broome on the Yawuru Conservation Area known as Waterbank. Photos by Erick Kennedy. Some photos today of our wild herd from Theda station. Cleverly alternating their diet with green grass and dry grass. Diego has been adopted by our good friends Will and Vicki! |
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December 2021
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