Category / wild horse

by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

The Mustang Management Contraceptive Primer

MUSTANG MANAGEMENT CONTRACEPTIVE PRIMER 

This is not a debate on which is the best method of controlling wild horse numbers. These are simply the facts. It is clear science is far from perfect but research and observation can serve to give us an idea, a general sense of something which can compel us to look for more answers and continue research, preferably as humanely and as compassionately as possible. This is also not a debate as to whether mustangs should be classified as a native species in North America, returned native species, indigenous or invasive. They are here, with limited resources, and they are our responsibility.

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Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP):  The compound PZP, which is short for Porcina Zona Pellucida, is derived from sow ovaries. When the pigs are slaughtered for the meat industry, the excess tissue not used for the food industry is either discarded or utilized for non-consumption purposes. Some tissue used for research and others for the preparation of drugs. Heparin is a potent anticoagulant given to almost every patient who has had surgery followed by an overnight stay in the hospital, to prevent the formation of blood clots. Heparin is derived from pig intestines. Insulin, given to diabetics, was originally made from cow, pig, and even whale pancreases. Currently there are still some available that contain animal products, although there are genetically modified human insulins and insulin analogs that are not animal based (http://iddt.org/about/gm-vs-animal-insulin).


Pesticide Classification: The FDA classifies PZP as a pesticide simply because they do not have a category for contraception. Pesticides control the numbers of a populations be it insect or mammal, and because they can be quite destructive, pesticides are deemed as negative chemical compounds. PZPdoes not have any direct effect on any of the plants or animals other than the inoculated mares.

How it works: PZP works by stimulating the immune system of a mare to produce antibodies which migrate through the horse’s body to an oocyte (egg). When the mare ovulates, the antibodies immediately surround the egg, making it impenetrable to sperm. The egg cannot be fertilized and there is no foal. The reproductive behavior remains relatively normal, the mare goes into estrus and is covered by a stallion but there is no resulting offspring <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE Barber200118(Barber, Lee, Steffens, Ard, & Fayrer-Hosken, 2001)181817Barber, M. R.Lee, S. M.Steffens, W. L.Ard, M.Fayrer-Hosken, R. A.Immunolocalization of zona pellucida antigens in the ovarian follicle of dogs, cats, horses and elephantsTheriogenologyTheriogenology1705-17175582001May0093-691XWOS:000168957100010<Go to ISI>://WOS:00016895710001010.1016/s0093-691x(01)00514-3<![endif]–>(Barber, Lee, Steffens, Ard, & Fayrer-Hosken, 2001)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>.

Risks: PZP is not without risks. The currently long acting PZP-22 can last approximately 22 months. PZP is based on the immune system of the mares and this can cause variation in the efficacy and duration of the contraceptive effect. As in humans utilizing long term injectable contraception (Depo-Provera), the mare’s return to fertility is quite variable <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE Kirkpatrick200924(Kirkpatrick et al., 2009)242417Kirkpatrick, J. F.Rowan, A.Lamberski, N.Wallace, R.Frank, K.Lyda, R.The practical side of immunocontraception: zona proteins and wildlifeJournal of Reproductive ImmunologyJournal of Reproductive Immunology151-157831-22009Dec0165-0378WOS:000273024800028<Go to ISI>://WOS:00027302480002810.1016/j.jri.2009.06.257<![endif]–>(Kirkpatrick et al., 2009)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>. The reason PZP is not offered to humans is because the efficacy rate is not high enough.

“For contraceptive treatment to be an effective management tool, it usually needs to be reversible (Kirkpatrick & Turner 1991). A long term study of feral horses showed that PZP was reversible even when females were treated for several years (Kirkpatrick & Turner 2002). However some females appeared not to return to full fertility after long-term PZP treatment and similar side effects were seen with GNRH treatments in deer (e.g. Miller et al. 2000a). Consequently, most wildlife contraceptives are reversible, or have minimal impact after prolonged use.”  (Gray & Cameron, 2010).

Prolonged use has demonstrated that some mares will never return to fertility. Kirkpatrick, Liu, Turner, Naugle, and Keiper (1992)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> found that three factors determine the return to normal reproductive function: the amount of PZP administered, the number of antibodies produced by the mare, and ovarian dysfunction. Earlier studies also demonstrated damage to ovaries although the PZP preparation was crude in the earlier stages of development <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE Kirkpatrick199226(Kirkpatrick et al., 1992)262617Kirkpatrick, J. F.Liu, I. M. K.Turner, J. W.Naugle, R.Keiper, R.LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF PORCINE ZONAE-PELLUCIDAE IMMUNOCONTRACEPTION ON OVARIAN-FUNCTION IN FERAL HORSES (EQUUS-CABALLUS)Journal of Reproduction and FertilityJournal of Reproduction and Fertility437-4449421992Mar0022-4251WOS:A1992HR77000018<Go to ISI>://WOS:A1992HR77000018<![endif]–>(Kirkpatrick et al., 1992)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>.

Abscesses at the injection sites have been reported but these are temporary, and heal without complications.

PZP and Tuberculosis: Finally, there were some rumours floating around social media that PZP can cause tuberculosis. Although this may sound like science-fiction or the nefarious work of people against keeping the horses wild, there is some truth. The original method of getting PZP into the animals involved piggy-backing the molecule on a carrier molecule or adjuvant. Adjuvants are not biologically active but their presence can trigger an immune response. It may result in a false positive antibody response for tuberculosis. The animal doesn’t have the disease, and many human vaccines work this way by stimulating the body to form antibodies to something not biologically active.  The original choice for the adjuvant was a mycobacterium- the mycobacteria family are known to cause tuberculosis and many other diseases. Because the PZP was attached to an inactive mycobacterium, in some animals it cause a false-positive tuberculosis antibody response. They changedthe adjuvant for the preparation of PZP so now there is no mycobacterium involved. Additionally, horses cannot contract or transmit tuberculosis <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE  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endif]–>(Lyda, Hall, & Kirkpatrick, 2005)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>.

GONACON: This method works by injecting mares with a synthetic (man-made) chemical compound called GonaCon. This compound acts against a hormone called gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). In the reproductive cycle of mammals, GnRH is produced by the anterior pituitary gland. This gland controls reproduction by stimulating the release of the follicle stimulating hormone and the luteinizing hormone (and others). ConaCon works by stopping the production of GnRH and subsequently the luteinizing hormone and without LH, there is no ovulation, no corpus luteum, and therefore, no egg/offspring <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE Speroff201230(Speroff & Fritz, 2012)30306Speroff, L.Fritz, M. Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility 8th2012New Yok Lippincott Williams & Wilkins<![endif]–>(Speroff & Fritz, 2012)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>. Like PZP, GonaCon can result in prolonged infertility (Ransom, 2014). The tables below represent one study each- these data are only reflecting the results one study and may not have generalisability to the entire population. The general consensus amongst zoos and researchers is that PZP is 90% effective when administered correctly.

In a study by <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE Ransom201429Jason I. Ransom et al. (2014)292917Ransom, Jason I.Powers, Jenny G.Garbe, Heidi M.Oehler Sr, Michael W.Nett, Terry M.Baker, Dan L.Behavior of feral horses in response to culling and GnRH immunocontraceptionApplied Animal Behaviour ScienceApplied Animal Behaviour Science81-92157Equus caballusFertility controlGonadotropin releasing hormoneSocial behaviorWild horseWildlife contraception20148//0168-1591http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016815911400135Xhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.05.002<![endif]–>Jason I. Ransom et al. (2014)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>, the researchers found there were fewer behavioural differences in mares treated with GonaCon, compared to those treated with PZP. They modeled their GonaCon study after the PZP study and found fewer alterations in the wild mare’s behavior. GonaCon is still a recent addition to the world of wildlife contraception and has potential as a potential management tool for equids. It shows promise but the long-term data is still unavailable.  


GonaCon can be given to males because the GnRH stimulates testosterone production in males. However, studies of stags treated with GonaCon resulted in antler deformity and other negative consequences. “In conclusion, the GnRH vaccination in male rusa deer resulted in the increase in GnRH antibody titer, which negatively correlated with blood testosterone. The decrease in blood testosterone might be involved in the lower semen quality and poor antler development” (Phraluk, O. et al, 2015). There is potential for use in stallions but we need more research in this area.


Because GonaCon a works systemically, not targeting the reproductive tract as specifically as PZP, the potential for side effects increases. The closer to the intended target a medication or treatment is administered, the more effective, the lower the dose, and adverse drugs reaction are substantially decreased. The Global Library of Women’s Health states: “In non-reproductive tissues, GnRH has been reported to modulate neuronal migration, visual processing, digestive tract function, and immune T cell chemotaxis. Studies in endometrial, ovarian, and prostate tumor cell lines have implicated GnRH in mediating cell growth, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.” (http://www.glowm.com/section_view/heading/Gonadotropin-releasing%2520Hormone%2520(GnRH)%2520and%2520the%2520GnRH%2520Receptor%2520(GnRHR)/item/284)
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Table 1. (Represents data from one study)
Infertility over three-years with equine contraception (Kilian et al., 2006).
Infertility after one year
Infertility after two years
Infertility after three years
Spay- Vac PZP
100%
80%
80%
GonaCon
94%
60%
53%
Copper IUD
80%
29%*
14%*
*The assumption is the IUD’s had been expelled in the mare who became pregnant

Table 2. (Represents data from another study)

Foaling rates at three horse management areas after PZP treatment  (Ransom, J.,et al, 2011).
Foaling Rates
Type of contraception
Treated
Untreated
Little Book Cliffs
6.6%
60.1%
PZP in liquid form requires annual boosters
McCullough
31.7%
75%
PZP in pelleted form- designed to last two years
Pryor Mountain
17.7%
62.8%
PZP in liquid form requires annual boosters
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Any time we begin to tamper with Mother Nature- it places us at risk. Treating mares with immunocontraception and/or Gonacon can have negative consequences on the familial structures of a highly social animal. Treating mares with these two compounds can result in mare giving birth to foal during time of limited resources. A study determined that there are differences in parturition times for mare treated compared with mares that were not treated. Foals born during more normal times for wild horses have a higher survival rate. <!–[if supportFields]> ADDIN EN.CITE Ransom201331(J. I. Ransom, Hobbs, & Bruemmer, 2013)313117Ransom, J. I.Hobbs, N. T.Bruemmer, J.Contraception can Lead to Trophic Asynchrony between Birth Pulse and ResourcesPlos OnePlos One812013Jan1932-6203WOS:000315211500043<Go to ISI>://WOS:000315211500043e5497210.1371/journal.pone.0054972<![endif]–>(J. I. Ransom, Hobbs, & Bruemmer, 2013)<!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>.  

However, all negative consequences of injectable contraception pale in comparison to the disruption of the social structure during round-ups. Separation of mares from stallions and their offspring occurs during round-ups and culling. Family bands are broken up and the horses face the terrible loss of their freedom. A balance must be found and the benefits and the negative outcomes must be weighed. There is a chance a mare treated with the above methods, may never foal again- but that mare remains free. There is always the potential she may resume ovulation however, she is will not spend her life in a holding pen. A study by Turner, Liu, Flanagan, and Rutberg (2007) indicated one mare out of sixteen in the study, did not have a normal return to fertility. Is a chance of infertility worth the price of freedom?
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OVARECTOMY: This is removal of a mare’s ovaries. This method is irreversible, the mare will never breed again. Behaviorally, it reverts a mare to a non-breeding state. There is not a lot of data and/or research regarding this permanent method in the wild horse population which is why research proposals are being requested by government agencies The risks are the this surgical procedure are post-operative infection and possible abortion of a fetus if the mare is gravid at the time of the procedure.  Additionally there is the loss of that mare’s potential contribution to the genetic diversity of that herd management area.  This loss is not well defined and may vary based of the genetic variation in a herd management area. Mares should be monitored for three weeks post-operative (optimally), before being returned to the range to live out their lives. The upfront cost is high, but the end result is permanent. It has been proposed for mare over a certain age, selected by the currently proposed studies, as means to control the populations which would allow the mares to live free without foaling year after year (Speroff & Fritz, 2012, National Research Council, 2013).


CHEMICAL STERILIZATION/VASECTOMY/NEUTERING:  These methods, performed on stallions, are permanent means of limiting wild horse populations. In chemical sterilization, stallions have a solution injected into the testes which causes necrosis and eventual tissue death of the testes. It is painful and carries a high risk of infection but is very cost-effective (Zhanwei, 1989),  Orchiectomy (removal of testes: aka gelding/neutering) is another permanent method which removes the testes of a stallion. Like chemical sterilization, ‘gelding’ causes behavioral changes and the stallions become less aggressive, there is less fighting and they cannot reproduce. Vasectomy involves severing the vas deferens of a stallion so that the communication between the testes and the penis is removed. The sperm are not able to be passed through the urethra during copulation. Behavior remains the same because the testes are still present and producing testosterone. Infection rates are much lower in vasectomies, the procedure is less painful but it requires a delicate touch, it may not be 100% effective, and the horse must be anesthetized or sedated (Speroff & Fritz, 2012, National Research Council, 2013).

ROUND-UPS: This method involves gathering the horses by use of helicopters, men on horses, ATV, trucks, and bait trapping. The bait-trapping is the least likely to cause physical harm but none of these methods are without significant risks. Helicopter round-ups have the highest incidences of morbidity and mortality.  The horses are gathered, separated and either returned to the horse management area, or they are removed to a holding facility for potential adoption.

RESERVE DESIGN:  This method of mustang management has merit in a perfect world. The theory is to find a place for the horses to live. A place that has natural horse-predators (may prove to be difficult to find), natural barriers to prevent migration in/out of the area, and neighbours sympathetic to mustangs.  The area has to have sufficient food, water, shelter, and other necessities for survival year round. Funds for this preserve may be obtained through ‘eco-tourism’ and public education regarding the wild horses are included in this plan.  Reserve design is a wonderful idea but it does not have practical application. The land that would be needed is not available, at least not at this time, for the numbers necessary.  The monitoring of these herds and the management of these herds must be carried out as well and the necessary people to oversee each area. The goal of ‘reserve design’ is to be self-sufficient in which the wild horses achieve homoeostasis with regards to population growth. Because the predation is very low, and we cannot safely import predators, this will prove to be challenging. Incorporating natural predators to assist in controlling the wild horse population can have deleterious effects on the domestic population of horses and of livestock. Historically, once a predator begins to hunt within the domestic population, the end result usually has rather negative consequences for the predator.


SELF-REGULATION: This involves leaving the mustangs alone to establish population equilibrium without any interference. There is no scientific evidence that this methods works and history has shown us wild horses do not fare well with a hands-off approach. Unfortunately the resources the mustangs have within the management areas are limited and the horses will suffer in one way or another if left unmanaged. There are three factors that determine a population’s ability to grow. They are: available resources, predation, and disease. Many of the wild horses at Cold Creek starved to death or had to be humanely euthanized because resources became compromised.  The resources may be limited due to naturally occurring factors such as drought or fire, or they may face competition from livestock grazing on the same land. Regardless of the mechanism, reduced resources will cause competition, and result starvation or disease in the wild horse population. Occasionally a mountain lion will take a foal or an older/injured horse but cougars are not primary predators of the mustangs . Wolves generally do not live in the horse management areas with any regularity. Disease is a concern with any animal left in overcrowded situations. Chronic Wasting Disease is a disease that began in the mule deer population, and has spread to other cervids (herbivorous even-toed mammals in which the male carries antlers). The current deer populations are substantially larger than the available resources in the north-east United States, and this disease has now been identified in white-tailed deer of the Adirondack Mountains. Similar to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease, this disease is affecting all cervids, not just the deer (Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance, 2016).  If the populations of wild horses were left alone, they would increase to the point of starvation and disease. It would only be a matter of time before a disease mutated in that population and spread to the domestic horse population with devastating consequences.

DECLARING THE MUSTANG “ENDANGERED”: This method is to first declare the mustang a ‘native wild species’ and then have it declared endangered- which may prove difficult. The mustang is the same species as domestic horses. They fall within the same genera: Equus and species: caballus. They have no genetic markers or any other characteristic that differentiate them from their domestic counterparts.  There has been proposed theories that they behave differently but this was not enough for the United States Fish and Wildlife to declare mustangs as a separate subspecies.  The wild horses are identical genetically, physiologically, and behaviorally to the horses in your paddock.  There are currently 40-50,000 presumably wild horses in captivity at BLM holding facilities. There are an estimated 20-40,000 living wild on horse management areas, and several thousand more domesticated mustangs living with people. These numbers alone are not sufficient for endangered species status, or even threatened species if USFW was willing to grant them subspecies status. 

Proponents of making mustangs endangered believe that once they achieve the endangered species status, the mustangs would be granted the ultimate protection. However, advocacy groups would no longer have a say in their conservation; they would be managed by Fish and Wildlife. The now ‘endangered’ mustangs may be moved to locations to protect their numbers and they may very well lose their freedom if they were to ever to gain protected status. Our descendants would not be able to see these ‘endangered mustangs’ living free; they would only see them in zoos and protected reserves.


The belief that mustangs are a separate species or a separate animal from domestic horses is the first hurdle to overcome with this method. However, that has proven to be impossible. They are not separate; they are the same species just as a miniature horse and a Clydesdale are the same species. They are horses that have returned to the wild and been wildly successful at surviving and reproducing.   

“Managing them to extinction” is a catch-phrase often used to describe the situation of the wild horses. Mustangs will never become extinct because they aren’t recognized as a separate sub-species of the modern horse. However, there is a very good chance our children and their descendants will never see a free roaming mustang, and that would be the greatest tragedy of all. Regardless of their origin, regardless of their heritage, the mustangs are our responsibility. We need science to save the mustangs, scientists with the necessary credentials and expertise in wildlife management, ecology, contraceptive experts, and equine ethology all working to establish the best and most humane method of managing wild horses. Each management area is unique and each management area needs its own method of achieving appropriate and healthy numbers. The phrase “managing them to eradication” is more accurate, less sensational rhetoric and implies the same message without any controversy regarding the species/subspecies status of the wild mustangs.  


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Meredith Hudes-Lowder is a Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health and an expert on contraception. Additionally, she has a bachelor’s of biology with a concentration in environmental education.  She will graduate in May 2016 with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. She runs the largest exclusively wild horse photography site on Facebook with Karen McLain- they have almost half a million fans. Bruce Lowder was consulted for this blog. He is a wildlife expert, naturalist, and worked for U.S. Fish and Game.
References:

Barber, M. R., Lee, S. M., Steffens, W. L., Ard, M., & Fayrer-Hosken, R. A. (2001). Immunolocalization of zona pellucida antigens in the ovarian follicle of dogs, cats, horses and elephants. Theriogenology, 55(8), 1705-1717. doi:10.1016/s0093-691x(01)00514-3
Gray, M. E., & Cameron, E. Z. (2010). Does contraceptive treatment in wildlife result in side effects? A review of quantitative and anecdotal evidence. Reproduction, 139(1), 45-55. doi:10.1530/rep-08-0456


Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance (2016). Webage URL http://www.cwd-info.org/index.php/fuseaction/about.main. Accessed 01/11/2016.

Killian, G., Diel, N., Miller, L., Rhyan, J, Thain, D. (2006). Long-Term Efficacy of Three Contraceptive Approaches for Population Control of Wild Horses. USDA National Wildlife Research Center – Staff Publications.

Kirkpatrick, J. F., Liu, I. M. K., Turner, J. W., Naugle, R., & Keiper, R. (1992). LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF PORCINE ZONAE-PELLUCIDAE IMMUNOCONTRACEPTION ON OVARIAN-FUNCTION IN FERAL HORSES (EQUUS-CABALLUS). Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 94(2), 437-444.  Retrieved from ://WOS:A1992HR77000018
Kirkpatrick, J. F., Rowan, A., Lamberski, N., Wallace, R., Frank, K., & Lyda, R. (2009). The practical side of immunocontraception: zona proteins and wildlife. Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 83(1-2), 151-157. doi:10.1016/j.jri.2009.06.257
Lyda, R. O., Hall, J. R., & Kirkpatrick, J. F. (2005). A comparison of Freund’s Complete and Freund’s Modified Adjuvants used with a contraceptive vaccine in wild horses (Equus caballus). J Zoo Wildl Med, 36(4), 610-616. doi:10.1638/04104.1

National Research Council, (2013). Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: A Way Forward. PDF accessed 01/12/16: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/13511/using-science-to-improve-the-blm-wild-horse-and-burro-program.

Phraluk, Orasa; Wajjwalku, Worawidh; Siriaroonrat, Boripat; Booddee, Orawan; Thongtip, Nikorn. (2015). Effects of immunization against gonadotropin releasing hormone on reproductive functions in male rusa deer (Rusa timorensis). The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine 45.1   (Mar 2015): 1,3-10.
Ransom, J.,   Roelle, J.,  Cade, B., Coates-Markle, L., Kane, A., Ransom, Jason I., Roelle, James E., Cade, Brian S.,Coates-Markle, L., & Kane, A. (2011) Foaling Rates in Feral Horses Treated With the Immunocontraceptive Porcine Zona Pellucida. WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN.
Ransom, J. I., Hobbs, N. T., & Bruemmer, J. (2013). Contraception can Lead to Trophic Asynchrony between Birth Pulse and Resources. Plos One, 8(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054972
Ransom, J. I., Powers, J. G., Garbe, H. M., Oehler Sr, M. W., Nett, T. M., & Baker, D. L. (2014). Behavior of feral horses in response to culling and GnRH immunocontraception. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 157, 81-92. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.05.002
Speroff, L., & Fritz, M. (2012). Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility (8th ed.). New Yok: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Turner, J. W., Liu, I. K. M., Flanagan, D. R., & Rutberg, A. T. (2007). Immunocontraception in wild horses: One inoculation provides two years of infertility. Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(2), 662-667. doi:10.2193/2005-779

Zhanwei, S. (1989). Chemical castration of horses and mules by injecting testis with iodine tincture. Journal of Liaoning Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine.

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Other resources:

Barber, M. R., Lee, S. M., & Fayrer-Hosken, R. A. (1998). Staining patterns to the zona pellucida of the dog, cat, horse and elephant with porcine zona pellucida (pZP) antisera. Theriogenology, 49(1), 307-307. doi:10.1016/s0093-691x(98)90660-4
Barber, M. R., Lee, S. M., Steffens, W. L., Ard, M., & Fayrer-Hosken, R. A. (2001). 

Immunolocatiom of zona pellucida antigens in the ovarian follicle of dogs, cats, horses and elephants. Theriogenology, 55(8), 1705-1717. doi:10.1016/s0093-691x(01)00514-3


Berger, J. (1983). Induced abortion and social factors in wild horses. Nature, 303(5912), 59-61.  Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/303059a0

Bowling, A. T., & Touchberry, R. W. (1990). Parentage of Great Basin Feral Horses. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 54(3), 424-429. doi:10.2307/3809652

Duncan, P. (1982). Foal killing by stallions. Applied Animal Ethology, 8(6), 567-570. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-3762(82)90221-8
Feh, C. (1990). Long-term paternity data in relation to different aspects of rank for camargue stallions, Equus caballus. Animal Behaviour, 40(5), 995-996. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(05)81007-3

Feh, C., & Munkhtuya, B. (2008). Male infanticide and paternity analyses in a socially natural herd of Przewalski’s horses: sexual selection? Behav Processes, 78(3), 335-339. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2007.12.009

Gray, M. E. (2009). An infanticide attempt by a free-roaming feral stallion (Equus caballus). Biol Lett, 5(1), 23-25. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008.0571

Gray, M. E., & Cameron, E. Z. (2010). Does contraceptive treatment in wildlife result in side effects? A review of quantitative and anecdotal evidence. Reproduction, 139(1), 45-55. doi:10.1530/rep-08-0456
Gray, M. E., Thain, D. S., Cameron, E. Z., & Miller, L. A. (2010). Multi-year fertility reduction in free-roaming feral horses with single-injection immunocontraceptive formulations. Wildlife Research, 37(6), 475-481. doi:10.1071/wr09175
Jordana, J., Pares, P. M., & Sanchez, A. (1995). ANALYSIS OF GENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS IN HORSE BREEDS. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 15(7), 320-328. doi:10.1016/s0737-0806(06)81738-7
Kavar, T., & Dovc, P. (2008). Domestication of the horse: Genetic relationships between domestic and wild horses. Livestock Science, 116(1-3), 1-14. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2008.03.002

Kirkpatrick, J. F., Liu, I. M. K., Turner, J. W., Naugle, R., & Keiper, R. (1992). LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF PORCINE ZONAE-PELLUCIDAE IMMUNOCONTRACEPTION ON OVARIAN-FUNCTION IN FERAL HORSES (EQUUS-CABALLUS). Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 94(2), 437-444.  Retrieved from ://WOS:A1992HR77000018

Kirkpatrick, J. F., Rowan, A., Lamberski, N., Wallace, R., Frank, K., & Lyda, R. (2009). The practical side of immunocontraception: zona proteins and wildlife. Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 83(1-2), 151-157. doi:10.1016/j.jri.2009.06.257

Kirkpatrick, J. F., & Turner, A. (2002). Reversibility of action and safety during pregnancy of immunization against porcine zona pellucida in wild mares (Equus caballus). Reproduction (Cambridge, England) Supplement, 60, 197-202.  Retrieved from http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/12220160

Linklater, W. L., Cameron, E. Z., Minot, E. O., & Stafford, K. J. (1999). Stallion harassment and the mating system of horses. Anim Behav, 58(2), 295-306. doi:10.1006/anbe.1999.1155

Linklater, W. L., Cameron, E. Z., Stafford, K. J., & Minot, E. O. (2013). Removal experiments indicate that subordinate stallions are not helpers. Behav Processes, 94, 1-4. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2013.02.005

Lyda, R. O., Hall, J. R., & Kirkpatrick, J. F. (2005). A comparison of Freund’s Complete and Freund’s Modified Adjuvants used with a contraceptive vaccine in wild horses (Equus caballus). J Zoo Wildl Med, 36(4), 610-616. doi:10.1638/04104.1

Madosky, J. M., Rubenstein, D. I., Howard, J. J., & Stuska, S. (2010). The effects of immunocontraception on harem fidelity in a feral horse (Equus caballus) population. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 128(1–4), 50-56. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2010.09.013

Mask, T. A., Schoenecker, K. A., Kane, A. J., Ransom, J. I., & Bruemmer, J. E. (2015). Serum antibody immunoreactivity to equine zona protein after SpayVac vaccination. Theriogenology, 84(2), 261-267. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.03.012

Massei, G., & Cowan, D. (2014). Fertility control to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts: a review. Wildlife Research, 41(1), 1-21. doi:10.1071/wr13141

Nuñez, C. M. V., Adelman, J. S., Mason, C., & Rubenstein, D. I. (2009). Immunocontraception decreases group fidelity in a feral horse population during the non-breeding season. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 117(1–2), 74-83. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.12.001

Pluhacek, J., & Bartos, L. (2000). Male infanticide in captive plains zebra, Equus burchelli. Anim Behav, 59(4), 689-694. doi:10.1006/anbe.1999.1371

Ransom, J. I., Hobbs, N. T., & Bruemmer, J. (2013). Contraception can Lead to Trophic Asynchrony between Birth Pulse and Resources. Plos One, 8(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054972

Ransom, J. I., Powers, J. G., Garbe, H. M., Oehler Sr, M. W., Nett, T. M., & Baker, D. L. (2014). Behavior of feral horses in response to culling and GnRH immunocontraception. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 157, 81-92. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.05.002

Schulman, M. L., Botha, A. E., Muenscher, S. B., Annandale, C. H., Guthrie, A. J., & Bertschinger, H. J. (2013). Reversibility of the effects of GnRH-vaccination used to suppress reproductive function in mares. Equine Veterinary Journal, 45(1), 111-113. doi:10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00577.x

Speroff, L., & Fritz, M. (2012). Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility (8th ed.). New Yok: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Turner, J. W., Liu, I. K. M., Flanagan, D. R., & Rutberg, A. T. (2007). Immunocontraception in wild horses: One inoculation provides two years of infertility. Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(2), 662-667. doi:10.2193/2005-779



by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

The wild horses of the Salt River

In light of the recent uproar regarding the future of the Salt River Horses in Arizona, including the false alarm of a “round-up in progress”, I thought I’d take some time to jot a few things down. Bear in mind I am playing the devil’s advocate in some of these comments and I firmly feel those horses deserve the right to live free at the River. I do not feel they represent a safety hazard to anyone nor have there been any negative incidents involving horse-human interactions. Cool heads need to prevail and present the facts clearly and calmly. 

The Salt River Horses of Arizona are in danger of losing their freedom. Advocates are scrambling to find rationales for preserving this beautiful population of wild horses. You may read that they are descendent of Spanish Colonial Horses and therefore they should be protected. Unfortunately, as soon as domestic horses were allowed to interbreed with the Salt River horses over the years, the lineage became diluted and their historical value diminished. There is no test currently, that allows us to differentiate a wild horse from a domestic horse. This is the principal reason the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife denied the recent petition to make the mustang an endangered species. We cannot tell them apart from domestic horses. The wild horses have no genetic mutations that are unique and therefore they cannot be isolated or differentiated from the domestic population. Even conformation isn’t reliable as the wild horses are the result mixing different breeds and similarities as well as differences exist among both domestic and wild horses.
Other attempts at proving uniqueness are that the Salt River horses are the only horses that eat river grass. The consumption of aquatic vegetation is actually quite common in the the wild horses of Camargue region of France and in the ponies of Assateague and Chincoteague. So the “mermaid horses” or more correctly the hippocampus of the Salt River is mere fancy. Another point cited to set this population apart is that there are a lot of grey horses in the Salt River herds. Anyone who has been to Sand Wash Basin or Spring Creek Basin will tell you that there are a lot of grey horses at those horse management sites. It is a dominant color and therefore, rather common in every wild horse population. The presence of the dun color, which is frequent in the more ‘primitive’ or ancient breeds (such as Spanish Colonial Horses, Nordic breeds, and/or the horse’s wild cousin, Przewalski’s Horse) is present in the Salt River Horses, but duns are far more far more abundant in wild horse populations that are more isolated. The Pryor horses represent a more bottle-necked population and they have a large number of dun horses, more proportionally than the Salt River.

Instead of struggling to find characteristics which are unique to the horses of the Salt River, perhaps we ought to focus on what they represent. They represent freedom, they represent our heritage and they played a significant role in how the west was truly won. They are a beautiful addition to the landscape of Arizona and the Salt River would be empty without them. They remind us of the beauty of nature and they bring visitors to the Tonto National Forest every year. I have seen these beautiful horses and they have captivated me. Do whatever you can to help these horses. 
Senator John McCain, Phoenix office, 2201 East Camelback Road, Suite 115, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Main: (602) 952-2410 and Senator Jeff Flake. (P: 202-224-4521) 
 Neil Boswell – Forest supervisor 602-225-5201
Carrie Templin, Public Affairs Officer, Tonto National Forest. 602-225-5290

by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

Lethal White

Fleck and her foal 2015, most likely sire Picasso

Equus ferus– Equine Coat Colour Genetic -LETHAL WHITE

One of the mares at the Sand Wash Basin was believed to have given birth to a foal with Lethal White Syndrome.  And although we cannot be absolutely sure the foal was a Lethal White foal, the behaviour strongly suggests it might have been. Lethal White Syndrome has been talked about in groups and on Facebook, hence this blog post. Without a necropsy (autopsy on an animal) we won’t know for certain but here is what we do know…

 
Similar to Hirschsprung’s disease in humans, Lethal White Syndrome affects the colon by making it non-functional and in horses it also affects pigment of the coat. The affected foals are born pure white with blue/grey eyes and occasionally a smudge or darker colour on the body or near the tail however, they die within 72 hours of birth. The colon in these foals is a dead-end and the foals cannot pass feces. They do not act normally and exhibit signs of distress.

 

Lethal white foal (Picasso x Mingo) photo credit Nancy Roberts 2011
 
 
Picasso and Mingo 2012 photo credit Karen McLain
 
The trait, which is inherited, is carried by the horses who also carry the paint trait frame overo. Frame Overo horses typically have jagged white markings along the center of the body. The back and belly may remain solid colored so the effect is a framed area of white. They may have white faces (apron or bald face) and they may have blue eyes although not always. Some horses may minimally express the trait and the only evidence of the frame overo paint trait is a little spot of white along the neck and an unusually shaped blaze. Some horses may also carry other paint traits such as tobiano and they horses are referred to as toveros. Without genetic testing, nothing is certain so we are basing our assumptions on what we have observed and the reproductive history of the individual mustangs.
Yahtzee (R) & Van Gogh (L)
Photo credit Meredith Hudes-Lowder of Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography
In order to produce a foal with Lethal White Syndrome, both parents must be overo. Not all overo horses carry the trait according to the American Paint Horse Association (http://www.apha.com/breed/geneticsarticles/lethal-whites-1) and not all blue-eyed white foals carry the Lethal White gene. Because  Lethal White Syndrome is autosomal recessive, it means when two horses that are overo and each carry the gene , there is a 25% chance the foal with be born with the syndrome. If a dam with the trait and a sire with the trait have three normal foals, it does not mean the fourth foal will carry the trait; the chances a foal will inherit the syndrome resets each gestation and remains one in four with each subsequent preganncy. 
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In the Punnett Square below (Horse drawings by Karen McLain)
Oo outside the square on top represent the SIRE
Along the left side, the Oo represents the DAM
Both are Overo represented Oo and the carry the trait

 

 

The RESULT:
One Solid foal (unaffected) -25%
Two Overo foals- CARRIERS of the Lethal White Trait- 50%
One Lethal White Foal 25%

 

One Solid Foal (OO) 25%
One Overo Foal (Oo) 25%
ONe Overo Foal (Oo) 25%
One Lethal White Foal (oo) 25%
 
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PUNNETT SQUARE REPRESENTING AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE INHERITANCE

 
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The photos below are by Danielle M. Williams and they show Fleck’s foal. Fleck is frame overo and the father is believed to be Eagle, a minimally marked frame overo so it is quite possible the foal carries the Lethal White Syndrome.  Sometimes Lethal White Foals do have darker pigment on the muzzle but this foal is not hunched over in the typical posture of a horse in gastric distress however the witness/photographer Danielle did say the foal did not look well and laid down frequently. She said the foal was unable to stand for any length of time. This is consistent with Lethal White Syndrome and the foals with the disorder often roll from side to side. Another possibility is that the foal may have perished in the fight between the band stallion Eagle and Diego who took over part of the band. Stallion infanticide is unfortunately unavoidable and may be more common than previously thought. Regardless of the manner of death, it is heartbreaking to see a young life extinguished so soon.
 
Fleck and her foal
Photo by Danielle M. Williams
 
Fleck and her foal
Photo by Danielle M. Williams
 
 
Fleck and her foal
Photo by Danielle M. Williams
Please email Meredith with any questions regarding the genetic behind Lethal White Syndrome or horse colour genetic in general.
Equus ferus- Wild Horse Photography
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Dr. Meredith Hudes-Lowder DNP, WHNP-BC, MSN, BSN, RNC, BS Biology
Meredith received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Binghamton University with an emphasis in ethology and genetics. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing also from Binghamton and a Masters of Nursing in Perinatal/Women’s Health from Stony Brook University. She currently practices medicine as a Nurse Practitioner in Manhattan for Advantage Care Physicians. She is also enrolled in the Doctoral program at Stony Brook and graduated in 2016 with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Her doctoral thesis was a research study on cervical cancer screening intervals. She is a member of several professional organizations and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau- the nursing honor society in 2007.
 
by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

Painting Wild Horses in the Field with Karen McLain or "En Plein Air"

“All pictures painted inside in the studio will never be as good as the things done outside.”

-Paul Cezanne

I have a rule about not looking at all the photos from a summer trip until they have been backed up at least twice. Sure I scan through them but not really look too closely until all 30,000+ photos are safely backed up on my new 6TB hard drive and up in the Carbonite Cloud. So as I wait, not very patiently, for the over 400,000 files to transfer to the new hard drive… I sat back and remembered the trip…

Karen at McCullough Peaks 2014



Watching Karen McLain paint horses during the Mustang Walkabout 2015 was educational and interesting. I admit I know nothing about painting anything aside from a summer job painting houses on Long Island Sound… And perhaps a set or two from a play or musical, but that’s the limit of my painting skill. I do, however, like to understand the process from a more scientific background since that’s my training, thus I asked Karen numerous questions.

“When you’re on the spot, you’re seeing the best values, the cleanest color and real edges. You’re also seeing objects in a wonderful light, and you’re much more apt to paint a clear, un-muddied picture.”
-Wayne E. Wolfe
Karen paints en plein air, or in the field with live subjects and as a photographer of wild horses, I can tell you they don’t stand still, not at all. Even when they don’t move their feet, they are swishing at flies, or turning their heads. When they do move their feet, it is challenging to keep them in the lens field, let alone try to paint them accurately. But somehow Karen accomplishes just that. She keeps a camera handy to shoot reference photos just in case her subjects spook or decide the grass is indeed greener elsewhere. I asked her why doesn’t she simply concentrate on getting a good reference shot and painting at her studio in a more relaxed and leisurely manner.
Here’s what she said…
Karen paints at Sand Wash Basin

Painting from a photograph is useful and sometimes necessary if your subject is not local or endangered or simply not readily accessible. However danger comes with painting a photograph and not the actual subject represented in the photograph- and therefore inaccuracies may be introduced and perspective is lost. There is a critical difference in painting a three-dimensional object as opposed to a two-dimensional representation and it shows in the finished painting.  Karen explained that being there, at the moment the paint is first put to canvas, is critical in understanding the light, the shadows, ambient light, reflected light, and negative shapes (I’m still not sure what these ‘negative shapes‘ are- they are elusive but they much sought after by painters). After some musing, I think painting from a photograph- without the memory of actually being there- is much like me photographing a photograph. It can be done, especially those with great skill, but something essential is missing from the finished piece…

“As difficult as it is painting outdoors, there is no where else I’d rather work – all the answers stand right before you. You may need to move some things around, but it is still all right there in front of you. A bit like taking an open book test.” 
-William F. Reese

All of these features combine and Karen paints ‘in the moment‘; very much in the Buddhist tradition of the here and now or the present moment. She finishes the vast majority of the painting in the field because she says the paintings looks very different when she brings them indoors and so the essence must be captured as swiftly as she can manage. One would think the painting would look hurried and inaccurate but Karen practices endlessly. She attends numerous workshops, studies techniques, she is well-versed in equine anatomy surpassing even my prodigious knowledge base on that topic, and she spends a great deal of time studying her subjects both in the field and with her horses in their paddocks at home. A strong understanding of equine ethology is critical in representing them faithfully in art. Endless exercises on a white board to hone her accuracy and speed, Karen draws, erases and redraws horses: standing, walking, grazing, interacting, fighting. And she wipes a lot of paintings off when they don’t quite measure up… literally or figuratively.
Painting Picasso -Sand Wash Basin 2015

I watched her prepare her palette. To me it looked like orderly blobs of colour along the circumference of a glass rectangle with the centre area reserved for mixing these fascinating blobs. Each management area has a unique palette of colours. The Pryors need more green; the bright grass green and the darker pine green with the occasional purple lupine and white or yellow asters.  The McCullough Peaks have rich red rock and Sand Wash Basin is soft pastels of brown, cream, tan, sage and slate blue. Even the horses found at each location have customized palettes- the Pryors are abundant in primitive colours- duns, blacks, deep bays, smokey grullas, and the creamy palominos of the Cloud family. Spring Creek Basin is awash in greys, duns, buckskin and dark bays. The Salt River horses have few greys and no paints so the concentration is on chestnuts and bays as well as the river itself. McCullough Peaks and Sand Wash Basin are the most brilliant with paints, overos, tobianos, dilutions, sooty, splashed whites and every other conceivable coat colour combination. The time of day and the weather also influence the choice of colours Karen selects for each palette.




It is almost magical watching her paint swiftly and decisively that I think, only comes after years and years of practice. I marvel at her ability to turn squiggles and lines into a horse standing in front of me. It is pretty amazing. Please view Karen’s beautiful paintings at her website and/or Facebook Page 

-Meredith
Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography
July 2015

by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

Mustang Walkabout 2015

As I sit at 30,000 feet flying to my home in New York, I find myself reflecting over the past two weeks. Karen and I went to three Horse Management Areas: McCullough Peaks, Pryor Mountain and Sand Wash Basin.  We camped out in the horse ranges and we had the privilege of sharing the lives of these magnificent creatures and my photography will be all the better for such intimate contact. It wasn’t easy, the temperatures never dropped below 90 F during the day, the dust was abundant and I had altitude sickness on Pryor Mountain… 

But we persevered and rose each day at dawn and photographed until the sun was directly overhead when we took lunch and a siesta. We resumed photographing the horses until dusk. We drove all over the management areas and often hiking mile after mile to find the mustangs. We drank water and Fresca by the gallon, made cream of wheat in the morning & yaku soba noodles in the evening and treated ourselves to s’mores. We listened to coyotes, thunder and the sound of horses running by our camp… And we photographed- all aspects of the mustangs living free.  Karen took time to paint while I photographed.  We met and spent time with some extraordinary people like Patty, Deb, Rachel, Connie, Robin, Julie, Michael, Heather by proxy…

Still, it is nice to return home, and see the family. I missed Abby, Ben and Bruce as well as my Thoroughbred Ashe and all our pugs plus Stormy and of course, Puppy. It will be wonderful to have a shower every day, indoor plumbing, electricity on demand  and to  luxuriate in air conditioning. But I miss the mustangs and the camaraderie of the other horse people,  especially my best friend Karen.  We are already planning our next Mustang Walkabout for 2016. But before then, I have over 30,000 photographs to catalog and to edit, a new website to update and go live, a book to write, a research paper on ‘Stallion Infanticide’ to finish, and this incredibly fun thing I call work… I miss my patients and my colleagues. I missed my 34-string Celtic floor harp more than I thought and can’t wait to practice. But each evening, when the sun gets low, my thoughts will turn to the horses- is Picasso okay? How is Cloud doing? How are all the new foals thriving?

Thank you for joining Karen and I on this incredible journey of sharing the lives of the wild horses of North America with the world through art and photography… 
-Meredith & Karen
http://www.equusferus.com
http://karenmclain.com/
by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

Sand Wash Basin

Well Sand Wash did not disappoint the first day- we took almost 5,000 photos between myself, Abby and Ben. We saw many herds, a lot of foals and the weather was wonderful- we even saw a rainbow at the end of the day. The second day (today) the weather began sunny but soon turned for the worse. The wind was blowing strongly and the thunder and lightning started all around us. Oddly, very little rain fell in the Basin. The  roads are mostly soft sandy clay and quickly turn to soup with any appreciable precipitation. We were lucky and stayed near the entrance when we saw the cloud begin to build. Still, we saw a fair number of horses and were able to photograph several herds. We return tomorrow for our final day and hopefully we will see John Wagner and other friends of the Sand Wash Basin mustangs…

We are about to hit one quarter of a million fans and we are soooo thrilled! Thanks so much for being a fan of Equus ferus- Wild Horse Photography!

Meredith, Abigail, Benjamin, Karen, Angie, Cindy, Marianne, Aly, Lauren and The Three Amigos of the Sand Wash Basin!
by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

THE SUMMER 2014 ADVENTURE WITH THE MUSTANGS!

Let the Mustang 2014 Summer Adventure begin!!!!

I’ll be sending photos and blog entries for our adventures this summer as we travel west to find the mustangs. Ahead for the Summer 2014 are the McCullough Peaks, Sand Wash Basin, Spring Creek Basin, possibly Little Book Cliffs and the Cloud Foundation Celebration of Wild Horses Art and Music. 
The three photographs below are our contribution to this milestone event. Last summer Ben took “The Chase” at the tender age of eight, Abby’s met “Cloud’s Encore” at age ten… they both carry Canon Rebel 3t’s which are light and I used my Canon 7D to snap “The Emissary” below. Cloud is often referred to as the ‘ambassador’ of wild mustangs, hence the derivation of the title. This is the first time all three are being presented together…
The Chase by Benjamin Lowder

The Encore by Abigail Lowder

The Emissary by Meredith Lowder

* Please remember we don’t get this close to the horses except the crazy stallions that decided running straight at three small humans would be an excellent idea… Abby and I both use a 100-300mm Canon lens. Abby got much closer to the Cloud’s daughter Encore than any of us intended… except perhaps for Encore.

by Equus ferus Wild Horse Photography

Back once again

I will be starting, or I should say ‘restarting’ the Equus ferus Blog – I had one of those password moments and kept forgetting to change the password and write it down somewhere I’d remember… So we are up and running . We just returned from Spring Creek Basin, Salt River and Little Book Cliffs. It was a wonderful trip- we met up with our friends Karen McLain and TJ Holmes– you’ll see photos shortly. In the meantime, check back from time to time…

Meredith

Myself and my daughter Abby who is also an Equus ferus- Wild Horse 
photographer at Spring Creek Basin, Colorado 
February 2014