Wild horse rescue at Riddle Mountain delayed by court order

BURNS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bureau of Land Management has postponed a wild horse rescue operation on Riddle Mountain near Burns, following a temporary restraining order linked to ongoing litigation.

The gather operation was scheduled to begin September 9th to assist a wild horse herd facing severe food and water shortages.

The rescue effort was planned after a record dry winter and a wildfire season that consumed 70% of the herd management area. The intense heat from the fires destroyed local vegetation and altered soil structure, placing the herd's health under immediate threat.

Don Rotell serves as the Burns District Manager for the Bureau of Land Management. He emphasized the agency's responsibility to protect wild horse populations during extreme weather events.

“It's our responsibility to manage and protect these herds,” Rotell said. “When fire and severe drought shrinks water sources and reduces forage, it's the horses and other plants and animals that pay a price.”

Rotell warned that the court-ordered delay could disrupt the operational timeline required to safely gather the herd.

“We want healthy horses on healthy rangelands,” Rotell said. “Unfortunately, the practical implication of this delay is that it may not be possible to round up these horses before late fall storms make roads in the area impassable.”

The rescue operation was planned as part of the agency's post-fire emergency stabilization and rehabilitation plan for the region. Without immediate stabilization after a wildfire destroys vegetation and alters soil structure, winter storms can wash away topsoil and allow invasive weeds to spread, causing ecological damage that can last for decades.

To help the land regenerate, the agency is resting the rangeland and prohibiting cattle grazing during the recovery period. Suspending cattle grazing is intended to relieve pressure on limited forage and water resources so the land can continue supporting the horse herd and other native wildlife.

The agency said its drive-trap gather operations are guided by the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program, which enforces handling standards that prioritize animal safety and well-being.

The Bureau of Land Management stated that it will provide further updates about the operation online.