Colorado Plateau Horseman's Hall of Fame works to recognize and honor horsemen and horsewomen, as well as those special horses, who have made a significant contribution to the equine industry in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah, and to provide scholarships to those interested in horse-related careers. The articles below focus on regional and national equine news. Nomination forms are available here.

Wild horse deaths have BLM and others scrambling

(May 3, 2022) The deaths of more than 100 wild horses rounded up in Northwestern Colorado earlier this year by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and held in a BLM holding facility in Cañon City, Colorado, have created a serious problem for the federal agency and sparked outrage among wild-horse advocated. The story below from the Colorado Sun says that for unknown reasons, most of the horses hadn't been vaccinated for the equine flu. Here is the link. This is a BLM photo of the West Douglas Creek wild horse herd.

Efforts underway to rescue horses caught in Ukraine war zone

(April 4, 2022) It should come as no surprise that horses have also been caught up in the war in Ukraine. Many have been abandoned as their owners fled the war zone. Others were killed or injured when battles raged. But a handful of Ukrainians, led by Mykhailo Parkhomchuk, head of the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation, are attempting to rescue as many of these horses as possible. This photo shows Parkhomchuk with a couple of the rescued horses in a makeshift stable in the Lviv region. To read the entire article at Yahoo News, click this link.

Beware: Your horse may be watching you

(March 8, 2022) According to this article in Horse.com, horses pay a lot of attention to what their owners or handlers are doing, and can tell if we've been paying attention. They can then decide whether to trust information given to them by humans, based on what they observe. Heretofore, researchers had only observed this “sophisticated skill” in dogs and humans. Although the study involved food, carrots in this case, researchers suggested in could provide important clues for how horses respond to training. Here is the link to the article.

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo this week in Denver

(February 21, 2022) The 2022 Rocky Mountain Horse Expo begins this Thursday, Feb. 24, at the National Western Complex in Denver. Among the featured events are a horse obstacle competition, Cowboy Dressage classes, an equine film festival and a large horse auction. To visit the website, click on this link.

'The Power of Horses' on view at History Colorado Center

(February 7, 2022) This exhibit opened in November and it runs through early May. If you're vistiting Colorado's Front Range this winter or spring, stop by and check it out. The link below gives more information, a look at some of the photos and details on how to purchase tickets. Link

Did donkeys come before horses to pull chariots?

(January 25, 2022) Fascinating archaeological article about the use of donkey hybrids, crossed with wild asses, in Mesopotamia 4,500 years ago, before domestic horses appeared there. It's not definite, however. The tile images from that time make that clear. The one on the left looks more like horses pulling the four-wheeled chariot, while the animals on the right have a more donkey or mule-like appearance. It's also interesting to note that, even though there weren't domestic horses in the Middle East at that time, horses had been domesticated and were widely used on the steppes of Russia and Eastern Europe at least 6,000 years ago. Here is a link to the article in Heritage Daily.

Community effort led to Marshall Fire Horse Rescue

(January 10, 2022) The Marshall Fire on Colorado's Front Range last month was a terrible event, burning roughly 1,000 buildings, most of them homes. But thanks to a devoted group of volunteers, more than 100 horses in the path of the fire were save. The photo at the right shows trucks and trailers lined up at a mall near Boulder, ready to help haul horses out of the danger zone. Here's a link to a story about the effort. People can donate to help the relief effort through the American Red Cross here.

Why horses are so deer to us: Fawning over a tiny creature

(June 14, 2021) When a fawn became separated from its mother near Steamboat Springs last week, it took up temporary residence with a group of horses on Kally May''s ranch. Her horses, at first curious, seemed to accept the young deer as part of their herd, and stayed near it until Momma came back to claim her foal ... er fawn. Click on this link to read the entire story, and see more photos from Channel 4, CBS Denver. Photos were taken by Kally May.

Horses understand us better than we understand them

(May 31, 2021) Interesting new research out of Canada about the relationships between horses and humans. There's a ton of information in the study, but one of the most interesting conclusions was this sentence: "The authors suggest that horses appear to be better at perceiving human actions than humans are at perceiving theirs." The photo on the right shows one of the authors of the study with a young horse showing a very relaxed face, with top lip forward, loose ears and no tension around the eyes. A link to the magazine article about the study is here.

This is unfortunate, but not unexpected: Baffert suspended

(May 19, 2021) Famed racehorse trainer Bob Baffert, whose horse have twice won the Triple Crown, has been suspended from running any horses in the Belmont Stakes next month, because of reports he allowed an illegal substance to be applied to Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit earlier this month. Horse racing is a wonderful sport, but it is often extremely rough on the horses themselves. The substance Baffert is accused of applying to Medina Spirit is banned in several states because it can cause horses to injure themselves. Here is a link to a story about the suspension.

New Colorado Springs horse group hopes to connect groups, and fight loss of public lands trails to other users

(May 3, 2021) A new equine group, organized in Colorado Springs last month, aims to serve as a network for a variety of horse clubs, show groups and others in the region. Called the Central Colorado Horse Connection, the group also hopes "to be a voice in the face of a mechanized, off-road world that has taken over public lands and have both physically and politically pushed horses and riders out." To learn more about the Central Colorado Horse Connection, click this link.
A UTV runs along a ridge near Rifle recently. Members of the Central Colorado Horse Connection want to make sure users of these vehicles don't limit horse use of public lands in Central Colorado.

Possible 2022 animal cruelty measure is concern in Colorado

(April 8, 2021) A proposed ballot measure for the 2022 Colorado statewide election has a lot of people in the livestock industry worried, and understandably so. The wording in the initiative could make artificial insemination illegal and would make it extremely difficult to raise livestock, including poultry, for meat. The Colorado Horse Council is among the groups sounding the alarm on proposed Iniative 16, known as the Pause Initiative. For more information, and to see how you can help oppose the initiative, click here.

Sitting on fence no metaphor for inaction if you have horses

(March 22, 2021) Here's a nice article about how horse folks are coping with the pandemic. It first appeared in the Colorado Sun online newspaper last week. The author, Maddy Butcher of Dolores, writes about horses for a number of publications, and her articles are always thoughtful and well written. Read this article by clicking Here.

Applications open for 2021 Meeker Mustang Makeover

(March 8, 2021) The 2021 Meeker Mustang Makeover is set for August 28. Applications to be a Mustang Trainer for the event in a variety of categories must be submitted to the group by April 1. For more information, and to download application forms, click on this link.

Horses at Hardees drivethru

(March 1, 2021) Nice story about a couple of Montana young ladies riding their horses through a Hardee's drive-through. Especially since one of them appears to big old draft type, or maybe a Friesan cross. Here's a link to the story in the Billings Gazette that featured the mounted fast-food customers. Link.

Update on Piceance-Douglas Creek wild horse herd

(Feb. 24, 2021) On Monday, Feb. 22, the Bureau of Land Management announced that it will thin the wild horse herds in the Piceance-Douglas Creek area of Northwestern Colorado. No date for the planned gather of the horses was given. For a link to the article in The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel about the decision, click Here.

Bat-variant rabies strikes mule in Eagle County

(Feb. 16, 2021) A seven-year-old mule in Eagle County recently tested positive for bat-variant rabies, according to the Colorado Department of Agriculture. It was reported to be the first case of rabies in domestic livestock in Colorado this year and the first case of rabies in an equine in Colorado since 2013. The release did not say what happened with the mule. This photo is of a pack mule in Argentina. For a link to the Department of Agriculture press release, click HERE.

Wild horse population under scrutiny near Douglas Pass

(Feb. 3, 2021) As the wild horse herd in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area in Rio Blanco County continues to grow, the Bureau of Land Management has been searching for solutions to keep the horse population within the carrying capacity of the area. With that in mind, the agency is expected to issue a decision next week on whether to adopt long-term population control measures such as helicopter roundups, bait trapping and fertility control. Here is a link to the story in The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction about the upcoming decision. Link

Diane Mobley inducted

(Sept. 18, 2020) Diane Mobley, of Meeker was inducted into the Colorado Plateau Horseman's Hall of Fame on September 12 in Meeker. Because of the COVID 19 issues, only a small group of family, friends and CPHHOF Board Members were present. Diane is a long-time horse breeder, trainer and co-founder of the Pieance Creek Mustangs, which partners with the Bureau of Land Management to raise money and raise public awareness of wild horse herd management on public lands. To view a video from the ceremony, click here.

Mares vs. Geldings:

Research shows little difference in riding issues

(September 8, 2020) It may seem counterintuitive to horse folks who have dealt with cranky mares and easy-going geldings, but new research from Australia shows that dressage riders actually experienced fewer discipline problems with mares than they did with geldings. Here is a link to the story in The Horse magazine:

Fire crews rest at Mesa County Fairgrounds

(August 31, 2020: Crews working on wildfires in the area, especially the Pine Gulch Fire north of Grand Junction, have moved in to camp at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. That has made it impossible to hold many equestrian events normally scheduled at the fairgrounds, unless they are scheduled in the grandstands arena, where rodeos are held. Both covered arenas at the fairgrounds and the outdoor warmup arenas are temporarily closed. A fairgrounds spokeswoman spokeswoman said there is no estimated date on which they will reopen. It is a worthwhile inconvenience, of course. Hundreds of firefighters have done great work on the major fires in Colorado over the past month, and we thank them sincerely for their efforts.

Scholarship recipients named for Uintah Basin

Two young women have been awarded scholarships from Colorado Plateau Horseman's Hall of Fame to attend Utah State University's Uintah Basin Campus at Vernal, Utah, this fall. They are Allie Beth Mixon and Jerica Curtis.
Jerica Curtis is a fourth-year student at USU-Uintah Basin who hopes to graduate in the spring of 2021 She plans to become a therapist, using equine therapy, to help addicts and alcholics.
Allie Beth Mixon is studying to become a registered nurse through USU-Uintah Basin. She currently works as an LPN at Uintah Basin Urgent Care in Vernal while attending classes at USU.

Our 1st CMU scholarship recipient readies for fall

(July 29, 2020) Grace Gonzales, a young woman who attended high school in Rifle, and was deeply involved in 4-H and FFA programs there, is the Colorado Plateau Horseman's Hall of Fame's first recipient of a $1,500 one-year scholarship to attend Colorado Mesa University. Grace hopes to study radiology at the university. "I’m very honored and proud to be the first recipient of this scholarship!" Grace said in an email to CPHHOF.
Left: Grace Gonzales. Above: Grace competing on her horse, Jasper. (Photos courtesy of Grace Gonzales)

COVID kills CPHHOF annual banquet, induction event

But 2020 Hall of Fame nominees will still be inducted this year

(July 29, 2020) Due to concerns about the current state of COVID 19 in Mesa County, and uncertainty regarding how those rules may change by October, Colorado Plateau Horseman's Hall of Fame has decided to cancel our annual fund-raising banquet and induction ceremony fo this year. However, CPHHOF still intends to induct two new members to its Hall of Fame this year. Those inductees will be announced in September. Additionally, CPHHOF plans to continue raising money for its scholarship program (see article above) and will be announcing on-line efforts in coming weeks. In the meantime, donations made be made by sending a check made out to the Colorado Plateau Horseman's Hall of Fame at: 1560 14 Road Loma, CO 81524

Fire season can create problems for horse owners

(June 23, 2020) This map, from Fire, Weather and Avalanche center, shows 241 active fires in Colorado as of this morning. Not sure what the purple dots designate, but the rest refer to fires burning now. The largest in Western Colorado is still the East Canyon Fire near Durango. A similar map showed 86 active fires in Utah. Many horse owners in the Colorado Plateau region live in areas where fires can require quick evacuations of people and horses. For horse people in general, here is a link to a site that offers guidelines on how to prepare for fires. https://besthorsepractices.com/wildfire-preparations-need-to-knows/

What's with the stripes?

(June 20, 2020) Found this photo on the Internet and couldn't resist. The caption says only: "A zebra-drawn carriage parked outside of Buckingham Palace in London, 1900." But further reading says that an English nobleman who had visited Africa brought the animals back and had them trained to harness to prove zebras can be domesticated.

Equines and Canines: Buddies and playmates

(May 2, 2020) Most folks who spend time around horses around horses also have more than a passing familiarity with dogs. So, it won't come as a surprise to them that some dogs and horses actually seem to enjoy each others' company and like playing together. But new research conducted in Italy, and written about in Smithsonian Magazine, reveals just how involved that playtime can be. Here is the link.

Hug your horse today

(March 21, 2020) Nice article in Nicker News about staying in touch with your horses as you're staying away from people during the COVID-19 pandemic. You might even get a hug back like the person in this photo. And, if you share your stories online, you could win a prize. Read the entire article here.

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center to study how therapeutic horse work aids children with autism

People involved with therapeutic horse interaction in western Colorado and eastern Utah have long known that it helps youngsters dealing with autism, or as it is officially termed, "autism spectrum disorder." Now the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, working in collaboration with the Maine Medical Center Research Institute, is going to make an in-depth effort to understand why horses are so beneficial to autistic children. To read more, click here.

'Highline' film sells out in eight venues in three states

"Highline," a documentary film about the Uinta Highline Trail, which features CPHHOF Board Member Gordon Hirshi discussing and showing work equestrians have done on the trail, sold out at its first eight showings in January and February, including in Vernal, Utah, Salt Lake City, two locations in Tennessee and two in Florida. More showings are planned in Salt Lake City, California, Tennesee and Pennsylvania. A possible showing in Grand Junction is also being investigated. For more information and to purchase tickets, click HERE.

Rocky Mountain Horse Expo

The 2020 Rocky Mountain Horse Expo begins next Friday, Feb. 28 in Denver and runs through Sunday, March 1. Events range from a model horse show and equine art show to a colt starting contest and trail obstacle course. For more information and to purchase tickets, click on the link HERE.

Harmony Acres/Daily Sentinel horse quiz

Harmony Acres Equestrian Center and The Daily Sentinel have teamed up to offer a horse knowledge quiz. Those who take the quiz could win a $50 gift certificate to the Texas Roadhouse. Here is a link to the quiz.

Abandoned horses gathered in Uintah Basin

Only 20 get to race

Nearly 350 horses have been nominated to run in the 2020 Kentucky Derby in May, according to Blood Horse magazine, even though there is only room for 20. Read more here: https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/238330/347-horses-nominated-to-triple-crown-races