Drought drives wild horses need for water.

This is what drought does to a stock tank (water source for livestock on open grazing land) and here in the White Mountains we are having the worst drought in decades. It is SO dry that the entire area is under stiff restrictions to prevent fires. Huge parts of the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest (ASNF) and others are closed to ANY travel or use. Sadly for wildlife and the wild horses in the ASNF there was little, to no water at all. On May 16, 2018 we responded to a public call for help from the Heber Wild Horses Freedom Preservation Alliance (HWHFPA), who were asking the public for assistance with water troughs so their volunteers could truck water in for the horses. We posted on Facebook that we would loan one of our huge troughs to their efforts and from that post some of our followers sent funds so we could purchase more large water troughs for the horses. On May 17th, I met HWHFPA volunteers Robin and Stacy to place 3 of our water troughs with a capacity of over 1000 gallons of water. Two were placed in one location and a large round one in another location in the ASNF Black Mesa Ranger District. A few days later I got a call from Robin asking if we by chance could purchase another water trough to loan them for the horses in the Heber-Overgaard area and luckily we had the funds to do so. Another 340 gallon tank for the horses in that area. On the 19th I received an email asking if we could assist by providing troughs for people helping some of the wild horses in the Show Low area of the ASNF and I connected with Leslie Brucker. This group of wild horses is over 25 miles south of Heber and in the Lakeside Ranger District of the ASNF. A different Ranger district that the HWHFPA permits did not cover. With the Memorial Day holiday approaching and the fire restrictions and closures increasing daily there were extra concerns about water troughs being placed and water trucked in, understandable concerns with such an extreme state of drought and pending closure of the forest. Leslie and I met personally with the Lakeside Ranger District Manager, Ed Collins to see if we could get permission to place the water troughs and provide drinkable water until the natural stock tanks in the forest once again had water. With our information and commitments, patience and some prayers we got the go ahead. By this time the forest was closed requiring special permits to deliver the water troughs and service them throughout the closure. On May 25th, we met Mr. Collins, who personally drove us to the chosen and approved locations to place the water troughs. Locations that would allow us to get a big water truck in and service our troughs without harm to the area. On our trailer, waiting for delivery to the forest sat two 300+ gallon tanks that were purchased with donated funds. For one funds were donated by the Brumbaugh family and the other by Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and Refuge in Cave Creek, a fellow rescue who we have enjoyed working closely with over the years. At a second location we placed two 100 gallon troughs donated by Holly Williams and Lynn has loaned her big 500+ gallon round trough for the duration the water is needed. You see the boards sticking out? Those are placed as ramps so small critters can get out after having a drink. To reduce the number of trips into the closed forest we contracted Lynn at White Mountain Water Haulers to fill our troughs weekly or more if needed over the next 10-12 weeks while waiting for the summer monsoons to fill the natural stock tanks. This morning Leslie was making escape ramps in each of the troughs in our area so that small critters could get a drink and get out of the trough without drowning. Leslie noticed elk, deer and small animal foot prints around the troughs in addition to horse hoof prints both large and small.  Pregnant mares, foals and all the other horses no longer thirsty. We can't thank Ed Collins and those at the Lakeside Ranger District enough for supporting this community effort to provide water to the animals in the drought stricken forest near Show Low. Huge thanks to Leslie Brucker who has taken the lead on this and done so much to see this happen and continues to monitor the troughs closely. With the donations from our followers and people who live close to that part of the forest we have enough funds for water delivery through the middle of August, so for now no additional funds are needed. We can't thank everyone enough!!! In total Equine WellBeing Rescue, working with such awesome people who care about the wild horses, has placed water troughs in both ranger districts that will provide over 5300 gallons of water capacity and in the Lakeside Ranger District we will pay for water weekly till there is no longer a need. That is our commitment to the wild horses in the ASNF. Life saving water for not only the horses, but the other wildlife in the area. Christine, President & Founder 760-703-4860