Iʔ SAʔX̌ʷIPTƏT | OUR HISTORY
We don't know the exact story of how there came to be so many horses on this particular rangeland (OKIB), all we knew was that these horses were medicinal beings that deserved to live out their lives healthily and without danger. In many Indigenous cultures, horses are seen as very spiritual beings with the ability to balance the human through their healing connection. Our Syilx history tells us about the reciprocal relationships we have always had with animals, how our four legged kin have always protected, provided and given to us so we could live. For this reason, For the Ferals started and continues.
Before Westside Road was established, it was a backcountry dirt road leading to farmlands, many beautiful beaches and mountain passes. Animals did not have to be concerned about speeding cars and roamed more freely. As Westside Rd became a busier road, we saw an increase in vehicles going at least 40 kilometers over speed limit. As time passed, and the road was used more and more by people outside of our community , each fall and winter more and more horses and cows were being struck by vehicles causing accidents. This disturbed many peoples spirits, as horses and livestock lay hit and unattended and these accidents put people in harms way. This also made it increasingly difficult for those who would ride their horses to the local riding arenas, for ranchers who moved cows from one property to another, and for the bikers and joggers which are seen less and less these days. It was sad to watch such a beautiful country scenic route become over run by impatient and reckless drivers, showing little respect for the OKIB neighbourhood and the people living within it.
This created a need within the community and it started with trying to address the issues of speeding vehicles and encouraging them to slow down to maintain the safety of the people and livestock crossing through. Eventually this turned into the need for a Herd Management Program as we learned that more and more horses were populating the rangelands at an unhealthy and unprecedented rate. This caused competition with other livestock and wildlife on the range creating competition and at points famine for lack of forage. Horses were seen being shipped off for slaughter and many horses became inbred and others lacking the proper nutrients.
For the Ferals Society was organized to meet this need and ensure the health and safety of the Horses, which in turn helps support all our livestock and the maintenance of a healthy rangeland. This started with Volunteers coming together to bring hay, water and salt block for the horses during the winter months. Since then, For the Ferals Society has been working closely with other Equine Herd Managment Programs to learn more and build a system for our own community. Our team is small yet mighty and we have high hopes to expand and grow as we build up our program. With the help of our community and those who think alike, we hope to meet these needs, and have a thriving rangeland for tmixʷ.
"Riding and caring for horses can activate the sympathetic nervous system in children and influence the rhythm of the human heart rate. Equine therapy is becoming increasingly popular for treating PTSD in military veterans and children experiencing anxiety and depression or recovering from trauma. “Horses are incredibly sacred, they’re more than sacred,” Running Horse Collin says. “Our people didn’t need those kind of studies, we just knew it worked.” - Excerpt From The Shared History of Wild Horses and Indigenous People by Shoshi Parks
