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Colorado Inmates Train Wild Horses for Border Patrol

By Jeralyn, Section Inmates and Prisons
Posted on Sat Jan 22, 2011 at 01:45:31 PM EST
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The Denver Post has an article on Project Noble Mustang. Wild mustang horses are rounded up and trained by inmates for months and then deployed along the nation's border to catch drug smugglers and undocumented immigrants.

[A]gents now use the prison-trained mustangs to catch illegal immigrants every day. Rafael V. Garza, horse patrol commander for the Border Patrol in the Laredo, Texas, sector, said in the first year of service, his nine mounted agents caught 500 illegal immigrants. "It's the intimidation factor," Garza said.

It sounds like a great program for the inmates, who get valuable life skills from it. I just wish the horses were used for a purpose other than rounding up suspected lawbreakers. Like what? Hippotherapy. More here and here.

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    Colorado Inmates Train Wild Horses for Border Patrol | 5 comments (5 topical)

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    Good noose, bad noose (none / 0) (#1)
    by Dadler on Sat Jan 22, 2011 at 01:49:46 PM EST
    Exactly.  Hey, help us train these ponies...so we can round us up some human herds.

    Sigh.

    On the other hand... (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sat Jan 22, 2011 at 05:28:38 PM EST
    ...this at least saves some of the ponies from being put down.

    They are pretty remarkable to see running around in the wild--too many of them though, so the DOW is culling the herds.  (Another reason we need more predators--like wolves.)

    Parent

    If it saves horses... (none / 0) (#4)
    by kdog on Sun Jan 23, 2011 at 07:00:54 AM EST
    from senseless slaughter I'll take it...but there is definitely something perverse about having inmates train horses that will later be used make new inmates.  I know, I know...add it to the long list of perversions:)

    Though in general, having the incarcerated work with animals can be very beneficial towards rehabilitation..to regain your humanity, a sense of purpose, and of course the healing nature of the love shared between man and beast.  

    Parent

    "Wild horses (none / 0) (#3)
    by Harry Saxon on Sat Jan 22, 2011 at 06:11:35 PM EST

    Wild wild horses couldn't drag me away.

    I  watched you suffer a dull aching pain
    Now you decided to show me the same
    No sweeping exits or offstage lines
    Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind

    Wild horses couldn't drag me away
    Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away

    I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie
    I have my freedom but I don't have much time
    Faith has been broken, tears must be cried
    Let's do some living, after we'll die

    Wild horses couldn't drag me away
    Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day"

    i mean (none / 0) (#5)
    by pitachips on Sun Jan 23, 2011 at 01:40:13 PM EST
    It is still against the law to sneak into the country right?

    I understand and sympathize with those who think that our policies towards undocumented/illegal immigrants once they are in the US sometimes misguided and oftentimes guided by racism etc. But I will never understand or sympathize with those who think that a strong border patrol presence/strategy to try and keep out those who are not legally permitted to be in the US, is wrong or something our country shouldn't strive towards.

    Colorado Inmates Train Wild Horses for Border Patrol | 5 comments (5 topical)

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