BLM’s Wild Horse Management

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Estimates are that at the turn of the twentieth century over two million wild horses roamed free in the western United States. However, having no protection from their primary predator, man, by the 1970’s there numbers had dwindled to less than thirty thousand. In 1971, after a massive public uproar, Congress by a unanimous vote enacted the “Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act” (Act) that characterizes wild horses and burros as national treasures and provides for their protection.

“Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people; and that these horses and burros are fast disappearing from the American scene. It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death; and to accomplish this they are to be considered in the area where presently found, as an integral part of the natural system of the public lands.”

The U.S. Department of Interior’s, Bureau of Land Management, (BLM) was appointed to carry out the Act and given the task of managing the herds of wild horses and burros. Consequently, BLM’s management of wild horse herds has been highly criticized by animal rights activists, horse advocates, news media, as well as members of Congress. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against BLM regarding their management practices and their appalling wild horse round-ups. However, unimpeded BLM continues with the controversial issue of wild horse round-ups, resulting in the death and injury of many wild horses and burros. The vast majority of these round...

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... and burros remain in their lawful natural habitat. Wild horses do not belong in BLM’s horse prisons. The horses have a close knit unit in the wild, as they are protected by a stallion and lead to water holes by a lead mare. These units are destroyed when they are rounded-up and place in BLM's holding corrals. They belong where they were born to be, in the wild. The time is ripe for the American public to stand up and demand an end to the heartless treatment of one of its last remaining icons before it is too late.

Works Cited

Title 16 USC § 1331-1340. THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT,

December 15, 1971

Alternate Citation:

Public Law 92-195; 85 Stat. 649 (GPO)

United States Government Accountability Office,“Bureau of Land Management:

Effective Long-Term Options Needed to Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses, (GAO-08-989) October 9, 2008

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