The Bureau of Land Management’s contentious plans to remove all free-roaming horses from vast reaches of southwest Wyoming’s “checkerboard” region could begin as soon as this summer, although a legal appeal to stop roundups remains in limbo.
On Monday, the federal agency released a 47-page environmental assessment outlining plans to gather and permanently remove several thousand wild horses from 2,105 square miles — an area nearly the size of Delaware — managed by BLM’s Rock Springs and Rawlins field offices. Horses would come off an additional 1,124 square miles of private land within the checkerboard. A public review period is underway with comments due by April 30. If the BLM greenlights the round-ups, they could begin within the next three months and continue for a couple of years, possibly longer.
First to go would be the estimated 1,125 free-roaming horses in the Salt Wells Creek herd and 736 animals in the northwestern portion of Adobe Town, according to BLM Rock Springs Field Office Manager Kimberlee Foster. Then in 2026, horse-removal crews would move on to eliminating an estimated 894 horses in the Great Divide Basin herd.
“Additional gathers may be needed in future years to remove all wild horses to get to the zero-population goal, as some may be missed during the scheduled gathers,” Foster told WyoFile in response to emailed questions.
Free-roaming horses, a nonnative species that faces scant predation, increase in population by about 20% annually. Reproduction, combined with missed animals during surveys, make estimating precise herd numbers difficult. The expectation is that 3,371 wild horses would be removed, but the ultimate number could range from 2,500 up to 5,000, according to the BLM.
The push to rid southwest Wyoming’s checkerboard region of free-roaming horses traces back 15 years. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act directs the BLM to “to remove stray wild horses from private lands as soon as practicable upon receipt of a written request,” the environmental assessment states. In 2010, the cattle and sheep-centric Rock Springs Grazing Association, which owns and leases about 1.1 million acres of private land in the checkerboard, revoked consent to allow horses to roam on its property.
There’s been a legal battle ever since. Lawsuits from both the Rock Springs Grazing Association and wild horse advocacy groups have targeted the BLM’s planned actions, but U.S. District Court of Wyoming Judge Kelly Rankin, a Biden appointee, ruled in the federal government’s favor in both lawsuits last August.
Soon thereafter, a coalition of pro-horse petitioners — the American Wild Horse Campaign, Animal Welfare Institute, Western Watersheds Project, Carol Walker, Kimerlee Curyl and Chad Hanson — appealed.
“This is just the latest lawsuit in a 12 or more year battle to save these horses,” American Wild Horse Executive Director Suzanne Roy told WyoFile. “We’ve litigated four or five times about this issue.”
Attorneys for the federal government and horse advocacy groups exchanged arguments before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in March. A decision is pending, but horse advocates are optimistic about their chances.
“We have prevailed in the 10th Circuit previously on this issue,” Roy said.
The BLM, she contended, has never before fully eliminated a herd of free-roaming horses without having demonstrated there are ecological reasons for doing so.
“This would be the first time in the 54-year history of the Wild Horse and Burros Act that the BLM eliminated a herd management area and eradicated entire wild horse herds — two of them — when the agency itself concedes that the area has sufficient habitat for the horses,” Roy said. “It has implications for wild horse protection across the West, because if private landowners that have land adjacent to or within herd management areas are allowed to dictate the presence of wild horses on the public land, that’s a very dangerous precedent. So we are anxiously awaiting the court’s ruling.”
Meanwhile, the BLM is staging resources necessary to move forward with its plans. The Adobe Town/Salt Wells Creek herd roundup is the largest on the BLM’s tentative wild horse and burro gather schedule for 2025. It’s scheduled to take place from July 15 through Sept. 15. In regions of the Adobe Town herd area where horses are being allowed to persist, there are related plans to remove 2,179 free-roaming horses — numbers that exceed the “appropriate management level.”
It’s unclear how or if the Trump administration’s slashing of the federal government workforce will impact the horse gather operations. Asked by WyoFile if the BLM-Wyoming’s horse and burro program is fully staffed right now, Foster, the field office manager, wrote “BLM is prepared to conduct the planned gathers with current staffing.”
Why does your story not explain what “removal” means? Killed? What will be done with the meat?
These horses are our American heritage. They need to be left as God intended them to be. Sage grouse and cattle will survive right along with the horses.
I’m really not knowledgeable about this issue. I just have one question. Are the animals being relocated or euthanized?
Removing the Wild Horses will not remedy the environmental issues. Cattle and sheep grazing impact the soil and ground more than the small horse population. If the concern is impact (which the BLM is stating) then remove all non-native grazing animals. A few thousand horses verses hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep doesn’t make sense. Ranchers need to isolate their private property if that’s the issue.
If you have a chance to see the holding pens, there are hundreds of horses that haven’t been adopted. The BLM should be accountable for them. The majority will go to the killers. No one seems to get an answer.
I’m absolutely against this. Why? Because they are happy? Or is it that the Blm wants the land? I wish I could change this but I can’t Dont do this, please!!!!!
Has Wyoming looked to the humane solutions the brave and proud state of Colorado has adopted in dealing with so called overpopulation of wild equines?
What are the BLM and wealthy ranchers and businessmen/investors really going to do with this area after they, yes, they remove the horses, these people do nothing without a financial gain for themselves and their personal plans!?
Absolutely appalling! Doing this is a disgrace to our nation & killing animals especially these beautiful horses that have roamed our lands for centuries is not acceptable nor should be allowed. Maybe removal of humans is the way to go. They are more disruptive than the horses!
Another thought comes to mind: the horses, and those with foals, that are chased to exhaustion by 4wheelers and helicopters are usually put up for “adoption”. Many who aren’t adopted are sold to slaughterhouses, or spend untold time in pens, so far removed from the freedom they had lived with. How would these “humans” feel if the same thing happened to THEM?
This topic makes it hard to keep it clean and civil. There are very few horses and burros on MANY acres of land. And won’t the grazing of sheep and cattle also endanger the grouse? Why do the ranchers need that much land themselves? They claim the horses are non-native. So were the humans who turned their horses loose to fend for themselves. Why can’t the few horses and burros exist with the also non-native cattle and sheep? Just how many non-native cattle and sheep are going to be turned out that they need MIlLIONS of acres? And that they won’t endanger the grouse? This issue is ridiculous, brought on by non-native humans, for what real reason? Leave the horses alone!!! They’ve helped make America what it’s become.
The is appaling to kill all these beautiful horses! We as humans are so greedy! Are we not going to be satisfied until there is nothing beautiful left in the world. God help us all to stop being so selfish! And help us stand up for what’s right!
Please reconsider your round up in the salt Wells Creek Adobe town area. These wild horses have been part of American history for decades and decades. There has to be another way that the bureau of land management can’t handle this. Thank you.
It’s all about the land and location. It’s OIL, drilling, the wild life has to be removed. If it comes down to it, they will be shot where they stand. Left to rot on the fields. Read educate yourself research it all. It will break your heart.
I can’t believe the horse are being taken away from their location again
The BLM who wants to kills the majority of these horses is unacceptable. Rounding them up by helicopters is also unacceptable. As you watch them being round up, that’s so sad.
We have bears around our house turning over trash cans. They are not being taken away or locked up like the BLM does to the horses.
Relocate or leave the wild horses alone 🐎 !!
I’ve personally witnessed wild horse invasiveness in the west. Something needs to be done to reduce the damage these wild horses are doing. They clearly have a negative affect on the landscape and species like pronghorn and mule deer. I’m a horse lover and even own 2 horses. Wild horses are a different animal and should not be allowed to run around unmanaged. These animals could provide a lot of food to folks in need. The opposition needs to put aside their emotions and do what’s right for the environment.
There are much more humane means, look to the brave, proud state of Colorado. https://returntofreedom.org/colorado-governor-signs-bills-to-promote-humane-wild-horse-management/
I think it’s way past time we leave our wildlife ALONE. They were here before any of the BLM people. It’s their home not ours.
Feral horses have been a negative force on our public land resources for years since their introduction. Their destructive effects are amazing. While I have both a BS and MS in Forestry and Wildlife Habitat Management, and years of experience, it doesn’t take a trained person’s eyes to see this destructive effect.
Native plants, wildlife, and water resources suffer horribly in their wake.
Let’s unite to remove these non native animals from our Public Lands!
What you don’t mention is that cattle/sheep grazing on public land at $1.30/mo per head greatly outnumber the wild horses- often by 140:1. So which animals are doing most of the damage? Wild horses are supposed to be federally protected!!
Hate to break it to ya but if not for horses, WE wouldn’t be here. It’s the euphemisms that get me. They’re not “wild,” they’re “feral.” It’s not a “round up,” it’s a feel good “gathering.” I would venture a bet that sheep, cattle, elk, deer, bison ALL have a destructive effect on native plants and water sources. The BLM is a failed agency and I’m glad the US House of Representatives has FINALLY realized this and formed the Wild Horse Caucus. I’m hopeful that they WILL investigate the BLM’s mismanagement and incompetence and replace the miscreants with people who take their stewardship of our lands and its animals seriously.
I can’t believe your hurtful comments. Hopefully the powers that be will not listen to your negative rants
Always our partners, and this is how we repay them? Leave them alone! They are kind, intelligent, beautiful creatures who have served us faithfully for all of our history. Let them be!
Leave the wild horses wild. Let them roam wild and free.
WHY ?? WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE ?? More room for Exclusive Housing Developments ?? For the 1%er’s ??
The objective is to stop the destruction of habitat by this non-native species.
Leave the horses alone! They are justifying their job.
This petition isn’t going to make a bit of difference. I am signing it for the principle of wild horses in America. The Republicans have been trying to get wild horses off public land for decades. I do not believe this campaign will do anything. They are not even going to look at the statistics of how many of us Americans who believe that wild horses deserve to be protected on our public land for everything they did over the centuries to build our communities, our industrial economy and our agricultural dominance global.
I’d love to help rounding up horses in any way I can .I’ve lived around many types of horses n love n respect them so any help needed im here n God bless the country boys
Please let the mustang run wild mustang. I have never gotten to see them wild but would love to see them one time in my life I love the curly mustang they are so beautiful.
Why, why, why, must AMERICANS destroy everything & everyone that lives naturally? You say these horses are not native to the land, but they’ve been here for a whole lot longer than the invaders that are trying to stamp them out now, have been. We’re already extincting one species after another, just in the span of my lifetime! Won’t people be happy until we’ve killed every bit of beauty & nature that God created?!? Don’t you know any better yet???
Curious as to what would happen with the horses after they are captured? Just thinking it is a lot of clean meat that could go to homeless shelters and a lot of other facilities that could put it to good use. They would also create generous revenue for reimbursing cost of the removal by companies that would use them for rendering.
I believe the BLM should be able to relocate the horses to Native American reservations on or near land or property.
Why do these horses have to be removed? Are they over grazing the area? Are they creating an ecological problem? Once, several years ago, when traveling West on I-84 heading to Rock Springs I witnessed a small heard of wild horses running free. It was beautiful and wonderful to see, a picture of the old West. Do we have to totally go so modern as to eliminate that aspect of the free West?
Yes, they are over-grazing areas. They are pushing pronghorn and mule deer out of their natural habitat. Yes, they are creating an ecological problem. On one hand, there are the facts…these are undisputable. On the other hand is an emotional argument only. Yes, they are beautiful animals, but they are destroying things! Not everywhere but absolutely in some areas, and they must be managed just like deer and pronghorn are being managed.
Sterilizing a portion of the horses may be a much better option than eradicating entire herds, if indeed, the current population is problematic
Horrible and most of these beautiful horses will be KILLED. CO Dept of Ag is taking a proactive role in managing the horses on Western Plan with fertility control program that is HUMANE and cost effective. BLM only knows one way — fly their helicopters and round them up. There is middle ground and WY needs to protect their horses as a BIG part of the Western history story. I think with 2.1 MILLION acres there is enough room to have a 1000 wild beautiful horses that have supported throughout history the Western life.
In other parts of the US tourists visit ti see wild horses and elk. Examples: Elk County, Pa., home to the largest free-roaming elk head in the northeastern US. Assategue Island, Md. and Va. Wild horses roam freely. Visitors have been going to these places to see what you are trying to eliminate. Let’s see how the tourist business is affected when all to see in that area of Wyoming is gone and just a memory thanks to the BLM’s action.
Let’s be honest here. They want to elimate the horses because cattlemen want the grazing for their herds. But if they are leasing ‘public’ or park land, then that belongs to the people so they should have no control over what belongs to the public. Leave the wild horses alone!
Need more info: are the horses suffering? Is there not enough grazing for cattle? What will be done with them? Will the public be able to round up some of them?
Horrible and most of these beautiful horses will be KILLED. CO Dept of Ag is taking proactive role in managing the horses on Western Plan with fertility control program that is HUMANE and cost effective. BLM only knows one way — fly their helicopters and round them up. There is middle ground and WY needs to protect their horses are part of the Western history story.
The question should be what can the American people who are against this BLM roundup, plus all the other unnecessary ones do to prevent this from happening. Voicing opinions here are good, especially for getting some facts corrected, but what action can all horse advocates take to assist these Wyoming horses, that would actually produce results?
I am stricken sadly heating of the possibility of terminating an existing life in our United States. Have we all but forgotten that these beautiful animals were part of our American history from the native Americans and onward into the landing of our European settlers. There was no way for our survival without horses. Is this the respect we in turn give them? Well, let’s just burn all of the American history. Solutions are welcomed. More costly than bullets but can most be sedated and sterilized? It’s always more trouble and expense to do the right thing. But America could do the right thing in this history lesson and not let it go down as a shameful act of honor in our history books.
Wild horses are already being sterilized and this will help cause their extinction. They are symbiotic to ecosystems and need to be left to restore
public lands. BLM is breaking the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act that mandated wild horses and burros be protected and preserved.
we live in a state where lawmakers have said that its just fine to run a wolf to exhaustion and then run over it with a snow machine. that is the sentiment here. just get rid of things that are in your way.
We can’t just let nature run wild.
I believe that the wild horses should be able live freely on public property land and private property that is how l feel I own land in NC if they were horses on it I would want them left alone
I read your article and I don’t fully understand why these beautiful horses are being rounded up possibly and what the intentions to do with them once they are (I can only imagine), these horses are a part of our lives, our history, they are living breathing mammals such as us humans. They have a life cycle just as we do and if I had a piece of land where I could be a host to a few I would! But I’m in an apartment in the city but have a great love for these exquisite animals.
I hope to hear more/read more of this on going argument.
This is crazy! Where do they plan to put all these horses that are being rounded up? There are so many wild horses now that we’re previously rounded up stuffed into places that are too small, dirty and no freedom to run! They will never see open space again. Do any of those horses ever go up for adoption. There are only so many people that want to adopt them. Many domestic horses are in shelters waiting for adoption. I think alot of pregnant mares go to Phizer drug company farms so thier urine can be collected to make estrogen cream.
The new born foals are then discarded like garage once they are born.
The way humans discard God’s creatures is incredible. He gave them to us for companionship, to take care of and love. We should do good by this! He will make all of us answer for our wrongs if we don’t correct them.
Maybe we should all ask Him for some help and believe that He can fix these situations. He would hear that we love and care for His creations.
Quit being so closed minded and mean. And this goes for the big ranchers also. Nobody tears up the earth more than humans. Animals hooves don’t do near the damage. But we act like they do. It’s just an excuse for someone to get their way because the are not willing to help the situation. They just want to cry about it. They don’t want to reach into their pocketbook to give to help these rounded up wild horse get proper care by a veterinarian or a roomy safer place to be, good nutrition and clean water to drink. These animals deserve that. Every living thing deserves these things. These horses may have started out domesticated but all births after that were born and grew up wild. That domestication was done with with the first births away from human contact. They are truly wild.
The amount of damage done to the ecosystem by wild horses is tremendous. They harm the wildlife and plants of the area, and the harm they cause is well-documented.
Partnering archaeological science and Native perspectives ended up telling a very different story of horses in the American West. Comanche tribal historian and elder Jimmy Arterberry noted, for example, that the archaeological discoveries from ancestrally connected areas of Wyoming “support and concur with Comanche oral tradition” that Comanche ancestors raised and cared for horses before their movement to the southern Plains.
https://theconversation.com/archaeology-and-genomics-together-with-indigenous-knowledge-revise-the-human-horse-story-in-the-american-west-202222
History matters and is largely written by the oppressors. The above research turns it on its head. The issue today is about morality. We can understand our society by how well we take care of and live with all our relatives. We have been charged with the horses’ destiny. A shiver of truth runs through my bones. I trust through yours too.
Fine, then don’t allow the ranchers to graze BLM land!
Sad that they have to take all these horses off of their home.
In the whole article not one thing is said about what you’re going to do with 3,000 plus horses that you’re removing from the land! But I wouldn’t put it past you to just kill him because they’re nothing to you!! 😠
BLM has been conducting helicopter roundups, which injure and kill some horses/burros, often several days later from capture myopathy. They have no scientific basis, according to the National Academy of Science, for how they determine the Annual Management Level or AML for wild horses, for each HMA or herd management area. Grazing permits for cattle and sheep, subsidized by the American taxpayer at $1.30 per head per month, greatly outnumber wild horses as much as 140:1. This is wrong folks!! Over 82% of Americans support the right of wild horses to live!!! Recent fossil discoveries show that wild horses existed in N. America as recently as 5,000 years ago- not 10,000 as formerly believed!! Reversible sterilization with the PZP vaccine by volunteers has successfully managed a herd of 3,000 wild horses in Nevada at zero population growth. That’s the humane way to handle this situation! Check out American Wild Horse Conservation’s website. And contact BLM about their radical plans to remove thousands of horses from Adobe Town, Salt Wells, and another WY HMA this summer.
I understand that the horse population has been allowed
to increase due to lack of responsibility by the BLM. I recently read the alarming numbers of horses slaughtered in Mexico & Canada, then shipped aboard especially to China. So my question is, what happen to these 2,000+ horses?
Nevada has a massive birth control injection program of mares.
I understand that the horse population has been allowed
to increase due to lack of responsibility by the BLM. I recently read the alarming numbers of horses slaughtered in Mexico & Canada, then shipped aboard especially to China. So my question is, what happen to these 2,000+ horses?
Crazy
Leave the horses alone. If there is an issue with sage grouse. Remove them
Horses has been there for years
They most likely help the environment more than hurt it and have been there their whole life. Not far to move them
I find this removal of wild horses extremely inhumane and disturbing.
These are God’s creatures and part of the nature in that area, wildlife is not to be altered or eradicated, it’s to be managed within reason. There has to be a better way than this for all to be fair to the innocent animals, the land and the people.
Why get rid of the wild horses when clearly the deer that roam in the cities are more of a problem.
Please do not round up and kill the wild horses.
Please don’t allow blm to eliminate those wild horses they are not no danger to anyone not hurting nothing just roaming free as God intended them to do
Why hasn’t the BLM been able to manage & control the growth of these herds via humane, legal, program-approved methods already in-place? What, exactly, is the planned disposition of these horses after they’re rounded-up??
The BLM continues to mismanage OUR wild horses and burros! When will we put an end to this cruel, inhumane and probably illegal situation?
I suppose it’s to make room for more homes and PEOPLE. This is pure crap. They were there first and are the reasons we have gotten as far as we have with transportation. Sterilize people. Preserve our animals. Pat Craig has the right idea to preserve.
We say NO To removing the Horses. Evil people, get a real job. Preserve our wild Horses and Buros. Thank You
Why Can’t the BLM use the Sterile processing injection to sterilize the Mares so they can’t have anymore babies. You don’t have to kill them and they don’t populate anymore. Problem solved.
So, just let them die of old age, starving to death because they have no teeth, or getting ripped apart by wolves?
Did we learn NOTHING from exterminating nearly all the bison
in the 1800’s, and wolves in the 1980’s? Eliminating an entire species from an ecosystem is NEVER the answer. Period. It causes irreparable damage to the food chain and has lasting effects on plants for decades. This is just cruel. Leave the horses alone.
I find this removal of wild horses extremely inhumane and disturbing.
These are God’s creatures and part of the nature in that area, wildlife is not to be altered or eradicated, it’s to be managed within reason. There has to be a better way than this for all to be fair to the innocent animals, the land and the people.
Suzie Topes is a smart lady! But obviously we’ve learned nothing from our previous mistakes from total eradicating a wild animal from its environment. The environment suffers we have learned that in Yellowstone when we took away the wolves. It throws the ecosystem off balance! Leave what God put there alone! That’s not our right to take away something that was put there for a reason! Wake up people, we’ve damaged our planet enough!
What in the name of all that’s holy are they thinking??? So wrong!! I smell money and greed behind this!
This is a travesty!!! Private landowners require removal because they don’t want to have them grazing. Let’s not let them use the land for their purposes. Let the free ranging equines have it!
That clearly sounds like Trump.
Anything that represents freedom in this country is in danger these days. Just plant more food for these hungry, but harmless horses, and call it a day. We have much bigger problems.
Why are doing this to one of the most natural wild life animal in the state of Wyoming. The wild horses were there long before Wyoming was settled. Please save them and allow them to continue to room their habit.
NO! These animals are native to our lands from the 1800’s and deserve to be able to roam, and live free & proud! It’s disgusting that this group wants to remove them!! What is their reasoning? Wild horses are a beautiful sight and should be preserved for generations to enjoy and learn from. NO TO WILD HORSE “REMOVAL” which means a bunch of hillbillies with rifles get to have a field day shooting innocent animals. NO!
REDNECKS AND GREED IS DRIVING THIS EFFORT TO EXTERMINATE WILD HORSES.
Actually it’s the conservationists driving this effort. We don’t want the land DESTROYED by wild horses. The city-slickers that have never witnessed first-hand the damage being caused by the these wild horses don’t understand. It’s not always greed motivating these movements. We want to save the habitat so that all can co-exist… you cannot do this by managing only some and not all. Wild horses are beautiful but they are destroying things and must be managed. Whether that’s kill for food or move to some ranch that will take them, I don’t know…that is definitely debatable, but one way or another they need to be reduced in numbers.
Jarrod Erdody,
Please provide us with proof of damage by these wild horses. I’m not a “City Slicker” as you said, and I hereby challenge you to defend your comment. I own horses, and have for many years. Oh, and my major at CSU, was Wildlife Biology. Now, what were you saying?
What do you mean eradicate?? Where do they go?? Why would anyone want this to happen? Is there no where left for anything to roam free???
I’m not from Wyoming, and don’t own land there, but this BLM effort seems misguided (unless there’s some huge outcry from landowners, or ecological threat).
That’s ridiculously stupid 🙄
Round ps MUST STOP!!! Its all about making money! Taxpayers dont want the horses put in slaughter pens!!! I dont want cattle grazing on govt lands!!!
The time has come to eradicate these feral animals from lands that support such wild animals as the Desert Bighorn Sheep. The sheep 🐏 can’t compete with the horses and burros for clean water.
I pray 🙏 that these wild horses 🐎 are not harmed if they are to be moved and that a suitable place is found for them to roam.They are a part of our heritage and it would be a great shame to distroy any part of that.. There’s nothing more beautiful ❤️…than a herd of wild horses 🐎.
This roundup of wild horses is unnecessary. It needs to be stopped. BLM is catering to the land owners and ignoring the fact that there is no ecological reason to eliminate these herds. As a taxpayer who along with many other taxpayers who pay BLM workers salaries, I do not want my taxes paying for this inhumane endeavor. Leave the wild horses alone!
Our Lord will judge the individuals responsible for removing /killing the wild horses.
Either give us a hunting season for these horses or eliminate them.
Hunting season for the horses? No for humans!!!
Joy Burk is right. Please read her comments. In an ideal world, the solution to this dilemma is to implement large land swaps which undo the checker board pattern of land ownership along the UP main line. Chopping up the land in the 1800s has proven to be a disaster!! Huge pastures of predominately federal land – over 95% federal – could be created and could reach 100,000 to 250,000 acres in size. i have recommended this many times on WYOFILE because I’ve seen it work elsewhere in Wyoming. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to do because there are so many interfering people that would object about archaeology, paleontology, tribal sacred sites, historic trails, migration corridors, etc. And, mineral tights under neath the surface would be almost impossible to trade/resolve. Congress would have to pass a law blocking the land swaps from judicial review or else it would be contested forever. So sad, the solution is obvious.
History is repeating itself ! Didn’t the government try to eliminate all the buffalo? And they are trying to kill all the wolves!! Why is our government trying to kill all the animals! They were here first!!! Shame on the BLM for rounding up these poor horses!! Leave the horses alone!!❤️🐴❤️
We know the reasons. Greed. I hope there is a way to stop this huge violation of our wild mustangs and conservation of the public lands
I want clarification as to their reasons for doing this. I understand the damage is zero to none on the environment and it is a cruel practice as well. Leave the horses alone.
I’m reading a book by Marguertie Henry “Mustang of the West”. It’s all about the slautering of the mustangs. Why oh why do people think it’s okay to decimate a living , free roaming animal just to suit their own needs ? Come on people, open your eyes, stop killing harmless animals just to suit your selves. Stop !! Stop killing wolves, mountain lions, buffalo, coyotes, foxes, whatever your mission is. These animals and many more, are facing enough hardships without your blind killing.
spree. Have you ever looked into an animals’ eye before they are going to die?????
Are you native to this land??
Agreed! And well said.
Please,please,please,dont get rid of our american west! They are all thats left.why take this away.No,i dont have horses,but as a young girl of a family of horse lovin people.
Why does the BLM have the desire to get rid of all the wild horses in the above mentioned areas? We could thin the herds of the horses if they are destabilizing the ecosystems, and affecting such native animals like the Sage Grouse.
The wild horses have integrated themselves into the North America, namingly, Wyoming’s ecosystems that to remove them completely could cause issues that could effect the environment that haven’t even been thought of yet.
Besides, I grew up in Rock Springs and would ride my bike on to the desert to admire the wild horses on a regular basis. I think anyone that is voting on this should be required to spend a day watching the horses. Maybe, they will walk away a little enlighten.
Hey Everyone! Don’t get so worked up. BLM has indicated it is going to sign a Treaty with the horses and burros. The only condition is that the BLM wants to be recognized as the rear end of the horses.
Government is the anesthesia that dulls the pain of stupidity!
Concur
That is our heritage those horses do not belong to the goverment . So you are going to just kill them I have seen what you do behind the scenes and you know I am right what a disgrace .you say they will be sold but what about the ones that do not sell you will truck them to Mexico and they will be killed
For goodness sakes people, the horses are not going to be killed. They’re put up for sale and the ones that don’t sell are put on private pasture to live out the rest of their natural lives. Also, these horses are not native to the Americas (north or south). They were brought here from Europe (mostly from Spain). The Indians only had horses because they were brought here by Europeans. To address another comment that has come up over and over on here, there is not a human on this planet today who doesn’t live on land that was stolen from another at some point in time, so we all need to get over this stolen land nonsense because we can all claim the same. If you truly feel otherwise, then by all means practice what you preach, and sign the deed to your property over to the nearest recognized indian tribe. Until then, it’s just a bunch of virtue signaling.
If you believe that the horses that dont sell will live out their lives on private pasture you are beyond gullible. Many of our wild horses are living out their lives in crowded catch pens with no shelter period. Many stallions break their legs tring to climb out. Foals are often not with their mothers or herds. This is a horrible wrong. The horses who helped us conquer the west, plowed our fields, and gone to war with us deserves berrer than this from America. There is enough feed to leave them be. They are not starving to death, and even that would be better treatment than what they are fetting now.
Cruel and abusive behavior toward any animal is illegal. I feel any farm animal should be treated humanely. We are suppose go be a nation of help thy neighbor. All Gods creatures great and small. Please get the horses out of those pens. Find families to give a couple of horses to. I used to make good money but not anymore. I live on 114 acres. I would be willing to take a couple of horses and a couple of burrows. I know it doesnt seem like much but baby steps could turn into much larger ideas. Animal Lover of all kinds. Amen
There is a lot of evidence that horses were here and not extinct as you were taught in school. While our current wild mustangs are descendants of Spanish horses and lost pioneer horses, myself and many others have evidence that they are also native animals. It doesn’t fit BLMs narrative to explore that, and they never would anyway.
Sending horses to slaughter in Mexico is the norm. You should inform yourself.
Wild horses have been running free in N America since brought over by the Spanish in the 1500’s. News flash! Recent fossil discoveries in either Alaska or N Canada reveal that horses have been here 5,000 years LATER than originally thought (they were originally thought to have gone extinct 10,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age).
Better get rid of non native cattle and sheep also. But the Cattle and Sheep Rock Springs Association won’t do that. This cruel and torturous to the horse. Foals will die, horses will be severely injured.
BLM fails to exercise their legal authority to remove livestock from “HMAs”, “if necessary to provide habitat for wild horses or burros . . . ” (43 CFR 4710.5). BLM fails to comply with Public Law 92-195, Sec. 1332(c) “range” means the amount of land necessary to sustain an existing herd or herds of wild free-roaming horses and burros . . . and is devoted principally . . . to their welfare . . . ” The Act does not reference HAs, HMAs, or complexes. The 1971 WFRHBA has been amended to the point that the original intent is lost. The bias and cowardness of government agencies do not uphold the Act in protecting wild horses and burros from capture, branding, harassment, or death. BLM has miserably failed the herds as they have had decades to negotiate land swaps with the RSGA to consolidate lands for fair, humane results. Section 2 of Pub. L. 100-409 provided that: “(a) Findings – The Congress finds and declares that (1) land exchanges are a very important tool for Federal and State land managers and private landowners to consolidate Federal, State, and private holdings of land or interests in land for purposes of more efficient management and to secure important objectives including the protection of fish and wildlife habitat and aesthetic value . . .” I can’t say it too many times – BLM fails wild horses and burros in protecting them and their “range(s)” by cowering down to the RSGA (welfare ranchers).
Thank you for that well researched post. You are exactly right – the livestock industry wants the horses eliminated from the land so they can graze the sheep and cattle on the cheap. Period.
Ridiculous what is taking place ! Where the heck is our lawmakers? BLM has to much power and authority for the citizens of the United States they work and are
Paid by Taxpayers. Step in Musk! Do some good! Lol
You best remember that native American were here first and the wolves! The white ppl came stoled the land from the natives and killed the natives took their horses which were part of the wild mustang the you are trying to destroy! Too it’s the white that put the natives on a small plot of land then took that land back! Your word doesn’t really mean nothing as for the wild mustang they belong to the land and to us! It’s like the wolves they belong to us! You definitely decided to come here to live you didn’t ask or check for boundary rights when it came to the natives or to the horses or wolves so now your going to kill them! How do you live with murder and blood on your hands? How do you sleep at night,! I live in two worlds I’m half native and part white but today I’m all native,!!!
The “ non-native “ connotation as indicated above, fails to take into account when horses arrived here. The fact that the fur trappers and the conquistadors used them puts them in this country 500 years. At what point are they comfortable calling them native? Cows aren’t native and have been cross bred for various reasons.
Suggestion: An unbiased environmental study comparing horse destruction to the eco system vs. cows, sheep, and humans.
I wouldn’t have responded to Wyoming’s affairs, except for the fact that selling them to slaughter ( over the border) is so easy.
The horse SAFE act must have been discussed…? My understanding of it is that the BLM and US forest service have responsibility. the law declares wild horses and burros to be “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and stipulates that the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service have the obligation to protect and maintain the mustangs ( from the Spanish mustango, again referring to the Spanish colonization period…. approximately since 1500AD. ). They are considered living symbols of pioneering spirit.
They, like the American eagle represent a heritage of freedom.
Those that respond to my written response will kindly not presume that I know not the cost of a horse. I have owned fed ridden bred and kept my horses safe in winter. And current on vet requirements.
You do realize that wild horses ran on the lands before white men came here! This land as you call it belonged to the natives before the whites took it away from the natives! The horses and wolves were here first! You should think about how much damage you have done to these glands and to the natives ppl and the wolves! How do you really live and sleep at night!
Leave the horses alone!!!!!!! This makes me so mad. You took the land from the Indians now you have to start taking them too? NO.
Well we aren’t native to the USA unless your indigenous. Leave them alone they are not doing anything to the environment
they roam in. I love that there are still wild horses out there. Beautiful thing!!
Why do we have to kill off everything? What if people want them on their private lands? Are they still removed? This seems cruel.
Are they going to be selling any of the horses?
This is the worst thing to do to our LIVING LEGENDS!!! 0ur VOICES SHOULD BE HEARD!!!
This should bring the price of glue down. No, but seriously horses are hard on the land as they trample down four times the amount of grass that they eat. It would be nice to see bison there instead of horses.
As a life long resident of Rock Springs I have watched the free roaming horses for years. I have also seen how much enjoyment and income, they have brought to the area from visitors from plases they no longer roam free. I hope the legislators take into account these factors when making their decision.
I believe this to be a travesty! We keep messing with things we should just leave alone . Nothing free about this country anymore! We give our so called government way to much power while we watch our rights get pulled away everyday. We have no say anymore it’s so sad !
Is there any kind of petition that is being signed or I can participate in with the removing of these beautiful animals. That is just awful and they should be able to roam that land.
I’m a horse owner and love to see the wild horses roaming. Because they are beautiful memories of the west , and what the west stood for . I say leave them a lone if the BLM wants to cut down the population. I say just gather up the studs and geld them but leave one stud per herd . And do the same with the stud colts along with putting some up for adoption. Just leave them a long
I completely support this idea. The herd will naturally thin its self.
Will they be auctioned? I hope they all go to go to good homes. If I had lots of money and land, I would buy several. I don’t really understand why some people are so against rounding them up. I don’t think animals are ‘happier’ in the wild. They are subject to starvation, accidents, attacks and inclement weather.
I’m a horse owner and love to see the wild horses roaming. Because they are beautiful memories of the west , and what the west stood for . I say leave them a long if the BLM wants to cut down the population. I say just gather up the studs and geld them but leave one stud per herd . And do the same with the stud colts along with putting some up for adoption. Just leave them a long
Why will the “roundup” take place during the hottest time of the year?
What are they going to do with them? Used to be that people could purchase them for personal use, this prohibited the foreign meat processing industry from butchering them for food.
This is blatant bias and cowardism by BLM allowing the RSGA to dictate how many wild horses can live on our public lands. BLM has had decades to enter into negotiations with the RSGA for land exchanges. There is NO law that mandates the removal of wild horses from public lands so they don’t stray onto private lands, and NO law prohibits wild horses being returned to their designated rangeland after removed from private lands. Highly subsidized welfare ranchers have BLM agencies in their back pockets and wild horses and burros pay the ultimate price of being eradicated from their historic rangelands.
The only animal species that is over its’ carrying capacity, does not live in harmony with Nature, and has become a detriment to our only life support system (Planet Earth) is us, Homo Sapien. We are the most invasive species. We exploit, then we destroy and then we move on to the next. Through our arrogance, greed, and stupidity we are destroying the only life support system we have. If we were capable of inhabiting another planet, we would do the same to it.
We share this Planet, we do not own it. It is about time we learn and respect our place within the the whole scheme of things for we are only a great ape that has become too big for our britches.
Yes! Spot on comment. The humanoid continues to ravage the land, sea, and air. Why aren’t we rounding THEM UP and “getting rid” of them!
While I can understand capturing the herd if there are ecological reasons, I cannot condone the unnecessary destruction they are proposing. I am especially disturbed by thier wording. No mentions of adoptions or even auctions that would leave the possibility of at least some of the animals survival to good homes, just eradication. They are living creatures, and have just as much right to life as any other. No living creature should be condemned to eradication just because some private land owner or government official doesn’t like them. If we are to be just stewards of the Earth we should have empathy for all life, and take no life without need. This senseless distruction is an affront to creation, (whether you believe in theology or evolution, it applies to both.)
I agree.
Too bad everyone fails to notice that cows and sheep are also invasive species and cause infinitely more destruction to the environment.
Exactly they are mre destructive especially sheep
What will they eradicate next? deer elk Bears.? this is wrong seems like we’re losing all the good things
If these rights groups are so adamant about protecting this wild non-native species then require them to corral, store, feed and neuter them. Enough of these animal rights groups who think they’re holier than thou and don’t remember or understand the natural progression of
These horses don’t need to be fed they are wild. I’m tired of people like you think its just fine to kill everything. They are wild horses and think it’s beautiful will still have them. People are destroying this planet. Once animals disappear so will man. I’m not some crazy animal rights person either.
“The natural progression of” what? You left off before you finished.
Humans killing things is not a natural progression. It’s a regression.
What is the basic meaning of regression?
“A return to a previous and less advanced or worse state, or condition.”
I saw the last “roundup” they did in Nevada. They used the same “aerial gunning” helicopters they use to chase wolves, and the same high powered rifles they shoot wolves with. It is the most disgusting thing I’ve seen. They ran down mothers with foals in 120+ degree weather! They ran them all down just the same. Many horses died. Here’s what else: the slaughterhouse people are always there at these roundup. There are/were rules about selling these horses to the slaughterhouse, but during the Nevada roundup, it was discovered that these people used false names to obtain the horses, but by the time it was discovered, the horses could not be found. Some of them are sent down here, to Colorado, where prisoners in the Canon City, Colorado prison, “break” the horses to get them ready for sale to individuals from the public. I don’t know if Wyoming plans to do the same.
This is not a joyous occasion. This signals the end to freedom. Many of these horses will be killed, I hope it won’t be all of them, but I have previously watched the state of Wyoming kill alot of animals based 100% on politics (Cynthia Lummis!). Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, some of most beautiful states in the U.S., and huge tourist destinations, lots of wildlife, lots of outdoor activities. Their politicians will sell everything off for some of their constituents, cattle ranchers, who want to run their cattle on BLM land for FREE! It’s cattle that do the most damage to land. When they graze, they pull the grass out by the roots, meaning the grass will not grow back. Worldwide, cattle produce more methane gas than any other single source. The true cost of beef, including the environmental impact, is far higher than what you pay for it at the grocery store. Horses do none of this. There is no bona fide reason to bother these horses, let alone kill them.
Control the population of the wild horses but keep them. They deserve to roam free and safe from all who oppose them being there. They are beautiful creatures.
God had a plan when he made this Earth and all these animals and creatures in it and when people are so self-minded and closed and want to get rid of it to give the ranchers cattle and sheep and all this other BS and pretty soon what’s it going to be next eliminate the deer the antelope the buffalo this world is a piece of crap now and people should leave it alone let it Go went to start eliminating the creature that God put on this Earth to help who carried the covered wagons guys then it’s going to be a bad bad sad thing leave the wild horses alone thin out the herds but don’t take them out of their home they deserve that that you owe them that so leave the horses alone thank you
Praying that that BLM does not get their way. Murdering beautiful horses..why? Article does not mention the fate of these wild horses. And up to 5,000??? of them? And the Biden Appointee approved this! And BLM although understaffed are proceeding forward with the horrible undertaking! This is a historical destruction of our Wild West and these Barbarians should be ashamed!
They are sent for dog food , some are adopted, they are Rounded up with helicopter. And ran hard. Do not believe the BLM when they say they do this for what ever idea they come up with , If you can go and watch how they do this so called round up BLM needs to be abolish and removed,
The article points to that adoption isn’t an option sorry!
Leave the horses alone
The most dangerous animal in the world are the humans. This action is all out of greed. How Hypocritical take the wild horses Off the land because they are not for Native to ecosystem and replace them with animals that are Also not native to the ecosystem.
This is part of America’s heritage, history and legend. How many years have they roam free they should be Grandfather Clause! I understand thinning the herd with some of the young ones, and the suffering. More thoroughBackground checks should be made before adopting Mustangs. Unfortunately, I am seeing more and more of them ending up in the slaughter pipeline. Placing a couple thousand horses and taking care of them on taxpayers money does not sound like a grand plan especially the well-being of these magnificent animals.
What is going to happen to the horses after round up? Where will they be taken? Their fate?
KILLING HORSES.
Please be clear that these horses will be killed. They will not be moved to stables with plenty of oats and a promise of a good life.
KILLING HORSES is what this is!
Please don’t remove those beautiful creatures. Allow them to roam free.
They are one of the great American symbols.
Blm has not done a good job on many issues. This is another example. Let voters make this decision.
I think it is important to consider how many tourists drive to see the mustangs out on the range. Eco tourism is growing in popularity and perhaps the BLM could invest some money into more “wild horse viewing tours.”
Also, the article mentions “elimination” of the herds. Does that mean killing them? That is illegal. I think the BLM needs to share how much they pay to care for horses that are not adopted. Horses regularly live more than 20 years. Is it more cost effective to feed the captive s in their little corrals for the rest of their lives? Is that a humane approach at all? I feel this is a very one-sided decision. I am NOT against stock growers or native wildlife but I would like to see some hard facts on all of the above questions.
Just like all animals can’t you just left them alone and roam free..
PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE THESE MAJESTIC GODLY CREATURES ALONE!!! They have every right to roam the wild and live their lives in peace and quiet…These roundup kill many of these horse and has that ever been reported…These animals are prey and they will run from fear, especially something making all that noise and flying above them…Of course they are gonna run for their lives and that terrain is not all flat…I will gladly sign anything, protest anywhere, help in anyway necessary to stop this very disgraceful act of mankind…
These will be sent to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. It’s all to make money. Donkeys are ship to Mexico for tiger/lion bait food. Currently all donkeys and mini horses are being sent to Mexico. So when you see these at auctions the kill buyers by them up. Also horses at auctions especially draft horses are sent to both countries. Kill buyers pay up to $7000 ea for them. The fatter they are more money the kill buyers make.
When horse breeders can’t sell their horses they send them to auction. To get rid of them. Racehorses have been found at popular kill buyer auctions when the horses don’t make the greedy owners money.
Wow!! People have strong feelings about mustangs, wild horses?, feral horses.
One has to ask where did these horses come from, other than those born in the wild? Many of them were turned loose when there owners got tired of feeding them or there child had outgrown the idea of a pet horse ownership.
Do they compete with native wildlife? Yes.
Is there an ansure to this issue? That remains to be seen.
“Many of them were turned loose when there owners got tired of feeding them or there child had outgrown the idea of a pet horse ownership.” WOW! I’m going to say this in the nicest way I can so my comment doesn’t get booted – NO! Do you even know someone, who knows someone, who has a horse?
“Do they compete with native wildlife? Yes.” NO! Which “native wildlife” do they compete with, “the ‘native’ Hereford?”
“Is there an ansure to this issue? That remains to be seen.” Do you mean “answer”? Look, you obviously don’t really know about this “issue,” as evidenced by your answers. Think of this as a PSA: I would delete my response if I were you.
I would gladly adopt a couple of the young ones…
These beautiful creatures are iconic to Wyoming and deserve to roam free as they always have. It is usually only a handful that complain and get their way to eliminate these horses and it is maddening when men try to control nature. Please, let these animals live out there days in freedom just as we want to be free. We know that most end up penned in corrals or sold for meat. That is disgraceful!!! Let them ROAM!!!! They panic when the copters close in!!! How would you like it??? They are called WILD for a reason.
What do they plan to do with that many horses?
What are you doing with the horses ….relocating them and where too .
I’ve spent the last hour reading comments from this article. First and foremost I want to say that these horse herds have been here for hundreds of years, along with the elk, deer, wolf, etc. Clearly they have been able to co-habitate with all other “ native species “. So the cattle association wants more land for the cattle, and the sheep, that are not native and very destructive to the land. The BLM (and the judges) side with the lobbyists and bureaucrats but they’ve got to think of a good excuse for the murder of thousands of innocent horses who have every right to live and be free on their land. Along comes the idea of protecting the Sage Grouse. Funny how it’s coinciding with the rancher’s goal of having all the land to put their non-native cattle and sheep on. And how is that not going to affect the Sage Grouse? It will. But they’ll still blame the whole idiotic scheme on the horse. So the BLM and the judges will cater to the lobbyists, and these innocent horses will be injured and some killed, during their round-ups, then they will be placed in tiny holding pens, their close knit families ripped apart. Their whole world turned into unimaginable terror. But that’s just the beginning. Many will be injured or killed in the holding pens. They will languish there. Few would ever be adopted. Some would have gone to decent homes, but also, money-hungry individuals would buy them cheap, fatten them up, and sell them to kill buyers, and they’d end up in the slaughter pipeline. Others have an even greater terror that faces them when they are herded into trailers, packed like sardines, to be taken to the slaughterhouses of Mexico and/or Canada, where their barbaric practices of horse slaughter are allowed to continue. The meat goes to European countries, Japan, etc. where horse meat is considered a “delicacy”. Anyone who says they are “taken care of to live their lives out in a holding pen” is misinformed or just in denial. Check out the horse rescues. Every now and then they will escape the horror of the slaughterhouse, and a rescue will try to adopt them out. If your stomach is tough enough and your heart can take it, look at the secret videos and pictures that rescue advocates have taken in slaughterhouses to show the horrific abuse these beautiful creatures endure before they are stabbed or stunned, hung up to be cut open and begin the processing of their meat (some are still alive). It would , or should, absolutely sicken anyone who seeks the truth about the horses’ fate. I was elated when the USA outlawed horse slaughter. But it didn’t stop the meat men from shipping them to countries that find it just as acceptable as any other livestock. We need to outlaw the shipping of horses bound for slaughter as well. Some may argue that the horse is the same as any other livestock that can be slaughtered. I will argue that we owe it to protect the Mustang and all horses from slaughter. Horses carried men into war, to hunt off their backs, to travel great distances across rugged terrain, they helped clear land to farm, plowed fields, they’ve been backyard babysitters, they’ve been show horses and race horses and made their owners rich. They aren’t just a piece of meat. They don’t deserve their freedom stripped away. When the cattlemen’s association gets their way, and their livestock destroy the grazing land, and that oh so popular let’s-destroy-the-wild-horse-so-we-can-save-the Sage Grouse excuse, what are they going to attack and destroy next? The BLM will round these poor horses up, well instead of killing them, use humane birth control methods. I am still shocked, even though I shouldn’t be, at the level of cruelty and evil that exists amongst humans, for the purpose of the almighty dollar.
Thank you for posting.
Your post is well written & I agree with you. Where can I sign a petition to stop this horrid slaughter? Has anyone checked Change. org ? Maybe someone has put this on that website?
Well written. In brief, these horses are managed and protected by law. The best will be adopted. Some dispersed to holding and long term facilities. But some the older or unsound, will be sent to the slaughter pipeline. Passed around from one auction house to another. Their fate worse than death. Until the price of horsemeat in Mexico rises and they are packed into giant trailers and shipped across the border. We no longer slaughter horses in the US. ALL species are dispersed. And these horses are OUR history. They helped our civilization grow and disperse around the world.
I totally agree with everyone! Why in the world do people have to be so evil to do anything like this. The horses haven’t done anything wrong; they are just trying to survive. This is all due to selfish, non caring people who don’t care about anything but themselves. This is a very cruel practice to carry out. Can you imagine how horrifying this is for the horses!!! STOP DOING THIS 🤬😡
I already posted a comment about the wild horses and it’s not here.
Alright everyone. Lets all write the White House to remove the BLM and to save all of our wild animals for future generations. Stop the GREED. The way to contact the WH is website. Upper left corner Accordian. Use contact and fill out form
The BLM is controlled by the White House. They (trump administration) determines what is carried out by the BLM.
These horses are not anymore and INVASION that the cattle and the ranchers. Are you removing the cattle ? Are you removing the PEOPLE? Stop this madness that is only fueled by GREED. These horses are being managed by the BLM which is a corrupt and opinionated younger generation that does not have the horses interest. The BLM needs to either be reformed or removed altogether. 1521: Gregorio de Billalobos brought cattle along the Panuco River, which eventually spread northwards into present-day United States. Horses were reintroduced to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, with Hernán Cortés bringing horses to Mexico in 1519, and they quickly spread across the continent. CATTLE IS LESS INDIGENOUS than any horse. These horses were protected for the public to enjoy and again the GOVERNMENT is ruining a beautiful animal. BLM needs to go.
Why on earth are horses targeted?! We care about the grouse, but are willing to wipe out the wild horse herds. Horses were instrumental in settling our country. Now they are not”needed” so they are worthless? We protect piping plovers & sea turtles, but the majestic horses are just a nuisance? I recently read about the efforts made to repopulate the extict last truly wild horses, the Przewalski horse, in Mongolia & surrounding areas. I thought how sad that they had been allowed to become extinct in the wild & only some exist in zoos. But thankfully now some are being reintroduced to the wild & herds formed. Wouldn’t it be silly, if not criminal, to let America’s own wild horses become extinct because of human greed & selfishness? Why do we care about some species but not others? My husband, son & I recently traveled to Vieques, a small island off the coast of Puerto Rico & the main attraction to us was the large # of wild horses roaming everywhere on the island! They were on the sides of the roads, in town, at beaches, in yards, in parking lots, walking down & across the roads . . .so amazing! People had to coexist & they did. Take away those wild horses & you take away most of the charm of the island!
The Ameican West is known for cowboys & horses! Should we let it become a concrete jungle? Or just another private farm where cows & sheep are allowed to eat grass but wild horses are not? What’s next? Wipe out the birds so they don’t poop on our cars?
I know this is not a well-thought-out educated opinion, but others have already made very persuasive arguments. This is just a from-the-heart expression of my sadness at the possibility that these wild horses may be removed, wiped out, to roam no more.
It’s Trump that needs to go, & I’m positive that the BLM is carrying out his orders.
BLM is controlled by TRUMP and CONGRESS or haven’t you figured out that simple issue.
If they can reintroduce the pzwalski horse to Kazakhstan, the BLM has no right to these horses. They belong to the American people. What gives them the right to decide the fate of a species, especially one that has been here since before the West was settled? Leave them alone. If they really want to manage the herds, there are safer ways to do it. But rounding them up and running them to death and sending them to slaughter which is what will happen isn’t the answer. What gives you the right to eradicate a species? It’s all a big money grab. FYI cattle do more damage because when they graze they pull the grass up root and all whereas horses crop.it off at ground level allowing it to regrow. Perhaps you should go round up the overpopulation of cattle as they are an ecological disaster. Maybe we could start eradicating people starting at the Congressional level as they are an invasive species.
What does anything here have to do with Kazakistan???!
What do they plan to do with those horses? Why is that not mentioned in the article?
Totally agree with your last statement. In this case, both parties.
Wild horses are removed to appease ranchers by making more room for livestock. The horses are not starving or overpopulated. Leave them alone. Don’t use my tax money for round up.
Mike, Your reporting and information you provide is very helpful! How can individuals best support the wild horses and their ability to remain free on the land where they are?
Thank you, Mike. For bringing this matter to the American People’s attention. I graduated from Parkland High school, there Mascot is the Mustang. Horses are important to the western way of life. And to anyone who likes horses. Mustangs roam freely on public federal lands. If there is overcrowding there in Wyoming, adjust the horses to a new area to accommodate them better. Not to remove them. Guidance is needed from the locals of that town to suggest improvements of both human and animal needs. Maybe rezoning needs to happen to bring resolve to that concern. Horses are not pest.
Leave the horses alone, they deserve a beautiful life, just as much as the people, cattle, sheep, dogs, cats, etc. Why in the world does this issue keep coming up because of some greed or some rancher who wants more from the federal government? How about the people who own the federal lands, which is the American Citizen, kick out all the other animals and cancel the leases. I’m sure the leases are just a very minimal monetary amount compared to the value of the land.
Why is it so important to remove the horses? Can’t they be relocated in Wyoming or Montana?
Everyone needs to send letters to both blm and the cattle associations send paper letters not emails or text messages maybe getting a shit load of letters will help
I, for one, can’t understand why anyone would object to removing feral animals. They don’t belong there.
Thank you Ernie, your comment is very helpful
Are they just going to kill the horses?
This is a stupid idea. Wild horses and Native Americans roamed the Americas before it was habituated by immigrants. They belong more than cattle ranchers who are just lining the pockets of some politician or lobbyist to get their agenda through. And I am sure they are not going to be moved to other grazing grounds. A token auction will be held and then the majority of these majestic animals will be destroyed for dog food. Pathetic.
They have been there for centuries leave them alone they aren’t hurting anything!
Wild horses may not have roamed North America for 1,000s of years but they’ve become an important part of North American culture, history, industry and yes the ecosystem. I had to laugh when it was reported their grazing habits were threatening sage grouse populations! Fact is, the Wyoming Fish and Game itself reports that the grouse populations “grow and decline in seven to nine year cycles”. It goes on to report “The cause of these well-established cycles is not understood, but it is thought to be influenced by weather and climate, which impact the availability of food and cover in the sagebrush ecosystem”.
Nothing in the 2024 report mentions horses as the cause of declining numbers. It does mention the $500,000 it makes available to local ‘sage grouse groups’ that monitor the birds habits. Could it be just another blown up eco problem where money is the key factor, and not a bunch of horses stepping on some dried bushes?
Isn’t 2 mil acres enuf for birds and horses to get along?!
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/news-events/increase-sage-grouse-lek-attendance-observed
I just read the link you provided…I’m not surprised that whatever plan they’re trying to implement is money motivated. Definitely NOT factual though. I feel like they’re gonna do & say whatever they want in order to fit the narrative that’s been fabricated regarding eradication of thee wild horses. It’s TOTAL BS & WE ALL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE’RE HEARD & ACTUALLY DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE! None of these beautiful horses deserves such a fate. They deserve to be left in peace!
This is a disgrace for our country. These horses deserve to be where they are. I believe the BLM should be rounded up and done away with, not these horses. They are a symbol of America. Hope this can be stopped, and never come up again.
Horses built the world and this great nation. They worked tirelessly for centuries, fought and died for us in wars, and they try their best to survive in conditions that are increasingly hard every year due to humans encroaching upon nature. Can’t we PLEASE give these noble creatures a little bit of love and some slack in return? It’s the LEAST we can, and absolutely should, do! Sage grouse have PLENTY of land to thrive and so do the cattle and sheep. PLENTY. Please adopt a mitigation plan, not an elimination plan. PLEASE!
They tried to do this in Arizona, and they ended up in a federal vs citizens stand off and the citizens won. They went out and physically blocked them from taking them. They sell them to Mexico to be turned in to fertilizer, it’s a money thing. Do what Arizona did and stand your ground for those horses.
This is one thing that makes me proud to say I’m an Arizonan.
They shouldn’t remove all the horses they were there before us. The way they do it with helicopters is inhumane and should be stopped. It’s wasting our U.S $$$
This is such a sad situation. Those horses, sentient creatures, do not deserve to be irradiated. They are there because they were mismanaged to begin with, man’s fault, not theirs. Surely there has to be another solution, without the mass slaughter of these beautiful creatures. My husband and I have spent days throughout the years sitting in anticipation to get a glance of these creatures, the primary reason we travel to southern Wyoming. Eliminating the whole herd is not a good solution. How about herd management like the wild horses on the Salt River in Arizona. Establish a non-profit, many of us will support it.
Too bad we can’t apply this to human beings; “there are too many, let’s just get rid of some” How about the murderers, rapists, etc. Horses are beautiful; they don’t grow up to be drug addicts nor criminals. They are not a burden.
The priorities are just rotten.
Thank you, Lynn!! Isn’t that the truth?!
Ecosystem rather than economy though this too could be the case
The wild horses are deeply rooted North American natives who restore a life enhancing keystone role in the economy. This ruling is so unfair and ignores the true spirit and intent of the WFHBA and the will of the American people as well as what is just plain right!
This is ridiculous! Stop overtaking all the land with cattle you are just going to murder. There are plenty of meatless foods humans can eat. Let nature take it’s course. It is humans that interfere with nature!
Wild horses deserve to live. Also, I believe in the adoption round up.
Leave the horses alone!
When the term “eliminate” is used, does that mean the horses are put down? Scattered killings? Does this include burros in other areas? I’m very concerned, but have no means to help in anyway except alert the public about what’s going on with BLM and the horses.
So now the wolves will have less to prey on and so on
These roundups need to stop! People, wake up! Follow some of the legitimate mustang rescue groups to inform yourselves of the abuse and neglect that happens when these horses are rounded up and adopted out. (I am not saying that all adopters are bad.) There is a program called the adoption incentive program (AIP) that pays an adopter a set amount. There are people that have used this program to get the money with no intention of taking care of the horses they adopt. Documented situations of starvation and neglect. Then they get dumped at auctions and the kill buyers are the ones that bid on them. They end up in the slaughter pipeline for human consumption. This is well documented. As long as they can walk, they can be shipped for slaughter. Doesn’t matter if they are injured, have a broken leg, are pregnant or sick. They ship on overcrowded trucks where if they go down they get trampled. They get no food or water for as long as it takes to get to the slaughter house and the trucks do not stop. The well being of the horse is not even a consideration. Age of the horse is not a consideration either. Even young ones go. Look up Skydog Mustang Sanctuary and other legit mustang rescues to read about the back story of the mustangs that are there. Horses that are not adopted out will spend the rest of their lives in holding facilities. It costs the tax payers far more money to keep rounded up mustangs in holding facilities, than it would to use humane birth control methods that have been proven to work.
Helicopter round ups are cruel and costly for the taxpayers. They run these horses in the the hot summer. They run them till they are at the point of exhaustion with no regard for the foals.
Surely we can and should do better for these horses!! If sustainable forage is not the issue, then leave them alone. If herd growth is an issue, then use humane birth control to reduce the herd size. Don’t just wipe them out by removal. Better, less expensive and a more humane ways has been proven. Let’s use those options.
We have become a society of ghouls. Does bill gates want this land? What is Bidens admin doing,???????
Why are you mentioning Biden? It’s a Trump Administration now.
Where will they be taken to you can’t just kill them so where are you relocating them to
That is exactly what I was thinking. There is a HOT place in hell for these idiots. I wish I could round them up and slaughter them. The humans that are responsible for this. They are killing us off, as well. Greedy no good pieces of crap. What are they going to do when we are all dead and there is no animals or anything left? What is their goal? This is the one of the most evil things I have ever read in a while.
This country was built on the backs of horses and they are owed our loyalty and protection.
There is nothing native about either sheep or cows as both originated in the far east. And both of these grazers do far more damage to the environment than horses.
I say get rid of the cows and sheep and leave the horses.
So when it says remove are they going to kill all the horses? If that is what is happening that is awful. There has to be a better solution.
Seriously grouse over noble animals like horses please where do I sign-up to protect these horses?
Leave the horses alone. What the hell is wrong with you Mormons. Is it not enough that Trump and his minions are screwing up America. Now the horses. What’s next,
The elderly. Sounds like Russia
I have to correct you on a few things. One it’s the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. Two very few Members of our church would condone, let alone, join this stupidity. Just as these beautiful animals should not be killed for the whims of a few, do not judge the entire church based on the actions of a few idiots that turn up. (No race, civilization, or social group is free of having some villains and idiots turn up as well as thier heros and geniuses. We are all a mixed bunch).
I wrote a poem a few years ago regarding the wild horses:
Stand proud wild horse of the desert plain
Do not let them your spirit claim
God made you strong and gave you heart
and set you free right from start
To roam the valleys and the hills
Yet your freedom men seek to steal
If we listen we might hear
The thunderous roar the silent tear
Of slaughtered ones from the past
And understand your plight at last
Has BLM done DNA testing on these “wild horses” and determined that they are non native? Petroglyphs in the Americas show drawings of horses predating any European/colonial visits! I still don’t understand why birth control is not used to keep the mstang and burro populations in manageable limits? Rounding them up is such a cruel practice and then trucking them to feedlots, eventually selling them cheap to the slaughter pipeline just adds to the brutality. If you want to call yourself a rancher, then buy a ranch instead of leasing federal land and mismanaging your herd/flock and destroying the grazing and riparian zones! Big Hat, no land, too many animals to graze on the cheap! Greedy much?
This was ordered while Biden was your president. Read the article. I am a conservative and am against it.
I truly cannot understand why anyone let alone a part of a federal government wants to eradicate a whole herd, let alone something that was native to our home before we were even here. To say the herd is not native is pretty unrealistic since the horses or mustangs were here before anyone of us where. If anything we are the non-natives in this situation. To not just work with the herd to help manage or move them around but to eradicate them, I mean eradicate. How many times do we as humans need to learn the same lesson over and over before we actually put the results that we “learned” from the last time we eradicated something into affect? Let’s talk about eradicating a mosquito or a fly. They are a true nightmare practically for everyone where these horses are not. Please take the time to really consider what eradicating means.
Leave the horses alone! Focus on removing other threats to cattle and other livestock,such as coyotes and mountain lions etc.. They have laws to protect other wildlife so why take these beautiful horses off the land.. So many end up in kill pens or abused,they deserve better!
I invite you to read my comments when you have a chance. It will put more light on government inconsistencies in reporting so called threats to native species habitats by wild horses. I’m with you, leave them alone. Natural selection should be allowed to take place. Thank you!
Wild horses are a non native species, so by that rational the ring neck pheasant and pigs ,cows and the domestic sheep and goats should also be removed. Also cats,dogs, and humans cause none are native.
So are we, the people, are not native to North America. Only the Indians and other tribes, are native to nA.
Don’t forget Starlings, Brown Snails, Anacondas, Ferrets, Guinea pigs etc et and every pet 90% populations has.
The horse herds need to be managed. I agree 100%. But eliminating the whole herd is ridiculous. Has any one paid attention how much land the Rock Springs Grazing Association leases (has control of)? Look it up. Figures they are behind this. Have you ever tried to camp on the Green River between Jamestown and Fontenelle You CAN’T Rock Springs Grazing Association or Aggie grazing association has what’s not private tied up. Manage the horses but DON’T remove them.
I feel strongly that we should continue to support wild horses and burros and not kill thousands of horses.
What does “remove” mean? Are they euthanizing them, selling them, offering them up for adoption, or shipping them to Mexico or Canada where horse meat is marketable?
I cannot understand or believe that a society could be so cruel!!! Why?? What is your purpose?? Is it money?? 🤨 CERTAINLY NOT FOR THE GOOD OF THE HORSES!! RELOCATE OR MURDER??? I HAVE OPPOSED OTHER ISSUES IN WYOMING. NOT A PLACE TO VISIT OR PROMOTE!!!!
Leave theses beautiful horses alone.
Human population is slowing down so how much land do you need?
I’ve been around horses all my life. They have a good memory and they become very bonded with their owners.
Don’t you have more things that are more important..
Nature will be taken care of by itself.
Leave them alone
Leave all wild life alone!! All they want to do is build things we don’t need in this world. All you see now days is gas station, carwashes fast food restaurants, liquor stores, apartments building going up like crazy, and destroying historic land makers and taking away farm lands. For what greed.
I am so upset that our beloved Mustangs, creatures Native to our land are being eradicated . Mustangs are protected. This is wrong
Those are feral animals – NOT native, by any stretch of the imagination.
How about rounding up all the non-native cattle and getting rid of them instead? Or better yet, just get rid of all the Republicans wasting our tax dollars on private interests.
Yeah!
Might want to check your facts before you start blaming Republicans for Liberals actions. The vast majority of Republicans I know are all horse lovers who protected our horses in my state. There were just as many Republicans as Democrats in the movement in Arizona that protected our horses. Protecting these amazing creatures is not a political issue as people on both sides love them, while there is a few idiots on both sides who want them gone. I wish people would stop turning every issue into an immature high school drama school mean girl popularity contest tit for tat political argument. I have both family and friends who are democrats, and we can agree on as many subjects as we disagree, but we don’t hate or demonize each other. If we horse lovers truly want to save them, then let’s use that love for them to find common ground and pull together for thier sakes.
Act to save these horses 1. VOTE AGAINST LOCAL AND NATIONAL POLITICIANS WHO SUPPORT THESE AWFUL GATHERS!!! 2. MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHY THEY LOSE. 3. BOYCOTT THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OF THE COMPANIES WHO WANT THEM FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES. 4. MAKE SURE THEIR WANTS AND MOTIVES ARE OUT IN THE OPEN AND KNOWN. 5. AND EAPECIALLY- KEEP UP AND INCREASE THE GOOD WORK IN THE COURTS. 6. GO FOR DONATIONS TO HELP WITH THIS WORK.
No. Don’t do this!
The strays are from abuse or from push of real estate. Normal back bone of America who actually care about animals can’t keep them.
Life is full of kindness. Show it!!! Life is full of cruel intentions. Mostly for selfish gain. Don’t do this.
I believe it is more for developers.
These animals need there home.
They do not buy or go to the grocery store. And buy food inside which is provided. No. They depend on the Land.
We need give them that land. Let them roam. Buck would not allow this!!!
Horses keep the brush down which helps in case of fires.
To do away with whole herds of these animals, that were here before the cattlemans ranch was, is completely evil. We have taken so much from so many species, what gives a wealthy man the right to dictate to government employees. In this time of great shearing of excess gas anyone looked to see who will eat the most loss? Its those who have to pay the most in taxes, for the horses why cant they be relocated? I know tjis administration is causing other countries to really hate us. But to annilhate 2000+ horeses 1 year with plans to do another 3000 removsls the next year for what so the rich cattle man has no competition to free graze his beef which again who can afford. Talk about entitlement
Exactly 💯
To Elon Musk: eliminate the BLM!
This was ordered under Biden not Trump and Musk had absolutely nothing to do with it. Can you ppl not read or do math. I’m a conservative and I’m totally against this murder!
Amen!
Agree
So “Remove” all these wild horses actually means Murder them,,Really?,,let’s just kill every beautiful thing in the world,Wow
Exactly 💯
As a horse owner, it hurts my heart that we would do this to these beautiful creatures. Let them be
Why bother these beautiful creatures??? Leave them the f**k alone!! One of Wyoming’s most gorgeous assets!! Can’t say there isn’t enough space!! Feds should be concerned with the harassment of the Bison in Yellowstone!!!
So they want to kill these horses when they say eliminate them. This is so horrible why one more thing ruin in the beauty of this world leave dang horses alone
When is the human race going to learn that mother nature knows what she is doing C when she outlined wildlife. Follow her rules and no animal goes without. However humans think there better and eliminate what they don’t like. Disrupting the circle of balance. You killed and removed the Indians now it’s wildlife. Quit being selfish and learn from YOUR mistakes. Mistakes of evil, greed. We’ve suffered enough. And all you have destroyed or murdered is now gone. This is not a take take take world. Grow I p and do what’s right. Quit being selfish and stupid. God gave you a brain. Use it wisely.
Leave the wild horses and Burros alone!!! Except to protect them, of course!
That land was the horses land before humans ever set foot on it!!! Leave them be, make the humans learn to live with them or remove the humans from the land!!!
Those horses deserve to be where they have always been!!!
We humans need to stop taking what isn’t our and learn to live with nature
Are you serious? Horses were BROUGHT to the Americas by humans, Spaniards!
They were brought hundreds of years ago, and have in many cases become naturalized to the environment. Two horses lived here long ago, but we’re supposedly hunted to extinction by ice age man. Thus the arrival of horses was a reintroduction of a species that went extinct due to the actions of humans. While I can agree with a certain degree of management, the removal of them would be just as stupid as trying to eradicate any of the species conservationists purposely reintroduced to environments where they went extinct in the wild.
There are 2.1 MILLION acres of land. There are only a few thousand horses. Somehow the math doesn’t make sense. How much land does someone need to own to feel superior? What’s going to happen when the horses are gone? Are hundreds of thousands of cattle going to be put on that land to damage it and kill off the grouse that seem to be so important? The grouse that have to be there so that so-called “humans” can go out and kill for sport (so what if it might be illegal-that’s never stopped anyone from doing that before)? God gave Adam the Earth and all of the creatures on it for “STEWARDSHIP” which means to take care of and protect, not kill off and destroy anything and everything that humans consider annoying or in their way. Leave the horses alone! Anyone can say the horses aren’t indigenous. Most of the people in America aren’t indigenous either and the ones that are indigenous have been driven from their lands, too. So-called “humans” think they’re so superior; too bad God made such a stupid creature. Stupid creatures: leave the horses alone!
Thank you! Please read my comment above, it sheds light on the real story!
Measures should be made to control their population, not kill them off. They are a natural part of the land they thrive on. And ecologicaly it would be a big mistake eradicating them. All living things are part of a circle of life. One species being eliminated offsets a cycle .
Please don’t kill the horses. It’s so very sad. What are they hurting?
Save the horses, they need everyone’s help!
Leave the horses roam!! Mother Nature at her best 💕
What happens to the horses? It’s too horrible to think that those beautiful wild horses would be rounded up just to be slaughtered for meat or destroyed in any way. If the land sustains the horses and grouse now, I say leave them as nature has all this time. The Native American in me sees this for what it is, familiar and heart breaking 💔
They are a feral species. Dont think they will ever get them all. But they need to be thinned drastically. We have thousands in holding pens already. We are feeding. I know it sounds cruel but all that money could be put to better use. Not to be a dick but if all of you who are so hurt by this. Go buy a dozen feed them for the rest of there life. It does suck and it is not right but something has to be done. 65,000 roaming wild in the west. Sometime man has to decide where it all ends. Leave a majestic herd and manage it right the rest well it needs to be done. They can not be managed properly at the numbers there are today.
If you led them go you wouldn’t have to feed them. Are they being vetted? Are they being exercised? Are they being loved? If you’re worried about their population growth how about a spay/neuter/release program?????
Why are the horses less desirable than the sage grouse??? I mean the raptors are back in WY and that’s why sage grouse are losing ground… so after they remove the horses, and the grouse continue to decline, they’ll do away with raptors…I don’t think BLM has a clue..
WHY?? Outrage!
This is primarily a legal issue not an emotional issue – the Federal court ruled in favor of the BLM and Rock Springs Grazing Assn. Please read Mike’s article again -he included the most basic principal under lying the wild horse removal. Quote ” to remove wild horses from private land as soon as practicable” is a requirement of the original Wild Horse and Burro Act!!! In the checker board land ownership pattern on both sides of the UP mainline every other section is private land and the wild horses have been trespassing on private land illegally. Horse Management Areas need to be located on large tracts of federal land with minimum private land and there are such parcels in the western US – the federal government should own over 90% of the surface in the HMAs not 50%.
The BLM and horse advocate groups have made a MAJOR mistake by not recognizing the private property rights of the owners of land in the checker board area. Had they been realistic they could have approached the private land owners and the RSGA and paid them for grazing the horses on private land and all would be well. BLM is already out sourcing thousands of wild horses to ranchers who have submitted a feeding/grazing proposal which normally pays the ranchers $60-65 per horse per month to live out the rest of their lives in states such as Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska. south Dakota, etc. Ted Turner has taken in about 900 horses on his buffalo ranch in South Dakota.
The publicly owned horses DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO GRAZE ON PRIVATE LAND and the Federal court has so ruled. It was a major mistake for the BLM to create large HMA areas in the checker board. However, there was a reason – the wild horses had occupied the high desert for many years and cowboys rounded them up in order to break them for ranch use. If I remember correctly, many of the horses were processed for dog food by the early 1920s Ken-L ration canned dog food – that’s an unfathomably thought now.
Better range for the wild horses must be found which may require establishing new HMAs on BLM land in other states but most of the other states have too many horses already. WYOMING’S CHECKER BOARD HAS TOO MANY INHERENT PROBLEMS TO BE WILD HORSE HABITAT – the BLM made a major mistake and now the court’s have ruled that the horses must be relocated.
I think it’s BS. I think they just don’t have any brain in their head. These horses deserve sanction somewhere. Why not contact someone who will use their property and let them run. Y’all are ridiculous bureaucrats. Let them Live! They were here before you. Reminds me of what the white man did to the indigenous peoples.
Wyoming and Wild horses are synonymous. These horse roundups are unconscionable . There has got to be room out on this massive government land for groups of horses to exist. Hopefully wild horses will be allowed to stay free.
We travel 191 to Rock Springs often and ALWAYS look to see if the horses are around. There are not very many left after their last roundup a few years ago.(the people who make it sound like the horses are overrunning the the country side are full of crap)
There special interest groups who want every blade of food for sheep and cattle. This is so wrong, they get these leases cheap and then they think they own the country. Next will be elk, deer,pronghorn, rabbits .This is a ridiculous statement I know . I think there is plenty of room out there for all. Sheep for one eats the ground bare. They are the ones that should be limited.
LEAVE THE HORSES ALONE.
I feel that if I don’t say anything then it will seem like my opinion doesn’t matter.
Please leave these horses alone. They aren’t hurting anyone!!! They’re beautiful reminder of what the west was really like!!! Removing them is removing history!!!
Can you be honest why it’s so important to wipe out entire herds ? You all need better things to do then kill our Wild Horses in my opinion !
How can they do this? And how can we stop it? Those horses have every right to be there, they’re not hurting anything. How can people be so cruel? Please, just leave them alone!
I think the whole issue is discussing, these horses have been here long before we were here and they survived summer winters all by themselves.
Why do humans have to do this to our animals always interfering in their lives, they don’t hurt anyone they just live and be free. This country and these men and women who tell the people what they are going to do, what happened the “We the People”, I thought this nation would bring a vote to the people, No there is never any votes from the American people, they say it’s a Free Country, I don’t think so, there are to many that say they will do as they please and then it’s up to a judge to decide, that is anything close to We the People. Lord have mercy to taking away Earth’s greatest assets it animals…..no longer FREE…….
We are fortunate to have a BLM wild mustang for over four years now – she was at a feedlot. Please leave these horses alone!
None of the animals mentioned are native to the area. Horses probably have been in the West longer because of Spanish settlers and Native tribal adoption of them. Why not manage herds with birth control measures and maintain the historical
significance. (Tourists often love watching them.)
I agree. Feral cat and dog populations are often controlled with birth control methods. I think there must be some other options available.
Leave the horses alone. The fact they can endure winters there makes them native, after all, aren’t we all …including the other animals there just transplants from somewhere.
That land, all of those horses are living on, belongs to them, they have been living on that space first. Those people should NOT have a right to collect those horses and remove them.
Cannot believe this can stand. Biden era judge ruled in favor of it yet they always pretend to be in favor of conservation which was obviously just an excuse to control people and businesses in the name of being GREEN. What is green about killing off herds or horse? Clearly they only want to rule uncontested and are absolutely lying when they use any buzz words like “Conservation”and “Going Green “. If there were any other possible explanation this would not even be on the table. Disgusting and should be fought to the end.
I wonder how many posters here are from Wyoming? How many are ranchers struggling to survive as each year is a little harder than the last. These Horses are not native and need to be controlled somehow.
I’m from Arizona. My family comes from a very long line of ranchers. BLM is doing the same thing here in AZ. It doesn’t matter where any one of us are from. We all are the horse’s voice. Killing an animal that CAN BE dangerous just because it doesn’t belong somewhere is animal cruelty and that is exactly what it is, these politicians are committing a heinous crime and they know it. We don’t have the power to stop their abuse of power on us the wild horse’s and they know this also. I don’t live where you do but my state is doing the same. I could and should set these animals free but don’t want to go to jail so I’ll just sign every petition I can whether it is from Arizona or elsewhere. Does it really matter if us posting on this story are from Wyoming? I don’t think so.
It’s absolutely wrong at this point to touch these animals. These are earthlings and they deserve all the respect and love we can give them which means letting them be free. Dear God, why can’t everyone see that it’s not worth it to hurt them?
White man tried to eliminate the bison to starve my ancestors because we were in the way. They tried lacing blankets with small pox to eliminate us because we were in the way. When all failed put us on the poorest piece of land. Oh no there’s gold there you must move. Hi no there’s uranium there you must move ect. So I guess the wild horses are in the way they must go too. When will it stop? I have the answer. When the Creator says that’s enough. What will you do then?
In my opinion, as a citizen, this is absolutely despicable. Horses have a right to exist on public lands and in the wild. People should be reminded that horses helped create the west and made it possible for cowboys to exist. Please reconsider this action, as many see it as cruel, inhumane and unnecessary. If cattle are allowed to exist on public lands, why not horses .
Remember the government
didn’t want the Buffalo and now we have to have a park ran by government basically for wild life . Leave Montana alone the horses like all living creature’s there in Montana earned the right to stay…. So sick of multi million dollar companies with their studies telling us what stays what goes. If the Ranchers and locals are fine what does it matter. Let the locals decide!
Although I am from NYC I owned two horses in OKLAHOMA and horses are magnificent animals and should be allowed to roam freely. If I could I would buy some land and some of the horses to give them a home where they could roam freely. I love horses.
I wish we could send letters on line to help save the land for the horses
Check out the American Wild horse conservation group and sign the petitions to help the horses
First off, if you aren’t from Wyoming, this should be of no concern to you. Secondly, do you have any idea on how aggressive wild horses can be to wildlife like elk, deer, antelope, etc when it comes to water holes and the best grass? People want to romanticize the wild horses, but they are a drain on recourse. I happen to own a mustang and no one is lining up to “give them a home”. The same people crying about this are the same people building in Jackson Hole and fighting to take away the elk refuge. Resources would be so much better spent on other issues. Don’t be so emotional and do some research.
Leave them be. People are taking over everything. People are more destructive than anything natural.
Leave the horses alone! Must we humans get rid of or kill every animal on the planet!! This is just wrong!!!!!!
I have a question about this horse roundup. Is there a reason for this roundup besides someone does not want wild horses roaming on property that is not being utilized for anything. This is their home & I can’t wrap my head around rounding these beautiful creatures up unless their is another reason. Do they want the horses or do they want to build on the land? What’s the untold reason for this? Thanks, David
Any animal that endures the WY winter has surely earned its right to roam freely.
It’s not a necessity to remove the horses. They have survived the weather and people who round them up every year. They’re not used for dog food or fertilizer. People bud on the mustangs, it’s just wrong for the people who decided this useless idea. The people who bid on these horses gentle break them for riding. They’re not show horses. The horses are rounded up once a year and put in a corral, so they’re safe. The mustangs have been winter killed, bear kills and are sought out as kills for the wolves that some people got together and decided we needed to put the wolves back in Yellowstone. Stupid idea. The BLM has a hunting season for the wolves. The hides can be sold but are generally kept for proof that the hunters got the animal. What makes the BLM think it’s right to remove up to 5000 horses? The mustangs should be grandfathered in as a native to Wyoming. They have been in Wyoming as long as I have, which is 72 years. What gives other people the right to make decisions concerning these animals? This is our state!!! We we’re not even consulted about this. I want a vote.
I agree 👍
Leave the horses alone. They have been out there on the plains for hu dress of years,leave them alone
This should be public lands wild horses belong to the public an we love our wild heritage
What is going to happen to these precious animals. They don’t deserve to be put down or go to slaughter. God put these wonderful animals on this earth to enjoy.
First of all the Federal Goverment shouldn’t own all the land they do. They have helped themselves to way too much land! It was not suppose to be like this and they dam well know it. This is another disgusting move period! They should be stopped but we all know they are more than corrupt and they will not be stopped. There is no fighting them if u are in their cross hairs they will get you. Make no mistake.. they will get all the horses with most of them being slaughtered! They are so full of it with the reasoning. It is some stupid beauracrat sitting behind a desk that doesn’t know shit from shinola maki g this decision!
I agree with you.
You are absolutely right! Save these beautiful animals!
This is an outrage. Dispicable biased people in BLM who always side with the cattle and sheep ranchers. They forgot how without horses this country wouldn’t be what it is today. How many of these horses, burros and mules in history were shipped over to World Wars? So disgusted.
Those horses are the ICONic symbol of the Old West they have been around for hundreds of years and as a native American they should be left alone.
On some ways I understand the concern. That happens with many species of animals and birds that allows open a season allowing a certain amount of hunting to be done. In the case of horses which, I assume, cannot be hunted but moved, with no info on where to, that I see thus maybe euthanized. To control population, what not spend that same money and start fixing a large amount ofthe horses so they cannot reproduce. The older ones will die off and the heards will get smaller. Yes, this is a layman speaking but it just seems logical to me.
The Federal govt is evil. The BLM should be removed from the planet. Your idea makes sense. Too bad some with a brain and compassion is not in charge
Your idea is perfect. Castration would help balance. But the government thinks killing is easier. That way they don’t have to work. Look at all the Indian(women an childern) they murdered. Because in there mind they were in the way. I’m proud yo be Indian and proud to say we still have a few wild horses left. Embarrassed and ashamed when people come to see our wild horses and culture. And I have to bow my head and tell them the government destroyed history
They have the ability to dart them with birth control that lasts up to 5 years for much less.
I agree. Spay a bunch of mares and castrate a few males. Those won’t reproduce.
This is sickening. I just don’t get it. Why? What it comes down to is probably money. Like always. These horses are beautiful to watch. I got to see them once in the wild while riding. I’ll never forget it
I think this is so sad that people think that these wild horses are destroying grounds that domestic horses and cattle utilize as well as the wild animals. What studies have really been done to prove that it is only these horses are the only ones eating and walking around these lands? I appreciate that you allow people to make comments on how we feel about how these horses are being used as scapegoats.
Please please don’t eliminate these precious horses😪 Please rather relocate them.
Please don’t hurt the horses! They are extremely family oriented. These roundups are cruel and killing them is a waste. It is all cruel. Morality before money…please!
What will happen to the wild horse that are gathered, will they be put up for adoption?
Adoption would not be practical. These are wild animals and can be dangerous.
They will be eliminated. Just as stated. Or the vast majority will. And many will be injured in the process requiring elimination. It’s sort of like the “final solution”.
They need to leave them alone
This is inhumane!!!! How many will die this time?
They need to leave them alone
Can we adopt them rather than send them to slaughter? Death should not be their fate!
Please safe these Horses . They are part of our History!!
America the Beautiful, so what’s next, buffalo, or the wild ponies on the east coast? Our country is incredibly beautiful because of the beautiful wildlife and laws that protect them. Humans who want to ‘eradicate these free and beautiful creatures are amoral and after the ‘gather’ where will these animals go? No where in this article was there mention of finding homes for these innocent creatures. Let them run free, they mean no harm to man.
Dear Trump, slash BLM budget PLEASE
Yes, I totally agree. Leave them alone.
I have been following the wild horse issue for several decades and would suggest that the BLM Horse Management unit could be of interest to Elon Musk’s DOGE team.
At the turn of the century (in FY 2000), BLM’s horse management account stood at $22.7 million. In FY 2020 (I have not updated the numbers in recent years), the BLM horse management account stood at $100 million. Over that same period, the number of wild horses on ranges in the West increased from 43,600 to 79,600 and the number of wild horses “warehoused” in holding areas had increased from 9,500 to 50,000. The policy of gathering and removing wild horses from Horse Management Areas and maintaining them in holding facilities is not a great example of government effectiveness.
During this period, research into a contraceptive vaccine for horses demonstrated that a contraceptive vaccine (a PZP construct) could be delivered remotely, was highly effective in slowing the growth of horse populations, was reversible and had no adverse impacts on equine behavior. And yet, the BLM maintained that horses in the west were impossible to vaccinate (despite effective wild horse population control by volunteers administering the vaccine remotely using dart guns in several horse management areas). Remote administration of the vaccine reduced the number of wild ponies on Assateague Island and had a positive impacts on equine welfare due to the delay of reproduction in young mares. The average age of death of uncontracepted mares was less than 7 years whereas mares contracepted for 3 years or more lived more than 20 years (some reached over 30 years of age). The increased longevity was an unexpected problem for those who wanted to reduce the number of ponies on Assateague. The number of ponies on Assateague peaked at 175 in 2001 but has since fallen to around 75 (https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/2023-annual-horse-population-update-for-assateague-island-national-seashore.htm).
The gathering and warehousing of wild horses in holding areas is an expensive and ineffective method of serving either range or horse welfare. The use of fertility control has been shown to be effective (albeit a reduction in horse populations takes time – 10 years or more) and is also a much less expensive option.
Exactly
If there is sufficient resources for wild horses and cattle then I don’t see the problem. Stop the inhumane roundup and killing of our wild horses. BLM does the same thing with mustangs in AZ and NV. This must stop.
There are no wild horses in the west. There are feral horses a plenty. Government needs to reduce their impact on threatened native species.
How does someone get involved in saving these beautiful animals of God ??? 🙏 Wanna 🥺 help with land or what I can do, please contact me 🙏 mjudy4889@gmail.com
Horses are a spiritual animal which have a community with a type of political leadership. They basicslly tske to themselves and are not preditory in any way so why would anyone wish to eleminate them? I gather the sheep herders want them gone so there’s more vegetation for sheep or in other words so they can make more money. Really there’s only two outcomes for the horses if captured 1. Sell to people to be retrained but for what and 2. Kill them either bury in a pit or sell to dog food makers. They are a Nobel animal and don’t deserve slaughter. Has anyone explored the possibility of yes thinning the herds and then using birth control as they do with rats in Mew York City? Trying to fence them from grazing land would be very expensive to build and maintain so explore a way to introduce birth control to slow down reproduction rates. Humans need to live with the wild world not destroy it especially for profits. I don’t expect this regime to do anything wise unless there’s profits to be made but others could explore options to slow the horse population and not just exterminate them.
It’s a clear sign there are too many people on the planet when they require so many resources, and so much land, that God’s other creatures must be eliminated.
First, review the facts on the ground. Consider ALL stakeholders, including land and all wild creatures, especially horses.
I despise BLM!!!
What will happen to them? Are they planning to kill those rounded up or relocate them? How about instead coming up with a sterilization program instead to reduce the numbers being born each year .
They actually do use birth control, but it’s not easy. Helicopter is used to dart the mares. Roundups for shots of birth control. The horses are put up for auction. Individuals can purchase however many they want. The rest are sold for slaughter. I know, so sad and terrible.
We need to have laws that protect them why isn’t the current wild horse and burros act not effective in protecting the wild horses and burros . Devastating to read this .
I am on the side of the horses. Leave them alone. So they’re non-native? So what, what horses aren’t?I believe they arrived from wrecked ships 6-700 years ago.
You of course are wrong. Wild horse were released in or around 1550 from the Spanish horse herds. They started breeding and then the Indians captured them. Then a whole helluva lot changed; especially, once the Comanche got them…
The sad part about this is that the horses end up in the pipeline and go to Canada or Mexico and are slaughtered. I understand thinning the herd but not eliminating it completely so that there’s room for the cattlemen and their cattle there’s enough room for both.
I too think that horses are great beautiful animals but the problem is that they are not a native species to North America and have minimal preditors.These herds of horses grow and have a negative impact on native species such as deer and elk since they are competing for the same resources.
No horse is native to North America, but it’s an American heritage and should be controlled not eliminated. I understand the impact they may have on endangered species but I don’t believe they should all be taken off the lands they have roamed since before this great Nation was established.
We are not native to North America, either, and have done far more damage ecologically than the horses ever will. What about that?
Couldn’t agree more. Leave these beautiful horses alone! Use birth control where it’s called for, not bullets! What we SHOULD be rounding up AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE are the POLITICIANS who value the often illegal money they make for themselves vs their constituents & the Constitution if the U.S. We should begin this roundup at the very TOP. We have appropriate pens for them too! How many PEOPLE have THEY killed thru denial of health care, food, housing, & a 100 other issues. They truly just DON’T CARE.
This is horrible! What are they going to do with them? Just let them be sold for slaughter? Does no one care about our wildlife?
We can’t have everything we want, we have tried that and are now $35+ trillion in debt. I suggest we prioritize people over animals and spend money on wild animals after we take care of our homeless and other needy citizens.
Leave the horses and burritos alongside the can cohabit with cattle and sheep and whatever wildlife that is present. Mide your own business and let live in peace, haven’t we destroyed enough of the land and animals in the world.
This is an endeavor that does not have to happen. The BLM for years has sat on their hands and done nothing for either side. Let me be clear, range allotments have to happen for grazers and the horses have to be managed (something the Dept of interior has sucked at) not eradicated. They control fuels, to boot the BLM consents there exists area for them. The language has existed for decades. The affected area was supposed to provide habitat and affected grazers were supposed to have access provided grazing habitat for cattle, sheep, etc. The root here and trust me I know first hand is the sheer ineptitude of the BLM. This just equates to a massive horse kill. Poorly conceived and a slap in the face to common sense and stewardship.
America was built on horses.
And you want to remove them from there land. No. I stand against this action.All because of greed of humans.No, we gotta take care not eliminated because of Humans constantly. No.
I stand with the rights for horses. This was there land FIRST.
Let them be, as they have for ever.
Who the hell are we to keep taking and killing, disturbing, other species.
We’ve seen on tv how you remove animals. You’re not relocating you’re killing them. All because of Humans rights all the time and animals pay with there life. No more.
Big developers killing and destroying jest so they can built.
Nothing maters but $$$$$$$$$$$$$
No killing horses.
Hello I am wondering if the horses replaced past hooved animals. Studies indicate that trampeling the ground by bison or other ungulates help the prairies ecosystems by stirring up the soil for plants to grow as well as the fertilizer the manure supplies.
Are there other plans for the lands,after the horse removal, like recourse extraction.
People need to leave the horses alone. What harm are they? Who do they hurt? GOD put those beautiful creatures on the land, so let them be! Something far worse than too many horses may be what comes from removing them. Or Eliminate them, as words from this article put it!
I too think that horses are great beautiful animals but the problem is that they are not a native species to North America and have minimal predictors.These herds of horses grow and have a negative impact on native species such as deer and elk since they are competing for the same resources.
Caleb, you are wrong. The first boat of Spaniards brought horses to North America. Any born from those horses on US soil there after ARE native to our land because they were born on it. I am an Arizona native because I was born here and have lived here my entire life. After the horses that were brought from Spain died off, any born here are native, not invasive, those horses didn’t get dumped of in Wyoming from another state or country, they were born there in Wyoming. Their first ancestors were non-native. Why can’t anyone think of a better solution rather than kill them off, like sterilization and remote adoption, or just take them down to the southwestern states and give them to us down here, no restrictions no rules just bring them to us and let us save them from being murdered. I want 4 of them. Killing them is not the answer.
This is the plan by the WEF as stated wild horses are not native but they were destroyed in the meteorites floods As did many other animals I read Mammoths are being cloned and want to be set free by scientist who created them..what is the difference ? By the way I’m an experimental target who has spoken out about the WEFs future plans .Slavery of Humans Today I’m being fried with the Active Denial scalding system. Mr. HOLT landlord supports the WEF that’s why I’m being forced to leave my apartment via Active Denial crowd control system used for crowd control now used by local drug dealers , drunks etc. to attack others
To force them out because they speak out against the WEF .Omniwar. One against one.
I think let the horses run free
Don’t do that please leave horses alone
If you’re trying to get rid of non native species let’s get ALL of the cattle off public lands where ranchers have been freeloaders for years
I agree
That is the truth cattle is a non native species. I vote to extend the round up to all non native species and extend the range to include public and private lands. This way bison will have room to repopulate to their grand numbers. And if non native means only native species should live in Northern America where is that going to do for us anglo-saxon, non native Americans. If you are goibg at one group make it fair and make it all non native species across the board and all the land from coast to coast. Think about it their would be a whole lot of empty in the United States. We are not God and we have no right to eradicate anything. Setting a bad example for ethnic cleansing.
I agree that the herds need to be thinned, but total genocide is wrong on many levels. Then to do it so sheep can be ranged out there is ecologically ignorant. No creatures destroy the fragile high desert like domesticated sheep. There has to be some middle ground to thin and protect these herds of horses that have roamed that area for a long time and the ability for ranchers to run a limited number of sheep on the land.
Keep the government out. They don’t understand. Who are the ones really upset and suffering because of horses living there? Who? Cattle Ranchers? Go somewhere else!!!
I am heartbroken. What is the matter with people? Do we have to destroy yet another animal population? Do they want to sterilize the planet of the beauty of nature, of animals, just for ranching? For mass farming? For place to put yet more houses? For something else? When did other beings, and nature, become just an inconvenience? Haven’t we evolved further than that, that we can cherish the only natural world we have to live on?
People are awful! They care about some things only to get rid of what God put here. What He gave us to wonder & enjoy. God’s creations should be left alone.
I think it’s important to protect wild life like horses and lesser animals who are wild because they can’t protect them selves we have a duty to protect these animals in a modern society Notting. Less is acceptable
I have one more think to add , democracy is highest vote count wins, in a commission as the WEF has split us up in the US into commissions.C ommission takes ideas and does what it wants they are unelected but paid to the WEF with our tax money they collect.
I am just concerned, that all of those horses, will bring the government a lot of money, when they are sold per lb. as meat, when auctioned off at kill pens, to end up in Mexican & Canadian slaughterhouses. The prospect of profiting this way , is too great of a speculative option. Adoption fees, are not as profitable, nor does it rescue in great numbers. 5000 horses , sold for slaughter , would make a hefty Sum of cash money , for the Federal government. This is worrisome & inhumane to me.
I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are on the same side Linda…they MAY want the horses gone to go crazy with other profitable (to them) ways to use public lands… think more pipelines, injection wells, and other things that are typically considered “not in my backyard” type activities…
I’ve been in a semi when the wild horses would run with us. It’s one of my favorite memories. I think It really sucks to get rid of them.
Did we not learn anything about completely taking a species out over an environment, look at the bison for example, the wolf, man is only going to disrupt the balance of nature in the area. Stop think!
That’s what I think. Every time some greedy investor/politically motivated group sees some piece of land, or an area they want to profit from, suddenly everything catches on fire, floods, or this situation with removing horses. Somebody is making money doing something nefarious here and any “those” who are guilty of something in this situation, need to face public televised justice. There is a stink coming off this situation and all involved need to face serious scrutiny and then maybe justice in front of the whole country for their part. Not buying the sage grouse story and the Wyoming Study needs to be investigated/reviewed by a non-affiliation group made up of various groups of knowledgeable persons with nothing to gain. I’ve heard of something stinking in Denmark, but it’s stinking on in Wyoming and it’s time to find the source in the trash and deal with it.
We need to stop this nonsense these horses have rights also. When they say remove what are they saying destroy those horses. Because I don’t see any thing stating where the group is planning on taking them. And if people don’t want them on their land let them build a wall. That’s what the US did , don’t let greed overpower humanity. This is the land of the free including the horses.
And after they are caught what happens to them , are they sold for meat to China or France or Japan. I think this needs to be EXPOSED. Mexico and Canada still slaughter horses . The land will recover as it long has .
These are not wild horses. They are feral horses. There are many, much more important things for the government to spend our tax money on. I believe that helping people homeless people and others is more important than keeping up with a bunch of feral horses that serve no practical purpose. I believe that a very few could be maintained for the people who want to adopt them.
I agree with Barbara, it’s pretty bad that a few of our wild animals (horses) again have to go for the good of the whole…I don’t understand for the life of me why our country must keep going around the same mountain? They said the same thing about wolves, bears, spotted owls. I just don’t think those poor horses have it all that good trying to survive as it is, harsh winters, hot summers all with no veterinary care what so ever. All to often the wealthy ranchers have dictated the out come over land management when it comes to sheep and cattle, seems to me there’s been enough room for wild horses to roam for the better part of this century. I want them to remain living wild and free…🐾🐻🦉🐎
I am heartened to see so many folks who support leaving the mustangs alone. The excuses of them being a non-native species is just ridiculous. Studies have shown that they were indeed native, died out and/or moved across the Bering Strait, and were reintroduced by the Spanish explorers. The only reason the BLM want them eradicated is because the BLM grows fat on the money from those land leases. It’s disgusting. I’m the proud owner of a half-mustang yearling whose mother was rounded up in Wyoming, from the Stewart Creek HMA. He is so tough and hardy, yet affectionate. These are living legacies of the country’s history, and they need to be left alone! Thank you all who support them!
People, please look up/google the “dawn horse” which originated in North America. This might help in legal issues tieing the current horses to the land.
Watching any of this from a distance is bad enough. More than likely the horses will be killed, the BLM is going to claim they are “doing their job” “managing the land.” I DO know a few people that have adopted wild horses, but if there is no profit to be made with it, the BLM DOES NOT CARE. I’m wondering if this isn’t part of the grand scheme right now of the current administration. If I lived in WY, I’d be plenty pissed…take away your beloved wild horses, and coming soon to Lincoln, Sweetwater, and other counties- injection wells for underground storage of “carbon” (read…waste) on public lands, brought straight to you by the oil companies. We are going to see, as a country, a tremendous boom in the profit/destroy cycle, and the general public is going to pay the price…lost wildlife, like the horses, unusable land, contaminated water, the list goes on. I would LOVE to visit Wyoming, visit some of those great parks out there, see the horses, and experience a section of this country I’ve never seen before. But if this form of “management” is going to be the norm, I’m afraid there won’t be anything left. Aggravated, saddened, disgusted.
This has been going on for years under the previous administration. This isn’t a R vs. D subject.
This is a true statement!!
PS- I live in Arizona and the BLM and Forest Service have been rounding up entire herds for the last four years. The best option is sterilization to wean these herds down in size but the government so far has not been inclined to spend money or effort. And yes these horses go to Mex.
I agree!!!!!!!
Will the horses be harmed ??? That’s my concern are the living breathing animals we are talking about here. I just do not want to see them harmed in any type of way. And this article is not clear on how they are going to “eliminate” the wild horses.
Yes they will be harmed. Trauma, injury and death are common occurances. Families are ripped apart. Most will eventually die in BLM holding areas where the horses starve and/ or become illl. Abuse occurs as well. All for money hungry humans who are cruel and could not care if the horses all died. Humanity at its lowest. God forgive us.
It is really sad that once again greed outweighs saving these wild horses from being taken away from the land they have lived on for all these years! These beautiful animals deserve to continue roaming free on this land that belongs to them!! PLEASE leave them alone and let them stay FREE!
Good. Proper range management….
Wild horse range should be limited to a VERY SMALL area in the west to serve as an example herd in a “zoo.”
And put them where?
A zero population goal is not good “management” of these American Icons and certainly not what the American people want or deserve! There’s got to be a better solution…do better!
Agree. This idea is so Stupid!!!! Please leave the wild horses alone!!!!!!!!!!!
I might have missed it in article, but what will happen to the horses.
Most likely a terrible death at a horse slaughter house. There is a horse rescue that always comes up in my online feed and they try to rescue (via $ donations made) rounded up horses sent to a slaughterhouse (stated to be located in Mexico) and where the horse santuary indicates that many of these horses are sold to. So who is getting that money? Certain BLM employees profit???
After reading the article, I am unclear as to the reason they want to remove the horses. Can you please provide a clear reason? Is this an area slated for building server farms for AI? Is there a particular reason the association can’t support 3000+ wild horses on a million plus acres? What do they want to use the land for that will make them money?
Leave them alone!!! Why is it “the animals” always have to lose!!!! They just want to be left alone. Animals are not ruining the planet….humans are….
I agree that the herds need to be thinned, but total genocide is wrong on many levels. Then to do it so sheep can be ranged out there is ecologically ignorant. No creatures destroy the fragile high desert like domesticated sheep. There has to be some middle ground to thin and protect these herds of horses that have roamed that area for a long time and the ability for ranchers to run a limited number of sheep on the land.
Please do not kill these horses. They belong there. Stop the genocide of horses. It’s just plain Foul!
This is their forever home, they need to stay put Leave them alone This is like the Trail of TeatsTrail of Tears
This article lacks any basis for removing the horses. Good journalism would explain why adjacent private landowners want them removed, and why the gov’t. supports that. “Invasive species” is not a valid answer as these animals have been here since before the current population of people settled the West. Chickens, cows & pigs are not native to America either! Conversely, why should they be allowed to stay? “Because the gov’t. said so” is not a reason. But if the large majority of Americans feel they should stay, then that should be so. If there are real reasons for removal, please report them. It’s time our leaders support the needs and wishes of the People; we are not here to blindly support their whims.
Secondarily, what does “removal” mean? Euthanization? What other options are being considered as viable?
I’m a life time horse man/lover . Their are no wild horses just loose horses . Ranching is vital to this country . I think all loose horses on any public property need to be removed . If private people or groups wish to have as they term “wild horses” they should do so as they wish on their private property. Thanks
The west was created by horse even after the trains. Erase history to make you happy. Do you even ranch. I have cows on blm land and sheep. Horses are great to have out here. They don’t do anything…
This sounds to me like they are preparing to sell off some of this land. Don’t scoff- look up Montana’s HB 676, which just passed. It will sell off 1.5 million acres of “isolated land” in noncompetitive sales to neighboring landowners. What do you want to bet that these neighboring landowners are the lawmakers themselves or their cronies? There’s also a controversial water rights amendment attached to this bill.
If they have decided the horses must be removed because they are non-native then they should remove all non-native species. Let’s start with the people who were not born there. Round them up by chasing them with helicopters like they do the horses. The young and weak one will likely be trampled to death. Come on – those horses are part of history. Leave them there and let nature take its course.
I’m getting so tired of the BLM and no one doing anything. These horses need to stay where they are and keep the cattle off. Why doesn’t E. Musk fire the BLM
Where are they going to put the horses they gather?
I think Yellowstone has gone to the ranchers heads. They think there above the natural selection of innocent horses and burrows. They were abandoned by some of their families seeking gold and land, that’s what this is all about, greed. Isn’t it smarter to humanely castrate the stallions, and not killing foals and pregnant mares that get stampeded during the helicopter roundup. What about starving them and not having any water, until they are stuck in semi’s and taken to auction for horsemeat!!!! “Prayers”
Leave the horses alone 😔
What will they do with the horses? Slaughter?
Yep
This is very concerning to me. They may have not been a species that was there before but they are now. And what does it mean by “removing” the horses. They will be killed, right?! They will possibly be sold to another country (China) that will kill and eat them? I’ve heard this before. It disgusts me. I see it as a way to make money. I don’t approve.
I do believe that we as Americans should stand together for the horses they can’t speak..and our so called government is crap it’s my opinion..the laws of the protection of wild horses and burrows should remain .they are protected..Damm they ain’t hurting no one ..a beautiful animal and are very smart..not one of them pencil pushers ever got in a round pen with one and let it learn trust as you do with the animal..I say stand in a group cause not only one can defend the rich and famous officials that get away with anything.so people let’s stand firm I no their is some cowboys out their and good honest folks left.
I’m always amazed by how many people get bent out of shape about feral horse roundups, but say or understand little or nothing about their impact on native wildlife. These horses are a huge problem due to their inefficient one-chambered stomach that requires that they constantly eat vast amounts of grass. Its nice to see some good news about the federal government’s doings.
If the horses are eliminated, does that mean they will be killed?
I have two mustangs. I would hate to see the eradication of the wild mustangs due to selfish humans. Tearing apart family units is traumatic for these horses. It’s just plain wrong.
It has been proven in Alberta, Canada that the horse herds do not destroy the environment but the cattle do, increasing loss of graze growth and increasing stream pollution and erosion, among other things. They have also found that the horse browsing lessens the wildfire chances, that the predation by bear, wolf and cat keep the populations stable or even less, that foal death rate is incredibly high, so much so that when predation and accident deaths are also considered, there is actual decrease in herd numbers every year. They are also considering the fact that horses originated in America, they have a role to play in the environment, were reintroduced in the 1400s or early 1500s, their genetics are unique, and their importance to the Native American cultures, and the tourism they bring to the area. Alberta is also facing governmental pressures, and they have had people supporting and researching everything that can be done to support their herds, for decades. I have only listed a few things here. Please check out the Help the Alberta Wildies Society (HAWS) on FB (spell out the whole thing to find them, not just HAWS) and the other Alberta wild horse pages for their research and approaches to this problem.
Makes me sick. For the person asking, they send some to France to butcher for food, some go to plants to make cat,dog food.
Disgusting all to appease ranchers who want to graze their herds.
This are Our public lands! I choose to get the cows off and leave the horses. Money again! Grazing leases are cheap and somebody is making alot of profit on beef! Cows off! Horses allowed to stay!
No personal attacks? It’s not personal, it’s free speech! Let’s just come out and say it, ranchers want the land for beef and sheep. They dont want to share space with wild mustang’s. When ranchers and the government eradicate everything they dont like, who’s next on the menu! You guessed it. Lol
I SAID THE EXON RULING, MEANT THE CHEVRON RULING…SORRY
I see no ecological reason for removing these beautiful wild creatures, both horses and burros/donkeys, especially for the expansion of land for cattle and sheep.
PLEASE READ!
I’m VERY CONCERNED about the use of the word ELIMINATED in this bill in regards to the wild horses. 7 days ago Wyoming also ended all adoption programs for wild horses and burros.
Link to petition to stop this at Change.org
https://www.change.org/p/mark-gordon-don-t-let-wyoming-s-iconic-wild-horses-become-history/psf/share?share=1&source_location=combo_psf&allow_actions=true
I understand the reasoning concerning the ecological impacts however, I also believe this decision is driven by objectives that are not in the best interest of the wild roaming horses.
A perfect example of overgrazing occurred on the Escalante Grand Staircase lands under the purview of the BLM.
Overgrazing by cattle during a drought severely damaged fragile habitat and left many dead cows littered across the land. Two ranchers refused to bring their cattle off the allotments which forced a directive by Kate Cannon, a regional director, to remove the cows. A legal battle with the two individuals ensued after they stole the cows from a holding pen
The pressure from private ranching interests is undoubtedly the driver in this decision.
We often see small herds of horses when we venture out into the remote places where they range.
There are viable alternatives to reduce herd sizes that don’t force removing them.
Sterilization of studs and birth control implants for the mares are options that will reduce reproduction.
In my experience, bad ranching practices cause a horrendous amount of habitat degradation. Most ranchers respect the lands they lease but it only takes a few like the two ranchers in southern Utah, to cause incredible harm, to the land itself as well as public perception of all of the ranching community.
I believe that a compromise should be considered as opposed to the total removal of America’s wild horses and burros.
Human industry, if not properly performed, is the worst offender of all.
I totally agree with your comments! Missed by many commenting was the sentences referencing cattle & sheep grazing and no documentation of ANY ecological damage of any kind. The BLM has for many years caved to ranchers who graze their herds free of charge (mostly) & want to keep it that way.
Where will they “put” the wild horses?
Gathering horses must mean they will be killed. The real reason is left out of this story so that people will not be upset. Probably someone is going to make money from it.
Anyone can research and see that wild horses do NO PERMANENT damage to the land there. Sheep and cattle destroy range land because they tear the vegetation up by the roots while horses do not. Horses don’t erode the land around water sources either. The problem/ answers are the same here as everywhere. Follow the money. How much money (influence) do wild animals have? How much money (influence) do the giant cattle corporations have? They influence/ pressure all the negative and untrue reports that lead to the removal of the horses. It’s been going on for decades. Unchanged. It’s very easy to confirm this information . I’d be very interested to see if any petitions or third party environmental impact studies have been conducted.
Surely these horse and burros aren’t causing no more damage to the land that herds of cattle or sheep will do??? This is a disgrace to do this to these horse that are supposed to run wild and free, leave GOD’S creation alone!!!
Where will they be slaughtering them? We need to know the whole story—no sugar coating. The public needs to know the whole story. The wild horses belong to the American people. We can fix this by establishing adoption management hubs across the West. People love horses and we need horses to solve the loneliness/suicide disaster situation in this country. We can fix this. WILD HORSES ARE WILDLIFE!!!!!!!!!!!
None of these feral horses go to slaughter, and none are shot. The wild horse act prevents that.
They go in to holding facilities where they try to get them adopted.
Tax payers pay for the holding facilities and all feed and care until they die of old age… thousands and thousands of them. Find out the facts instead of throwing out lies.
The adopting programs being shut down a week ago means these horse are going to die. Cattle, sheep do more damage than a horse would. What happens when the grass isn’t renewed because the cattle and sheep tear the roots out of the ground. We the people need to make the BLM responsible for mismanagement and follow where the money is going. We already pay high prices for meat that are raised on public lands. And when predators start eating cattle you going to eradicate them?
I’ve been fighting the cruel, malicious removal of our nations wild horse population since 1972, when they were shooting them from helicopters, to eliminate the herds.
Now, what they’re doing is insidious, cruel and still unneeded ..as they round up the free roaming herds to be sent to Mexico ..Slaughter houses.
They( this govt) just won’t leave these beautiful animals free and can’t seem to understand, the rights of people or animals freedoms.
I’m in this fight and refuse to believe ANY reason for this other than Greed, Money and our Wild Horses are Not Protected, as they must be.
Join, Fight, and these Monsters in our govt, must be stopped..By Any Means Necessary.
I didn’t read every single word but I don’t see what they are planning to do with all those horses. I hope they aren’t going to destroy them.
Everyone that wants to see these feral horses breed and multiply in unlimited numbers, should go down to the holding pens and adopt about 10 a year and feed them until they die of old age. The taxpayer is supporting over 150,000 of them, more than half of which are being fed and cared for at holding facilities. Their only predator is man. Go adopt some of them.
Do not let the government decide on the fate of these horses period. They do not deserve it best thing to do is just open up the land range and give them there we’ll deserved freedom. Let em be. Ed V.
Why are we killing wild horses to save Sage-grouse!!! Can America have nothing left of wild animals roaming!
Are you wanting more buildings? Or maybe China is going to buy more land!!
Dang leave these horses alone ..how cruel can you be! GOD is watching what YOU are destroying of his creations…
The blm needs to leave the horses alone, that’s my land and I approve the horses being there.
I agree with Stanley & Debbie. It is a land grab by the ranchers. Don’t ranchers have their grazing land fenced off? I agree, get rid of the BLM by rounding them up the way they do these beautiful majestic Gods creatures! To Debbie’s point, that’s what happens to a lot of them, they die during the round ups because of their injuries, those that are fortunate enough get rescued go to good loving homes where they are lived and taken care of properly, and those that aren’t, well, we know where their going. These horses have the right just as much if not more than those who are ranchers live stock to live open and freely like God intended! It’s all about the 💲 Why don’t they take some of the money that they waste and buy a truck load of hay and drop it for them to eat if the ranchers are so worried that the horses are eating the food for their cattle & other live stock? There’s million’s of acres out there and their upset because of 2,000 horses! Live & let live! Come on man!!!
I would be willing to buy horse meat. Also I’m sure that these horse would feed a lot of hungry families.
Leave well enough alone
If the agency says it has sufficient habitat then there must be an alternative reason for this decision And I suspect it is not in our best interest or the horses’s best interest. So sad. Please protest.
I have seen many wild horses and am thrilled to have that experience
The removal of wild horses to increase grazing capacity for cattle and sheep (also not native to Wyoming) does not help wildlife, this only serves ranchers. Wild horses while not native have been part of the American landscape for centuries removing them will remove a part of our cultural history.
When livestock is grazed on federal land, it is usually for about a 3 month period of time, not year ’round. Horses grazing for 12 months out of the year cause a lot of damage to both plant life, native animal species (some endangered), and make trails that cause extreme erosion damage.
What does “remove” mean? Where are the horses going? Or they going to be “eliminated” (shot)?
Important piece of Information.
They are shipped to Mexico to the slaughter houses and everybody prospers except these horses.
Freedom isn’t free..Greed, Money and No Souls Govt entities.
Please leave the wild horses alone to roam.. relocate the grouse. I really wish that humans would stop interfering with nature and it’s animals, etc. Where would they be relocated to? What is the alternative reason the ranchers want to remove the horses 🐎. Ra nchers always have a way of screwing something up, he, wolves and such.
I don’t know the area that well.. pretty sure no Wyoming residents even know those desolate areas. And what damage or negative effect is the reason for this? The horses live there. You humans commenting haven’t even seen that land what say or right should you have? None. Let the horses be.
Why does everyone hate things that are free roaming!! Wolves and Horses need to be left alone. We almost killed off the buffalo and the wolves. Now the horses are under fire! Leave well enough alone!!
Wolves do not have natural predators. Wild horses do not have natural predators. Is there a link here? Think about it. Even a domesticated horse can and will kill a medium to large size dog with one kick. That’s why the queen of England had Corgis and English riding horses. One or two wild horses could fight off a pack of wolves and protect a cow herd. If we dad not taken away the cattle’s defenses. We bred off their horns in the 1960’s. We increased the weight of market steers from 1200 to 1700 pounds and now we feed cattle supplements containing melatonin to keep them calm, increase rate of gain make them docile easy targets for wolves.
These horses, despite their emotional appeal, are non-native invasive species. I have been out in the field to observe these horses and their destruction of the natural environment, which destruction affects native species like the Greater Sage-grouse. The horses do not belong here. I don’t run livestock and I do not advocate for grazing on public lands, so don’t accuse me of being an “apologist for livestock.”
Wild horses are not an invasive species. They have been here for thousands of years. The Feds have tried to exterminate them, the same as they have done to the Native Americans as recently as 1970.
I feel very strongly about the wild horses being left free and what we have and still have done to the Native Americans. We should be ashamed of ourselves!
I also have no stake in the outcome here but it’s been proven repeatedly that it’s cattle and sheep that destroy the range. They tear up vegetation by the roots when they graze and horses do not.
I can personally corroborate this. I have grown up on farmland. I see the difference between the pastures of the people who have sheep, cattle and horses. The difference have very little to do with the numbers of animals. But you don’t need to take my word for it. Drive thru any farmland in the country and see for yourself.
The only native species were/is, the native American indians. Perhaps that’s why our government was and still is, hell bent on eradicating / removing them, by any means. Some being educated in the ways and religion of the white man lol or killing them by the millions, stealing there land and erasing there culture. A person’s views on how we treat our planet, our fellow humans and animals, directly correlates with if we cause extinction of all or we survive and make the planet a better place.
“The horses don’t belong here.” What does that mean? Who, or what, belongs where?? Where do you belong?? Where do I belong?? This whole concept of filing or placing species in different geographic locations is ridiculous. Different species have migrated to different parts of the world throughout history. That’s just the way it is. The horses are here now. They need to live now. They are sentient beings who feel pain just like we do!!! Rounding ANY species up with helicopters is CRUEL!!! I don’t believe they are that destructive. Also, I don’t even know what a sage grouse is!!!
Hope this isn’t a nice way of saying they will slaughter the horses instead of just finding homes. Giving them to auction is also a death sentence…wake up people…!
Why don’t you go out and give about 8 or 10 of them a good home for the rest of their lives.
7 days ago Wyoming also ended all adoption programs for wild horses and burros. They will most definitely be shot or sent to slaughter!
What’s the plan for what to do with the thousands of horses that are rounded up? Also, wondering if the horses might be filling the niche of bison which are no longer present and also would have had few if any predators. Also wondering if elk might spread out more in that area without horses present (how do elk and horses interact?). I know there has been an issue with the Jackson hole elk population at least.
This absolutely obserd. BLM is not the Wild Horses or Wild Burros friend nor do they care if they live or die as long as they are out of the way. It is nothing more than a land grab. The same land grab that has been going on. So they are going to remove all wild horses. So are they saying that this land can not sustain one single mustang or burro, period?
For crying out loud when is someone going to step up and put an end to BLM. When it comes to animals they are BLM’s least consideration. The land is what they want not the wildlife. And what money they can make from it or what buddy buddy rancher they can make happy with cheap grazing land
I have said it once and I will say it again. BLM needs to be ended and the wildlife and it’s care with the land needs to be put into individual groups that are out there to help and protect. It is totally absurd that this ignorant unacceptable crucification of our Wild Mustangs and Wild Burros keeps going on. You have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to understand what BLM is really doing. No Mustangs or Burros they can do what ever they want with the land. Their top and only objective. Surely there is someone out there with the clout to stop this inhuman brutal abuse of animals that are supposed to be protected!
It is especially bad now with the Trump administration destroying everything and all that is seen is lands for development, lease or sale please someone, you know who you are. Do something please. These outlaws must be put an end to. Their jobs taken away and pro animal groups put in charge of the care and welfare of these icons. Protected Icons. Isn’t it high time they actually got the protection they are supposed to get? ” Isn’t it? “
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
This is the herds that have the curly coats. Evidence that there were other explorers here other then the Spanish.
BLM is a bucket of horse muffins
Most of those horses will be abused, branded , separated from their herds and more than likely shipped to Mexico for meat which is disgusting they just want to make money off them and then they’ll just stand and the slaughter yards waiting to go to Mexico if they’re not adopted and it’s ridiculous how they are treated stallions will be gelded they should be just left alone if they can’t stay in their own little herds then just leave them alone they need to be studied even more because obviously they’re surviving and I don’t think it has anything to do with the sage grouse the BLM is just greedy they want to put more range maggots AKA sheep and cattle on their land because they think that’s where the money is at but they could be making money off the horses too if they would just open up their minds and think gee how about some tours of seeing wild horses you know taking pictures of them…
Nice to know that this reporter left out what will be the fate of the thousands of horses removed. We all know what their fate is. Don’t try to hide it from the public by not reporting it. The removal and disposal of these horses is only for the financial benefit of the BLM and land owners. Same reason wolves are persecuted into nonexistence. Don’t hide behind the excuses of land or native species surveys. Disgusting.
I thought this land was protected for the horses. Sorry don’t know a lot trying to find out. How sad I have seen what happens at auctions and kill buyers. This is not acceptable!
Debbie Mallard is absolutely correct. This is a cruel round-up leading to the slaughter of these beautiful animals. Don’t we have better things to do with taxpayers’ money than to destroy these horses who are a national treasure? Let them roam and be free.
Leave the horses alone! Horrible, HORRIBLE plan to remove all the horses. Once completed, there will be no reintroduction as you should learn from the past, greedy people are the problem not the animals! Leave them to live their lives where generations, now and future, can enjoy them and maybe even learn some core values from them
Nothing better to do than to kill a bunch of horses that more than Belong here.
One of the only places in the world to actually see these beautiful animals.
BUT HEY, LETS JUST KILL THEM ALL.
This is disgraceful..
The power the Rock Springs Grazing Assoc wields is frightening. The horses from these particular HMAs are some of the most adoptable and well loved. For the most part they’re descended from ranch, farm and military remount horses. The ones that made America great. The ones that made it possible for RSGA to even exist.
The previous Trump administration had issued an Instruction Memo to BLM to destroy all the horses in long term holding as well as all horses offered three times for adoption, which could have been all in a couple of weeks. BLM employees kicked back and the order died. It’s just a matter of time until Musk and DOGE repeats the order and we can kiss wild horses goodbye forever.
Nevada holds some 30,000 wild horses. Wyoming’s are a drop in the bucket. Oregon and Idaho have always managed their horses better and their high adoption rate is the proof. BLM is mandated to MANAGE wild horses. 100% removal is not management. It’s genocide.
Leave the horses alone! Sage grouse have managed with the horses before. There are more elk, deer, moose, than horses!
This is absurd and absolutely cruel. It is the biggest cruelty you can do to animals. They break their legs. They are definitely going to kill them. This is horrible. Please do not allow this to happen.
Leave those horses alone. They are a part of our American heritage.
Leave the horses where they are. They are “The West”
Take helicopters out of the equation.
I have a mustang from Salt Creek and she ducks down whenever a helicopter is flying over, she is 4 now and still is frightened by them.
From past round ups, it’s obvious the BLM is unable to remove and/or hold large numbers of wild horses without tragic results. The BLM, sells horses to slaughter pens, and horses contract diseases and die, because they don’t have room to roam in these pens. Many horses die during transport and horses are held in pens much longer than intended causing a high mortality rate. Plus, this entire expedition costs tax payers millions of dollars. Tax payers overall don’t like these dangerous round ups, where family herds are separated and young horses die. For what purpose? For Wildhorses to languish in holding pens, that don’t provide a secure or safe environment? Once again, it’s man playing God, with disastrous results. Wildhorses have been part of the American landscape for hundreds of years, well before our country became an independent nation. They know how to survive and thrive. Perhaps put taxpayer money towards assisting the wildhorse navigate a changing environment. BLM can find better ways to use taxpayer money, than one plan where the end result is disastrous, resulting in the ultimate extermination of Wildhorses. I visited the Wildhorse Refuge in Wyoming. It was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. Wildhorses are majestic and highly intelligent creatures. They can adapt, and have done so for hundreds of years without our meddling. BLM, please learn from your past mistakes. Make a better and cost effective plan. Otherwise, countless horses will ultimately be injured and/ subsequently, due to negligence and inhumane round ups, die. Thank you!
The invasive species is the human greed monster whom uses propaganda measures to fool the minds of non thinkers ..
Dont Get buffaloed . Protect our natural habitate. Where seldome is heard a discoraging word .where the deer and the antelope play where horses graze seeds into the land and rebuild soil in the debits of hooves moisture seeds grow and renew life.
Remember the destruction of humans taking away that soil over population of himan invasive greed that caused human devestation a dust bowl of death .
Another overreach of Federal Government and private landowners thinking all of the public lands are theirs too! I can see reducing the size of the heads and reducing the size of cattle/sheep allotments if overgrazing of public lands are the issue.
I favor rounding up BLM in Pres Trump’s scourge on govt overreaching agencies.
Get rid of BLM. Fifty years of waste.
Wild Horse Annie spent her life protecting the American mustang. BLM has destroyed and abused more than they helped. If there isn’t enough land for man and beast out there, relocate man!!!!!!
10-1 says y’all are like Utah and selling them to slaughter houses but claiming other wise
Where are the horses moved to? When you talk about eliminating horses, is this a death sentence for them? Leave the horses alone! They do no harm!
As much as I love horses, in the wilds of Wyoming they are an invasive, destructive species. They squeeze out our native wildlife like deer, elk, and antelope, plus devour the grass that ranchers pay for when they lease it. With their birth rate, even culling the herds hasn’t helped reduce their numbers. I hope the project succeeds and the deer and the antelope can once again roam.
Amen and AMEN! Any other invasive species we would remove at any expense to let the native species thrive in their native habitat. If people are so worried about these horses why don’t they spend their money to provide a home for these “wonderful animals?”
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Are you kidding me what are these beautiful wild animals doing to hurt you land owners nothing absolutely nothing so what if they eat your sage so what if they eat your grass what are you people thinking how would you like it if the land of bureau management rounded you and $350,000 people in the state and put you in a pen or euthanized you they have as much right to be there if not more than you they have been there longer than you have and yet you want to treat them like they are garbage the rest of the country wants and needs to have these animals stay put along with the wolves coyotes fox cougars bobcats you name it it’s called wildlife you don’t take wildlife away and eliminate it because oops they put a footprint on your land get the hell over it love these beautiful majestic animals run free leave them alone and they will leave you alone
What happens to the horses? Where are the horses moved to? Is this a death sentence for the horses? Leave the horses alone‼️
of course it is a death sentence for them. These lands are owned by the people. no one should have the right to kill these horses until and unless a public moratorium is held and the people get a chance for their voices to be heard. The majority of people are in favor of leaving them horses alone
Hate to see this part of America is going to slaughter. Cul herds slower if to manu
Leave the horses alone. Why are they wanting to take them away and what will happen to them? Horse meat slaughter?
The heart of a single wild horse in Wyoming or elsewhere has more value than all their destroyers put together. Just another nightmare, no pun intended, from this present darkness. And I’m afraid the survey is only performative. Hands Off our Wild Horses will be on my sign on Saturday’s rally.
Leave the horses be they aren’t hurting anything on Native American land Stupid European people that have no business dictating whereas horses belong or don’t. Now if don’t like it get the Fuck off our land from Ronald D McCleary the youngest us postal clerk in the country proudly served the Navajo reservation and community George’s Hogan Thoreau New Mexico
Am I to understand that the proposed effort is not to “remove and relocate” wild horses buy rather “remove and slaughter” these magnificent creatures ?
Clarification would be appreciated.
Euphemisms employed by any agency is abusive and deceiving.
Horses are one of the first ‘invasive’ species introduced to north America by our Spanish friends. While they at the time were required beasties of burden and transportation, the fact is the only way to manage the ferule beasts is to round them up and sell them. The do predation damage to not only public but private lands.
Where are they moving them to it are they just killing them??
This is another HUGE waste of taxpayer money and another land grab for what??
This is WRONG !!!!We should leave the horses alone !!! I was only lucky to travel across the country once but I saw wild horses running around 😍 It was so exciting I stopped & took pictures. I was in such awe 🥰 LEAVE THE HORSES ALONE.
We need to manage the horse population, not destroy it! Castration, birth control, overseers to manage this would be the right option.
There doesn’t really be a need to kill off these wild horses. This is an abominable act. Wild Bison used to graze here by the thousands. I know ranchers need to graze cattle but there may be a smarter way to do it. Regenerative Farming is changing the landscape with carbon capture. See Polyface Farm in PA or White Oak Pastures in Bluffton GA.
Hopefully these horses will remain free and unharmed.We have already lost so much of American History . Leave something for future generations to be proud of instead be witness to all our devastation to the wild.
Make no mistake I believe there are too many of these horses in some areas but to attempt to eliminate entire herds is wrong. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe Wyoming has always been a fence out state. If ya don’t want your neighbor’s stock grazing your land fix your fence and quit whining.
This is disgusting,leave the wild horses alone..they we here wsy before the ranchers..
It will be great for the environment to have these feral animals gone.
I guess my biggest question is, what r they doing with the horses?
Horse’s are a part of this country as much as we are , they have a legacy and belong as a part of the landscape .I’ve seen them in the wild and they are a symbol of freedom ! They have survived in the harshest conditions only to have man destroy them . we has mankind are more of an invasive species .
And do they plan to do with all these horses? Euthanize them? What a poorly written article. I’m left with more questions that I started with.
These wild horses ARE NATIVE to the public lands. Don’t let the BLM fool you. They have been native over 7 centuries. The 1971 Wild Horses and Burros Act, and a little known Forestry Law, protects native horses and the latter historical, native items. The Wild Horses’ DNA fits into the Forestry Law (untested as just found). Face facts: the BLM wants the land to subsidize cattle leases. There is enourmous pressure from the National Beef Cattleman’s Association, on the BLM to get rid of all the free roaming horses, so they can use the land for cattle grazing. The mismanagement at the BLM is out of control. At present they have approximately 65,000 gathered Free Roaming Horses, using inhumane, extemely expensive to the taxpayers, helicopter roundups in which horses die or become seriously injured. Penned in corrals it costs the taxpayers 150,000,000 / year, while the cattle leases only bring in 22,000,000. It is time to overhaul the egregious mismanagement and corruption by the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burros Program, from which thousands of these animals end up going to slaughter. DOGE and the Department of Interior are currently investigating these programs, which are inhumane for the animals and fleecing the American taxpayers– owners of the animals and the public lands.
Thank you for much needed information!
Is this a plan to Simply Slaughter these animals? And who takes control of the land once they’ve all been murdered? Oil companies? Another move by the Trump Administration for the oil companies benefit
Leave these horses alone. They were here first. Ya’ll arr only going to kill them for horse meat. I know all to well about how the BLM treats these horses. LEAVE THEM ALONE.
Get it over to President Trump….He will listen and get things done. Please ASAP
AMEN to that!
I call bullcrap, they are animals that were here long before us, at least manage them at actions or what ever.
When the horses are euphemistically removed, are they then sent out of the country for slaughter? This is a very cruel and inhumane” solution”. There is no good reason for it.
A better use of the tax payers money would be to round up the politicians in Washington and send them to the slaughter house. The wild horses are a part of our country’s history and don’t need to be erased.
And what are the going to do w the horses. Kill them?
This is being done solely for private cattlemen and other owners of grazing livestock. While the BLM says these are non native horses, they are descendants of horses that were here long before the cattle. Leave them be.
There is more to this than meets the eye. ” The government/BLM, in this case, never does anything that does not benefit them directly. In this case, are there developers out there wanting the land for their personal and financial gains?
The bottom line is the person or people that own this vast amount of land are selfish and greedy. If they do indeed intend to murder these magnificent animals, they are no better than those who heartlessly slaughtered the Native Americans. If evil does win, which with our past as well as with what is currently unfolding in our society these days wouldn’t surprise me, why not allow those that have the means extract the horses by trailers or horse drives to protected grazing lands or whatever means necessary to save them. There are numerous private, non-profit and public organizations that would make that effort. Otherwise, it will be a great atrocity. There are already enough beautiful horses senselessly slaughtered I just can’t comprehend this kind of loss.
Leave the horses alone. Humans think that they can rule over wild animals and give no thought to the horses mental state after being chased and jostled then their life consists of a pen.
IT is INHUMANE to Kill such MAJESTIC and BEAUTIFUL BEINGS ! Would they like it if we did it to them!
Those Horses have been wild and free for hundreds of years, They are a part of our heritage. Truthfully that land is their’s and we are taking it from them. It’s just like everything else nowadays, some Rich person doesn’t like something so we do away with it. These Beautiful Creatures deserve the right to live too. Leave them Alone !!!!! Let them live, wild and free, Find another solution like gelding some of the stallions but don’t kill these magnificent Creatures.
Nothing but PURE GREED, a way to make money, while eliminating God’s beautiful creation,placed here for a reason.
It’s ridiculous that people are so miserable in their lives, that they have to find a way to get rid of something that’s not harming anyone, but simply because they don’t like horses for whatever reason, so they just want to get rid of the wild mustangs. What if other people didn’t like the BLM and wanted to “round up” all of them and get rid of them? Just leave the horses alone, that’s all that’s left of what some call the “Wild West”. Find something that really matters to mess with, like the Rain Forest, or are y’all trying to make 1 more species go into extinction ?
WHAT??? WHY??? IS THIS REAL??? PLEASE TELL ME THIS ISN’T REAL! 😥🤬😠
I live in Michigan and I love horses please tell me they’re not going to kill them. I live in the country with my parents so if you guys give me one I’ll take care of it or I can pay for it something.
If they are so worried about them continuing to breed sterilize 50% of the breeding mares. So the population starts going down slightly every year. I seriously doubt these horses live long lives anyway so just leave them alone or move them to public land.
I am physically sickened by such threats. It is indicated that there is space for them. But what is the plan for them? Again, money is at the root. Correct me if I am wrong. Cattle are raised for a financial purpose. These horses do not bring in any financial revenue. It seems killing us the name of the game. Like I said. I physically sickened and emotionally paralyzed. God, forgive them, they know not what they do.
As a part of our heritage shouldn’t these horses be preserved and cared for ?In Chincoteague the wild horses are a source of revenue and they incorporate the control of the herd into their tourism .Maybe a type of control thru public funding would be a better solution ,take to Chincoteague Virginia Chamber of Commerce and get some pointers .The sage grouse will be fine ,and if it can’t survive ,don’t blame it on the horses ,they have been there for over 150 years I do believe the grouses have become accustomed to the horse by now .
Are u killing all these wild horses. Alot of old Cowboy’s would turn over in their graves from the old days
There’s miles and miles, hundreds of thousands of acres in Wyoming with plenty of room for horses to live free. To round them up is sentencing them to needless slaughter. They deserve better.
that’s what I thought! When will life become before money. We better hope in another lifetime that animals aren’t the dominant species because they will remember this and who could blame them!
My heart breaks at the thought of this! I hope and pray for the sake of the horses that the BLM gets stopped from this massive devastation to our wild horses!
Please people, hurry and file another lawsuit! Any good lawter knows a case you can’t win you must delay until they dismiss the case. Why can they not plant more sage! If sage conservation is so critical than make it illegal to pick and sell. They say they are “illuminating” these horses do they mean murder them? I didn’t see it written anywhere where they would relocate so many horses. Some of them are endangered species I read in a earlier article. I don’t see it brought up here
Where is PETA when they are needed. Hello PETA come help these horses! Only 3 people it says filed for a law suit
3 people can’t fight alone for thousands of horses against the government.” Also I wanna say What the he’ll Biden !” I wonder if he was ever awake during his presidential. I thought you were a Democrat. We save animals not hurt them! I wonder if my post will be aloud to go through
“It’s unclear how or if the Trump administration’s slashing of the federal government workforce will impact the horse gather operations. Asked by WyoFile if the BLM-Wyoming’s horse and burro program is fully staffed right now, Foster, the field office manager, wrote “BLM is prepared to conduct the planned gathers with current staffing” Sounds like bluff talk to me. Sure current staff and a whole host of private contractors…….
I feel bad for any unwanted Animals these horses are part of a society of Wyoming creation personality vast majestic beauty i don’t know the details pros or cons all I can say is Bless the Beasts and the Children.
And you know look how many times people have taking away land from animals because we put people’s want first no matter if it kills off the entire species. And if it is private property then make it that way and keep your cattle on your side of the fence cause I’m sure they rome wherever they want . And that’s probably the real issue cause any normal person would want to keep their investment safe and be a good neighbor by keeping them on their own land. Free range doesn’t mean let them rome anywhere they want. And if you have that much land you can afford to keep your cattle on your property and by doing that it will keep the horses off. Killing them just because some farmer thinks it his right is a bunch of crap no matter who you are or how much money you have. It’s not right and there is always a better solution to the problem. If they get that to happen then they are paying someone some big bucks. Just a thought .
That is not right at all . If the land owners don’t want the wild horses on there land then they can put ups fence. And really it probably doesn’t even need to be a real fence just a rope chest high and it will keep the horses out. Of course they would have to put in a little work but oh well. Here in Oregon we had an issue with elk eating our cherries in our orchard so the land management paid for elk fencing to be put up around our property, so why can’t something like that be done. Have them go in half with land owners the horses will move on after awhile.
If they’re using the excuse that the horses are non-native, well neither are most of the people in the US. The land can be given back to the original native people, who respect the horses. Just leave the horses alone!
Wild horses are part of the ecosystem and have been an historic representation of the united states for hundreds of years. The white needs to leave these majestic animals for posterity.
I hope that you don’t mean murdering them when you say elimination that’s disgusting!
So let me see u want to rid the range of beautiful horses so u can save the sage grouse. So then u can hunt the birds and kill them. That is disgusting and messed up. Try skeet shooting instead. Leave the wild horses alone.
Leave the horses alone they have been there forever man always has to get rid of things what a shame
Feral horses are an invasive species and do unchecked damage to habitat.
Cattle and domestic sheep are also invasive species.
Debbie, these horses are absolutely not murdered. Uninformed comments like that only further stoke the fire and create division. The fact is that the horses are offered for sale and the ones that aren’t bought are put to pasture and comfortably live out the rest of their natural lives. Horses are not native to the Americas (north or south). I love horses, but they need to be humanely managed, which is exactly what they’re doing.
Please let the wild horses stay and run free. Horses have a right to live just as much as you do. Leave them alone.
Ralph Moore
Yes, my immediate response and observation of the BLM’s announcements of their intentions with these facts leads me to concur.Also that it is an intended land grab Quietly supported by colonialism and a quiet bureaucracy.
And in this particular area is this a case of history repeating itself with yet just different players.
Initially the land was grabbed from the first nation’s peoples.
Then their food source, the Buffalo was eradicated.
And their lifestyle and wild food both stolen And eliminated.
All for a land grab and money.
It makes me feel and wonder if the government m b l m is trying to now do the same thing to the mild horses.
The above was submitted by myself for public comment on april first twenty twenty five to “WyoFile”.
So what are they going to do with the horses ???? Just put them in pens and let them die. Trump is doing this for the cattle industry. He suggested they just all be shot. This is what he said
First the Buffalo were rounded up or killed, then the Indians were killed or put on reservations and now they are after the wild horses. So sad what is happening. All these animals and people were here first. The government gives people money to take these horses and a time limit to keep them, then they end up sent to slaughter in Mexico and Canada. It is truly devastating and disgusting. All these horses know is to be wild and free just like the Buffalo and the Indians. It’s all about money!!
Great article. It’s time we face the facts and understand how detrimental horses are on the landscape, and especially how they impact other native species.
Please explain your plans for these horses, do you plan to move them or kill them? I am absolutely sick to my stomach to imagine the fate of these beautiful animals and their families. I am absolutely shocked that America is doing all of these roundups and messing with so many lives. I am so disgusted in our government in allowing this to happen .
The so called roundup themselves are abuse of power and inhumane! Babies get separated from moms, they get injured and broken bones , dehydrated and collapse to die a horrible death. In this economy no way they’ll all get adopted and even those that do ,it’s not selective. Any one with a buck….nobody cares. This is just plain ignorant to rid this country of these wild animals that belong here. More so than a lot of people .
Round up blm and the feds get rid of them let the horses run free don’t you dare murder those horses I know that’s what you sick people with government are going to try to do they harm no one they are a valuable asset to the west it’s part of it’s heritage but all you people with the government want to control everything
What is going to be the fate of the horses?
Current landowners can dictate what horses can be on government land are they able to dictate the extermination of deer elk and other animals. Some have concerned about disease being transmitted by wild animals but it appears that most disease is transmitted by deer and elk and domestic animals.
Where will the horses be relocated then
Want to reduce the ecological destruction on federal and private land? Tear up the grazing leases and permits and remove all the cattle and sheep…..and to the Bureau of Land Mismanagement: you’re supposed to be a Federal agency and not a partner with cattle and woolgrower interests!
Why are they being removed if there is enough forage? Will ask Harriet Hageman also!!! Another Biden style over reach?????
Good evening, im just curious but why do they want them removed? What threat is a horse? Im just asking. Came across this article on my news feed, so thought id ask. Also, do they euthanize all of the horses when they “remove” them? Im all for the management of animals, i hunt predators and trap. Example, im from upper peninsula michigan and we’re fighting a high wolf population that the government says we dont have…many want them exterminated…i would just like them managed. Only say this part to say i understand animal management…but…its a horse…lol. thank you for any insight. Have a great evening.
As I understand it, the wild horse is a non-native species and has no natural predators so it falls to the Bureau of Land Management to keep them under control. If they do not control them, they will overpopulate and over-graze the land. Population control of wild horses has been an ongoing issue for BLM for decades and there is always a great public outcry whenever they try to control the animals because people love the idea of wild mustangs running free. Also, unlike deer, antelope, elk, and bison, horses are not seen as a species to be hunted for meat/trophies (can you imagine a taxidermied horse head on someone’s wall?). I think in the 60s they did use horse meat in dog food, but of course that is no longer socially acceptable. Unfortunately, there are not enough people to adopt all of the wild horses that they capture and there is just not a good overall way of dealing with them (they have tried sterilizing them but that hasn’t turned out to be a practical or effective method of population control from what I’ve gathered). Wyoming is not the only state with wild horse populations either. This is the first time I’ve heard of the BLM trying to completely eliminate wild horses from an entire state though.
They are not eliminating wildhorses from the entire state, just these 2 areas where they don’t belong and is not an authorized horse herd area.
I have been trying to follow this and I have questions I have never seen addressed. How does leaving the horses in place impact the grazing areas. My reading on the Wild Horses reintroduced to indigenous reservations have benefited the ecological situations there. If they do cull these herds. What will be done with the captured animals?
Who is paying the BLM is this not taxpayers money? I do not want my money doing this, let these horses run free you thugs.
Soon there will be no wild horses left in this country because of the BLM excessive manipulation of the living creatures that belong here
Where does the public stand on this issue?!
BLM should have to do the job on HORSEBACK. Like real men.
The helicopters are beyond cruel.
Where do the horses go after they are gathered up?
To slaughter houses most likely…no word of sanctuaries or adoptions..
Why does the BLM find it ok to remove all of the wild horses?! They were here before any of us & there is plenty of BLM land for them to live on. It’s such a travesty & at the rate they are going my grandkids & great grandkids will never be able for them to see wild horses in the wild. Such a shame & so very very wrong.
These are feral animals that don’t belong on these landscapes. They out compete native animals such as deer and antelope. The removal is a good thing for these ecosystems. The wild horse and burrows act needs to be repealed to help out native fauna in these difficult times especially as climate change makes these landscapes less able to provide for wildlife
A free roaming horse herd is a beautiful thing to see a feed lot is despicable
The horses came to America when we did. They’re an integral part of who we are as a developed nation. They represent us as surely as the soaring Eagle
Having the horses roam free enhances the grandeur and beauty of the states they live. They should be allowed to stay forever.
Leave the horses alone. Let’s round up the blm and eliminate them. They are costing the taxpayer, not the horses
How selfish
Public lands and animals who live there need protection from privateers who corrupt democratic ideals with their ill gotten gains.
WY better change your license plates.. like to oil puddles or prairie fires!
Agreed 👍
This is a cattlemen’s deep pocket land grab for free and/or cheap grazing on government leased land. These horses are American icons and are abused by helicopter roundups that injure or kill many of them by chasing them to death. Then the horses are kept under inhumane conditions in large holding areas, sometimes for years, causing further injuries and terrorizing these animals into near madness. Some are sold at auction and end up in the slaughter pipeline. A pox on the BLM and the sadists who ignore the pleas of the public and the horse rescue groups.
I agree.
I agree leave them alone! They are very ignorant if they think horses hurt the invierment they do the exact opposite. They are an animal that helps the environment. People aren’t happy unless they are killing things because it makes them feel powerful. They are probably demons. It seems all people want to do is distroy this world. Fuck hopefully Trump will start world war 3 soon and we won’t have to give a shit anyways. Best thing for this earth would be the human existence! People suck just a plague that needs to be gone if Trump can’t do it I’m sure AI will be on it. I’m mad about this!
It is not a surprise to me, that again the selfishness of man, comes at the cost of the wild horses. I will be praying that the BLM is blocked from complete removal of these beautiful animals. If it were not for protection groups and activists the wild horses would already be a thing of the past. The thought of that breaks my heart.
ABSOLUTELY, LEAVE THEM ALONE. !!!!!!!
Sell them both. I bet the horses bring more…
Agree !
Exactly right…….
The cattleman’s and sheep owners have always complained about the wild horses. From what I have heard and seen the roundups are not very humane to the horses. They have as much right to be there as any other wild animals. What are they going to do next round up all of the other hooked animals for being there. I hope trump steps in and helps. And I agree most will be taken to slaughter houses!
TheBLM is running out of things to do except to sit in their office and drink more coffee and whiskey So murder more horses that are running free like they should be
Make no mistake. They mean murder all these horses. It is a land grab
You are quite correct
Extermination is not the answer for effective land management.
shes right. It’s netabol the burns out o the people leave the alreaburros and anings Animas the animals alone
Please let the wild horses stay and run free. Horses have a right to live just as much as you do. Leave them alone.
Ralph Moore
Sad, but I believe you are right! 👍
I thought that we as a people were beginning to actually understand that we need to protect ALL species of life but apparently I am wrong. I’m very sad to learn about this and I hope and pray that they are unsuccessful. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to we stop them from murdering these horses???
Absolutely! It’s heartbreaking!
Please people, hurry and file another lawsuit! Any good lawyer knows a case you can’t win you must delay until they dismiss the case. Why can they not plant more sage! If sage conservation is so critical than make it illegal to pick and sell. They say they are “illuminating” these horses do they mean murder them? I didn’t see it written anywhere where they would relocate so many horses. Some of them are endangered species I read in a earlier article. I don’t see it brought up here
Where is PETA when they are needed. Hello PETA come help these horses! Only 3 people it says filed for a law suit
3 people can’t fight alone for thousands of horses against the government.
My God, that’s horrible! Leave the horses alone!! Not much freedom left in the world. I pray never happens.
Yes as usual innocent creatures suffer for the greed of unscrupulous people .
This is just heartbreaking! It’s got my head spinning in disbelief 😢 I don’t live (Tennessee) anywhere near where this is happening (potentially) and I’d be willing to bet the “suits” that are behind this don’t either! My heart hurts for all the horses 😔
You’re more right about that than alot of people even realize.
I agree 100%. There is more to this, and it needs to be stopped. Wyoming is succumbing to the pressures of “the world.” The wide open spaces of Wyoming are too tempting for the scavengers, the rich, the investors, and possibly the descendants of the original ranchers who are willing to sacrifice Wyoming’s beauty and wildness for a price.
We need to stop the horses have a right to live. They have been there for hundreds of years.
If you want horses to live you would support management of their numbers just like the management of wildlife numbers.
It’s so sad.
Absolutely right. !!!!