Here are the facts concerning "Wild" horses in the Western states,that many,especially those in "Protection groups dont want you to know,even though its documented fact.
Dont get me wrong,im not a anti wild horse advocate,but i think they need to be managed as every other animal on public or private range should be.
First and foremost.....
By all rights,there shouldnt be any free roaming wild horse or Burros on public range today,PERIOD.
It is another case of federal incompetence once again and had they done their job,based on the laws they passed and expected others to follow,it wouldnt be the issue,it is today.
In 1937 the Taylor grazing act was passed by congress.This law ended open range free grazing.All range land was sectioned off into grazing allotments and issued to applicants for grazing rights.All animals within private ownership,were to be removed by 1939,or considered feral and under the ownership of the federal govt.ALL and i repeat ALL animals on Federal land at this time,were owned by someone at some point in time.Some were under current ownership and some had been abandoned by owners who had either passed and family had not claimed them or the ranches had gone out of business and these animals had not been branded and or claimed.Some of the feral equine,belonged to the Govt as Remount breeding stock,and were under management by civilian contractors .In all cases it was under the Jurisdiction of the Govt,to remove all un gathered and unclaimed animals after 1939.For several years up into the 40's the Federal Govt did remove many by several different methods and did keep the animals in check,for the most part.throughout the years from the 40's through the early 70's it was common practice for the feds to ignore and look the other way,if civilians wanted to gather these animals and relieve the Feds of the responsibility.After the Wild horse and burro act was inacted,due to lobby by velma Johnson aka wild horse annie,the horses had full protection from the public and also subject to legal red tape and battles,concerning their managment,resulting in the mess it has become today.Velma even admitted on her death bed,that she may have gone about things wrong and created a monster.
There were NO animals that were remnants of Spanish herds or prehistoric herds left in existence at this time,regardless of what some would have you believe.All feral horses in existence in the western states can be identified in their herd management areas,back to their owners of origin.The horses closest in genetic makeup to the Spanish barb horses,is within the Kiger Herd in Oregon and that is a distant match,brought into the country at a later date.Any horses,in Native Herd that may have carried some of this genetic makeup were eradicated or bred out by the late 1800s.
So....
Basically,if it were not for those livestock grazers,that activist claim are stealing the range from the horses,there wouldnt be any horses,for them to "Steal" it from.They are predominately descendants from those ranchers herds.These same ranchers that not only pay grazing fees,but also pay for and provide range improvements, that not only benefit their livestock but wildlife and yes,even feral horses,on top of the same taxes that others pay.that.Of all the animals on the public range,the Feral horses and burros,actually have the least right to be there,and in fact,due to mis management,are the most damaging to the public range and riparian areas.This is due,lack of monitoring and rotation of their use and how they physically graze and utilize water holes.
But,the numbers have increased through the years to a level,that something must be done and done in a more effective manner.With the stigma of the "Wild Mustang" that has been presented to the public in later years by advocacy groups with their celebrity spokes people and hollywood movie portrayals,the idea of total eradication,will never fly so....
I have proposed on severall ocasions a way that will compromise all involved if they would allow it.Its really very simple.
Sanctuaries.
They could set up sanctuary HMA's that allow some to roam freely and allow the public to view them in that state and limit the amount of numbers on other ranges that are in competition for grazing.This would still be under federal jurisdiction and managment,but at a much smaller scale and therefore more efficient and at a lower cost to the tax payer.There would have to be some sacrifice by all parties involved,but that must be accepted to compromise for the best for all.
Unfortunately,most are not willing to compromise.I will say though,that there seems to be more willing acceptance,from the livestock production side,than the horse advocacy side.
