Get Informed
What are mustangs and burros and why are they here?
When Hernan Cortez came to the new world in 15191, he brought with him gorgeous Spanish horses. Their descendants are what we now know today as the American Mustang. Burros were later transported to America in the 1500’s2 on another Spanish boat. As the years went by, they began to be used by the Native Americans, and later by western settlers. These hardy animals were prized for their strength and intelligence. It was then, as the west became settled, that the wild horses and burros became known as the western icon for beauty, freedom, and family. They have long since been cherished and protected by the American people.
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| Pryor Mountain Mustangs in Montana |
Where do the mustangs and burros live?
Mustangs and burros live across eleven states in the west; Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. There are also a few wild horse herds living on islands along the east coast.
Are mustangs and burros overpopulated?
No, they are not. The overpopulation "issue" is an excuse the BLM uses to remove wild horses from the wild and make room for millions of livestock. To learn more, please read my article on why wild horses and burros are not overpopulated.
Why is there a need to protect mustangs and burros?
As the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) continues to manage our wild horses and burros, the majority of wild horse herds have been eliminated due to the BLM’s poor management, livestock ranching, and mining. The BLM is allowing privately-owned livestock, such as cattle and sheep, to graze and live on government-designated lands for wild horses and burros, and subtly, they are removing the wild horses and burros for these purposes. To explain this further, the US government is allowing companies and private individuals that raise and sell cattle and sheep, to house and feed their animals on public lands that are designated for wildlife and public use (hiking, sightseeing, camping, etc.). Thus, the American citizen is paying for these companies and individuals to care for their animals, all while the mustangs and burros are being removed and increasing our taxes.
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| Cattle dotting wild horses' landscape - an area the McCullough Peaks mustangs no longer use. |
Mustangs and burros are part of our ecosystem and benefit the ranges they live in. As part of God’s creation, we need to be good stewards of our wildlife and resources. Livestock ranching is very detrimental to our west, and we should be constantly working on removing them from all public lands.
Why should I be involved with protecting mustangs and burros?
An issue that is often concealed from the public’s eye is the number of tax dollars that go towards the BLM’s wild horse and burro program each year. Over 50,000 wild horses and burros are currently warehoused in holding facilities across the country at a cost of $120,000 per day to the American taxpayer.3 More mustangs live in holding than exist in the wild, at the expense of the American people. In addition, it costs taxpayers $123 million each year to support the BLM’s welfare grazing program for the livestock on public lands.4 Thus, your tax dollars are spent to remove mustangs and burros and house privately-owned livestock on our public lands that are detrimental to the range. This issue involves each of the American people more than many realize.
How are mustangs and burros removed from the wild?
The BLM most often uses inhumane helicopter roundups to remove wild horses but will use the more humane alternative bait trapping occasionally - especially when fewer horses are being removed. The BLM will often claim that the wild horse and burro helicopter roundups are not stressful to the horses and that they do everything they can to ensure the wild horses and burros don’t get injured. However, many mustangs suffer severe injuries and even death or are euthanized due to “pre-existing” conditions. Stallions try to get back to their families and mares and foals are separated—this creates intense stress.
Wild horses value their family over their cherished freedom. Stallions have chosen to return to their families who are captured, even when they could have escaped to freedom.
In the 2001 Pryor Mountains roundup, a wild horse band was gathered by helicopter and forced to run over thirty miles to where the trap was located.5 Flint, the young colt in that band, suffered a life-threatening injury as a result of running so far over the rough ground. He and his family had to stay in a corral for several weeks while his hoof healed. Another example took place in 2017 when a roundup helicopter was pushing a mare, who appeared to be pregnant, to keep up with her band.6 A wrangler joined in the chase, and after missing several times, roped her. The mare then tried to jump over a fence. After getting tangled in the barbed wire, she made it to the other side. She escaped with the rope still attached to her and was not seen again. Helicopter roundups are inhumane and should be illegal. In addition to this, many of the mustangs and burros that are removed later end up in kill pens and get sold to slaughter, due to poor BLM oversight of its adoption program. Although it is illegal for the BLM to sell horses directly to slaughter or to known kill buyers, many mustangs end up in the slaughter pipeline. Often, adopters aren’t prepared for the responsibility of a wild horse or other circumstances arise, or many are sent to slaughter auctions due to being classified as “undesirable” by the BLM.7 Moreover, there is very limited room in the BLM’s already overstocked holding pens.
*Read a complete overview of a roundup done by Wild Lands Wild Horses.
How are mustangs and burros good companions?
Although mustangs and burros are meant to be wild and better off in their native rangelands, something must be done about the thousands of horses taken out of the wild. These horses are incredibly versatile, quick learners, and can be easy to train. They can learn many different things and are very devoted to those that win their trust. They are all around great horses. Like any horse, they need constant care and attention.
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| Flax, a mustang that was removed, but now has a wonderful home! Photo credit: Jamie Baldanza |
Learn more about mustangs and burros and the issues they face:
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Excerpts are taken from “Mustangs: An American Icon”
1About the Horses, Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center, www.pryormustangs.org/about-the-horses/
2Burros, American Wild Horse Campaign, www.americanwildhorsecampaign.org/media/about-burros
3The BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program, The Cloud Foundation, www.thecloudfoundation.org/get-informed
4The BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program, The Cloud Foundation, www.thecloudfoundation.org/get-informed
5Ginger Kathrens, Cloud’s Legacy: The Wild Stallion Returns, (California: BowTie Press, 2003), p. 101
6BLM Violates Own Wild Horse Welfare Standards, The Cloud Foundation, www.thecloudfoundation.org/press-releases/blm-violates-own-wild-horse-welfare-standards?rq=BLM%20violates
7BLM Scraps Obama Era Rule to Protect Wild Horses from Slaughter, American Wild Horse Campaign, www.americanwildhorsecampaign.org/media/blm-scraps-obama-era-rule-protect-wild-horses-slaughter
