Detecting Truth By Judith Costello
Detecting Truth : By Judith Costello For the past year my daughter, Brigit, has been studying “The Mustang Debate” for a National History Day project. Although she is only 12, the project required extensive primary source research. She created a 10-minute documentary that has been heralded as “balanced” by many horse lovers. What she discovered, […]
Brigit Brown’s Film on The Mustang Debate
Brigit Brown’s Film: The Mustang Debate Brigit Brown of Moriarty, New Mexico, turned a project for National History Day in her school into an award-winning documentary. The film won first place in regional and state competitions, and was featured at the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Dallas, Texas in September 2011. Link to Brigit’s documentary […]
Wild Horse & Burro Program Highlights – 2023
Wild Horse & Burro Program Highlights – 2023 In Fiscal Year 2023, the BLM placed over 8,000 wild horses and burros into new homes. This is the second-highest rate in more than 20 years, while conducting 28 gather operations and expanding fertility control programs across the West. See the full program highlights, including adoption numbers, […]
Public Land Ranching by the Numbers
Public Land Ranching by the Numbers Public land ranching is a significant part of the western U.S. economy and land stewardship. Some 22,000 ranchers operate across western states, with 40% of the western cattle herd and 50% of the nation’s sheep herd spending time on public lands. Collectively, public lands ranching adds $1.5 billion to […]
History of BLM Wild Horse & Burro Policy (1971–2016)
History of BLM Wild Horse & Burro Policy (1971–2016) The federal management of wild horses and burros began with the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which directed the BLM and Forest Service to protect and manage herds on public lands while maintaining a “thriving natural ecological balance.” The act limited horses and […]
The Henneke Body Condition Scoring System
The Henneke Body Condition Scoring System The Henneke Body Condition Score (BCS) is a standardized numerical scale used to objectively assess the body fat and overall nutritional status of a horse or burro. Developed in 1983, it is the most widely accepted method for evaluating equine body condition in the United States and is used […]
BLM Wild Horse and Adoption Requirements
BLM Wild Horse and Adoption Requirements Here’s a summary of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Requirements: Who can adopt: Applicants must be 18 or older with no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals or violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses & Burros Act. Adopted animals must remain in the United States until title […]
Wild Life and Wild Horses: THE EFFECTS ON NATIVE WILDLIFE
EFFECTS ON NATIVE WILDLIFE Wild horses share the range with elk, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and sage-grouse, and when horse populations grow unchecked, native wildlife pays the price. Overpopulated herds compete for scarce food and water, trample vegetation, compact soils, and have been documented chasing off native species entirely. Bighorn sheep are 76% less […]
Parts of the Wild Horse Act People Overlook
Parts of the Wild Horse Act People Overlook The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 is widely known for protecting wild horses, but the full text of the law tells a more complete story. It actually *requires* population control when herds exceed what the land can support, directs land managers to maintain ecological […]
2026 Wild Horse and Burro Population Estimates
2026 Wild Horse and Burro Population Estimates As of March 1, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management estimates 85,466 wild horses and burros on public lands across ten western states which is more than three times the total Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 25,592 animals. This means approximately 59,874 animals are considered in excess of […]