The Wild Horse and Burro Program

The BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program manages the wild horses on public lands under the direction of the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971 and other Congressional directives.  They are charged with managing our public lands for multiple use and to keep our public lands healthy. 

Wild horses are not a native species in the Great Basin or south western Wyoming.  To keep a stable population, the horses healthy and genetically diverse require a high level of management.  The limitations imposed by litigation and a lack of funding have made it impossible for appropriate management under the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971.

Despite Congress and wild horse advocates the Wild Horse & Burro Program has some successful programs.  Many wild horses have been adopted and appreciated by a diverse group of people.  People enjoy  viewing the horses on the range, in holding corrals and long term pastures.  They have kept the range in decent shape until recently.  It is wild horse advocates pressure on Congress that has severely limited the Programs ability to properly manage the free-roaming horses and burros on public lands.

Wild Horse & Burro Program is failing.  The solutions are simple and start with Congress getting off of the fence and and begin providing adequate funding and making excess horses available for sale without limitation.

If Congress is unwilling to support proper management of the free-roaming horses on the public lands they should repeal the Wild Horse & Burro Act of 1971 and remove all horses and burros from our public lands.  Our rangelands and endangered species deserve to be protected from excessive free-roaming horses.

If Congress wants to keep wild horses on the range they need to provide the care all other livestock owners are required to.   If you agree please contact your legislators.

 You may also want to visit the National Wild Horse and Burro Rangeland Management Coalition.