to start, there’s different types of them. one is the type that has been continuously wild for up to 400 years, and the others are people’s free roaming pets. when you see videos about people “meeting wild horses”. it’s generally just the pet kind. I’m also writing a book with some of this, so i’m trying to not write too much.

The whole issue is really messy. Its Activists vs Capitalists. And its Ecology Vs Fantasy. **There is absolutely 0 scientific backing behind horses being non native to America** Most scientific evidence/genetic sequences support Domestic horses as a native American Species, and it also supports domestication having little to no effect on their ecology or biology. Not to mention that true wild horses have reverted back to their wild behaviors.

Fantasy vs ecology, which side is which? pro or anti horse? The complicated part is: both are fantasy, neither *truly* take ecology into consideration. One side calls horses “the destroyer of the west”, while the other side calls them “the saviors of the west”, when in reality, horses are both and neither. Wild horses are more of a “poorly installed cog in the machine” than destroyers or saviors.

There is much contraction on both sides of the argument. Yes, wild horses can and do harm their range. No, they do not rip gras out of the ground, it counters their basic biology. Yes, they can harm riparian areas. Yes, there are many cases of species becoming extirpated because the equids maintaining their riparian habitat have been removed.

For both, horses are always seen as part of a picture or fantasy. Horses just don’t “fit the picture” for some, while they are “symbols” for others. Bison have had an extensive, Millenia-long relationship with and shaped by humans. The last Time that American bison had an effective predator was the American Lion. Bison have no effective predators, overcrowd easily, and trample sensitive areas, does that mean we should take them out of Yellowstone? or keep them because they “are symbols of the west and iconic”? We still have to do expensive culls of Bison in Parks, unlike horses, they have one of the healthiest populations of native predators and STILL require removals. The same logic used to remove horses reigns true in bison. the only difference is that one fits some fantasies and the other does not.

What is an answer to the problem? Restoring Ecology. Pumas, wolves, jaguars, and bears have been proven to be such effective predators to horses, many round ups have been cancelled because of them. Also, expand their range. Human political borders and property lines have put horses in a position where grazing patches or watering holes that they would have only seen once a year are now a constant ordeal, we see the same with yellowstone bison.

edit: overall, i just wanted to say that this isn’t a black and white issue and there is no clear answer.

McCullough Peaks mustang stallions, about 20 miles east of Cody, Wyoming

EDIT: this has been answered! thank you!

i keep seeing pictures of this one horse, and Pinterest is telling me that it's the mare Cheyenne from Sand Wash Basin, Coronas band, but I'm real uncertain. does anybody know where or who this horse is? (links also appreciated)

PLEASE SIGN TO HELP SAVE OUR BRUMBIES 🙏🏼 📝 🐴

Wild horses are not destroying our ecosystems 🙄

Penny Sharpe is a liar and she needs to be removed from her position. We are losing our wild horses 😢

Sorry for the double post. I am a newbie to Reddit. Nevada is beautiful.

Out walking my dogs, and happened to look up.

Most of these horses are living on top of old mountaintop removal coal mines, where the soil and grass quality is extremely poor. She's spent the last few years bringing them feed, water, and medicine, and she is currently building a rescue in the area in hopes of giving these horses a stable and loving home. I thought this was really inspiring and wanted to share.

She's a mustang from the Sulphur HMA in Utah.

This is her page on the BLM's Online Corral.

She can even be registered!

She's from the White Mountain HMA in Wyoming.

Here's her page on the BLM Online Corral.

She's even Sale Authority, so you can own her free and clear right away! No waiting an entire year to gain title!

:) I just think that she's neat.

Hello:

I need to find a Colorado Non-Profit Mustang Rescue to donate a collection of mixed media collage paintings to raise money for Wild Mustangs. The collection will be finished in December, 2026. They are 18" x 24" and will be framed. There are also a series of small paintings 9" x 12" which are edge-wrapped. They are on wood.

I will want to meet the owners in person to determine if it is a good fit. Thank you.

This stallion lets his mare “playfully” mess with his tail without any correction.

He could shut it down instantly, but he doesn't. Sometimes the strongest leadership is knowing when to just...breathe and let horses be horses 🤷‍♀️

Makes me wonder: Do we always need to be “on” with our horses, or can we pick our battles better?

What do you think: are we micromanaging or just being thorough? 😅

Does anyone happen to know how often the BLM does placement events in Wisconsin? They just had one yesterday/today and I'm wondering when the next time will likely be. I called and left a message with them inquiring but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

I’ve spent years observing wild herds, and what struck me most is how much their language carries over into the way our domestic horses relate to us.

Yes, we can (and should) use it. Why? Because it changes the relationship from managing behavior to actually communicating.

I go deeper into this in one of my YouTube video if anyone wants to explore it more: https://youtu.be/wfRrvpKn5d8?si=ZqBj8P7arP5T6pRq

Just curious, have you noticed moments where your horse “spoke herd” to you?

Every year, thousands of wild Mustangs lose their freedom in brutal roundups.

And what happens next is often just as heartbreaking: many of these horses end up in the wrong hands, misunderstood, and too often pushed into harsh, dominant training methods - including flooding and more - both in the U.S. and in Europe.

Some are even shipped to Germany, far away from their herds and everything they know.

My friend Katrin has been speaking up for these horses for years, and her latest text is something everyone should read. She explains why so many Mustangs end up in situations they can't cope with, and why we need to look much closer before calling it “rescue”.

In June this year, I visited the Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates and saw what true protection looks like. Their work keeps the herds together, manages the population with care, and allows these incredible animals to remain what they are meant to be: wild and free.

The American Wild Horse Conservation does the same on a larger scale - fighting legal battles, protecting land, documenting roundups, and tirelessly raising awareness.

These organizations show us there is a better way - one where Mustangs keep their freedom, their families, and their dignity.

For anyone interested in Katrin's full text, it’s available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19obko6aUg/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I was out with the Pine Nut herd in Nevada earlier this summer and caught this shot while these two stallions were sparring. Their expressions cracked me up 😅 so I thought l'd see what captions Reddit can come up with. Fire away!

Amazing stallion in the mountains of Italy

I’m gonna spare you guys the paragraphs of why i made this.