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A helping hand for horses

My journey of discovering wild horses and the laws that protect them began on one fateful day two years ago. Little did I realize just how much these creatures would impact my life.

The Onaqui herd has many juvenile members. It is not uncommon to witness the horses running, biting, and sparing. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
The Onaqui herd has many juvenile members. It is not uncommon to witness the horses running, biting and sparring. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

I spent weekend excursions, day trips and long hikes combined with hours spent on the range and capturing the routine of the wild mustang. While it may seem routine and perhaps mundane to the average observer, my endeavors had offered a sense of peace and contentment. That is, until the summer of 2021.

Wild horses spend much of their time in groups, called herds or tribes. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
Wild horses spend much of their time in groups, called herds or tribes. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

To understand the history of wild mustang advocates, it’s important to grasp the history of the conflict between nature and politics. Prior to 1971, when President Richard M. Nixon signed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the horses and burros were not protected.

The bands of horses, which are typically derivatives of abandoned horses or runaways, roam throughout various areas of deserts and mountain ranges. Ranchers viewed horses and burros as “desert rats.”

Mares will share in the duties as a new mother, here a new foal walks with her aunt, giving mom a break. Members of the Onaqui herd, located in the west deserts of Utah,are all related in some way due to the long length of time they have lived in the rangelands. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
Mares will share duties. Here, a new foal walks with her aunt, giving the mother a break. Members of the Onaqui herd, located in the west deserts of Utah, are all related in some way due to the length of time they have lived in the rangelands. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

Nixon chose to place the responsibility of the wild horses and burros on the shoulders of the Bureau of Land Management. They place a population cap on the herds of horses. This number is determined by the sustainability of the land compared to the number of horses in the herds.

However, this was not done scientifically, which has become a problem. If the number of horses and burros exceeds this number, the BLM pursues removing the excess numbers via roundups. Roundups are done with helicopters, which can cause fear, panic and death among the herd.

Utah's west desert is home to the Onaqui herd, one of the most famous herds in Utah. There are many breeds among these horses, to include mixed breeds. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
Utah's west desert is home to the Onaqui herd, one of the most famous herds in Utah. There are many breeds among these horses, including mixed breeds. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

The public lands the horses reside on are available to the public for recreation, as well as free-roaming livestock. According to the BLM, less than one-quarter of available forage within Herd Management Areas is allocated to wild horses. Livestock continues to occupy the rest.

In 2013, the National Academy of Sciences found that the number of horses allocated for public land is not a scientifically-determined number. In their report, NAS stated the committee had no science-based explanation for the calculations the BLM made for the population caps.

When foals are born to the herd the task of mothering is shared among the mares in the tribe. This mare stands ready to protect the other mares and newest foal in Utah's west desert. They will soon switch off so that each mare is able to meet the newest family member. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
When foals are born to the herd, the task of mothering is shared among the mares in the tribe. This mare stands ready to protect the other mares and newest foal. They will soon switch off so that each mare is able to meet the newest addition. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

The total population of horses is low compared to the amount of actual horses per square mile of land, and it is affecting the total population of wild mustangs and burros are slowly diminishing.

Now, a place I visited for peace and happiness has become a place of sadness, advocacy and passion. Ranchers continue to apply pressure to the BLM, demanding a higher number of horses be removed.

A wild mare stands in the middle of a desert rangeland in the west desert of Utah. The Onaqui herd is one of the most popular wild horses in the United States. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
A wild mare stands in the middle of a desert rangeland. The Onaqui herd is one of the most popular of the wild horses in the United States. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

Coupled with extreme drought conditions throughout the West, federal legislation was passed to make 2021 a record-breaking year for roundups. In an already contentious relationship between the BLM, cattle ranchers and advocates, the frustration grew.

As recently as July, roundups, sometimes referred to as gathers, have been performed. In the local Onaqui herd, there were 307 horses removed. Once they are put in holding pins, they are put up for adoption. With the 127 horses that will be released back into the desert, there will be approximately 140 horses on the range.

Mares are among the 127 horses that will be returned to the rangelands after being placed in pins, in the Onaquii herd in Utah. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
Mares are among the 127 horses that will be returned to the rangelands after being placed in pins in the Onaquii herd in Utah. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

Horses are an intelligent species. They are easily trained and have the ability to go from wild and free to broken and tamed. But is that what we, as Americans, want? Is the public really willing to watch these beautiful creatures die out?

The Onaqui herd of Utah fight to stay together as round-ups and gathers take place in the summer of 2021. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)
The Onaqui herd of Utah fight to stay together as roundups and gathers take place in the summer of 2021. (Nikki Dorber/The Signpost)

If ranchers have their way about it, however, the legacy will be lost and our children and their children will only hear stories about these creatures. They will never know the feeling of having a wild horse gently place their face in their hand. And, it is ultimately for the sake of monetary gain.

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