The Brutal Reality of Wild Horse Roundups

Helicopters chase wild horses over vast distances, causing extreme stress, injuries, and often death. The noise and relentless pursuit leave the horses terrified and exhausted. This cruel practice results in broken families and severe physical and psychological trauma for the animals. Once wild horses and burros are rounded up, they are funnelled into federal holding facilities where they are held, sometimes for life, separated from all they hold dear.

Roundups trigger compensatory reproduction, where the removal of horses leads to higher birth rates among the remaining population. The National Academy of Sciences report states, "Management boosts horse population growth." Instead of controlling populations, roundups exacerbate the problem, leading to more frequent and costly roundups.

The cost of warehousing wild horses in holding facilities is a financial burden on taxpayers, amounting to tens of millions of dollars annually. These funds could be better allocated to humane and effective management solutions that ensure the well-being of wild horses.

Over 60,000 wild horses are currently held in captivity with no prospects for release. BLM data shows a continuous increase in the number of horses in holding facilities, jeopardizing the long-term survival of wild horse populations as more are removed from the wild each year.