Anyone who has witnessed the majesty of Nevada’s wild horses knows why they are so special to our region. Unfortunately, many well-intentioned people also believe these horses (and burros) need human intervention in order to survive in the parts of northern Nevada where urban lands and wildland intersect. Especially during weather events, hot or cold.
Yet by providing food and water – in the form of alfalfa, hay, cubes, apples, carrots, pellets and grains, salt licks and the list goes on – we unintentionally make the animals dangerously dependent on humans which ultimately puts their lives at risk. What’s more, wild horses are not able to properly eat and digest these sorts of “snacks” – they have evolved to survive on Nevada’s desert vegetation. Choke or colic is a horribly painful way for a wild horse to die, and completely avoidable by respecting their wild and not feeding them. These conditions are near impossible to treat in a wild horse.
Feeding wild horses is also illegal, per NRS 569.040. Violations can result in a citation followed by a $2,000 fine.
When horses venture into neighborhoods seeking food instead of foraging, as they are born to do, it makes it less likely they will be able to stay wild. Deaths, forced relocations, and permanent removals have all happened around the Reno area (or Virginia Range) due to the repercussions of being fed.
Wild horses are just that: wild. That means they are unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Wild means they are also able to forage and find water on their own. Where development has blocked previous movement to resources, local organizations work on mitigations to help the horses find alternatives. Horses can bite, kick, injure or worse. People are asked to stay 100 feet from horses and back away and leave the area if horses approach.
When people provide supplemental food and water to wild animals, it can encourage the animals to loiter in places they shouldn’t, such as roadways. Each year horses are killed while roaming neighborhood streets and highways. This is dangerous for both humans and animals.
If you see someone feeding wild horses, call the Wild Horse Hotline at 775-352-3944 or the Nevada Department of Agriculture at 775-353-3608.
