AWHC Documents Kicking Injury, Panic Behavior as BLM Denies Access to Holding Facilities During First Roundup of 2026

60 horses capured, one dead

(RENO, N.V., January 27 2026) - A wild horse was kicked during today's Bureau of Land Management helicopter roundup in Nevada's Owyhee Complex after becoming trapped beneath another horse in a crowded pen. 

The incident marks the first BLM roundup operation of 2026, conducted under emergency designation in an area impacted by the 2025 Jakes Fire and to address alleged "herd overpopulation."

During penning operations, one horse became trapped with its head underneath another horse's hindquarters and was kicked. The severity of the injury could not be assessed from the observation point.

Horses arrived at the trap with coats visibly glistening with sweat, indicating potential overexertion during the helicopter chase. Multiple horses displayed panic behavior during sorting, with one repeatedly attempting to escape by running into metal panels.

The agency then denied access to temporary holding facilities, citing their location on Squaw Ranch, private property restricted to BLM personnel only.

"A horse was kicked today, and we have no way to verify if it received veterinary care or what happened to it after that trailer door closed," Patricia Miller, AWHC’s Board Chair. "The BLM is using private property to eliminate the independent oversight that Congress intended when it mandated public observation."

Approximately 60 horses were captured and one yearling was euthanized due to "tendon Laxity."

AWHC is calling for passage of H.R.4356 - Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025, which would require cameras on all helicopters and wranglers while phasing out helicopter roundups over two years, and for immediate public access to temporary holding facilities, not just what the BLM chooses to show.

About American Wild Horse Conservation

‍American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is the nation's leading nonprofit wild horse conservation organization, with more than 700,000 supporters and followers nationwide. AWHC is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. In addition to advocating for the protection and preservation of America's wild herds, AWHC implements the largest wild horse fertility control program in the world through a partnership with the State of Nevada for wild horses that live in the Virginia Range near Reno.

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