Off the High Horse: The American Wild Horse Conservation Efforts

Wild horses, symbols of freedom and beauty, face increasing threats from government policies aimed at reducing their numbers. The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) is at the forefront of efforts to protect these majestic animals.

With thousands of wild horses being kept in captivity, how far will the government go to reduce the population of one of the most beloved animals in the United States?

The sun is setting, the wind is gently blowing the top layer of sand around, the waves are lightly crashing and- boom!- cue the wild horses. Sounds like the perfect evening, a classic scene before movie credits roll by, or a dream date setting? But what happens if there are no horses to be cued and thus the sand goes left untouched? Unfortunately, more and more wild horses in California are finding less time to run free on the beaches as people attempt to legalize mass slaughter and helicopter roundups claim nearly 10,000 horses a year, according to the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign).

The American Wild Horse Conservation, or the AWHC, has the goal of putting an end to the government working towards ridding public lands of the majesties that are wild horses. A staple in many people’s eyes of some of the beauty that the United States holds, the wild horse population should be growing, not diminishing. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has been herding wild horses off of public grounds and from there, taking some of them into confinement to attempt to control their population from getting out of hand. The government is now debating the idea of slaughtering the horses they pull into confinement. The bureau claims there is only a small percentage of resources available for a much larger number of horses that continue to roam free and therefore, they need to control the population of the wild horses. This cannot go on.

With over 45,000 wild horses being held in holding areas, which costs American taxpayers roughly $50 million a year, this seems to be more of a hassle than a favor. These animals are wild, hence should be living in their natural habitats as opposed to small holding areas. The horses are not only being deprived of everything they ever knew, but must be domesticated by keepers of the horses which is not an easy feat. Wild horses are like any other wild animal; wild. They should be treated with the same mentality that they should be left to live the life they are destined to live. Unfortunately, not everyone shares this belief. According to BornFreeUSA.org., over half of National Wildlife Refuges allow cruel trapping. With this information in mind, animals are only left more defenseless to the hands of hunters. But we are not dealing with just hunters anymore. The government, who has all resources available to defeat an entire species of an animal, are willing to do what it takes to harshly diminish the number of wild horses left roaming on free land.

There is much to be done to overcome this issue and it is important for people to get as involved as possible. Laini Reeves, an internationally renowned celebrity hairstylist, fell in love with the Friesian breed of horses just several years back. The Friesian is known for its impeccable long mane and tail, a fitting horse for a hairstylist to admire. Since then, Reeves has found herself starting up her company, Made for Mane. Made for Mane is a haircare product that can be used on both human hair and horse hair. 10% of each purchase goes to equestrian rescue organizations worldwide, such as the AWHC. Made for Mane also uses strictly natural ingredients so it is guaranteed safe for its human and horse users. Through efforts small, like a simple donation or signature, to large, like Reeves’ or many of the other people coming together to fight for such a worthy cause, change is potentially in the near future.

The horse signifies majesty, power, and endurance. Killing off such a gentle creature brings nothing more than a maniacal sadness that brings nothing to the table. As human beings, we seek positive change and coming together to put an end to this is just the first step. By signing AWHC’s latest petition to release wild horses being kept in captivity can only help start the change we need ever so badly. Sign the petition here.

Originally posted by Mission Mag