Public Lands: Moving to Nevada to Be Close to Wild Horses

In celebration of National #PublicLandsDay, we're sharing our staffers' most memorable wild horse experiences on public land. These personal accounts aim to inspire you to explore public lands and learn more about free-roaming horses and burros.

Deb Walker's Journey to Nevada

Deb Walker | Nevada Field Representative

When I was younger, I experienced my first glimpse of wild horses in Owyhee above Elko. My dad and I were in awe as we watched these wild horses move toward a pond, sipping alongside the deer. It was surreal. Later in life, we began visiting northern Nevada, and again I encountered wild horses. I watched a little wild mare and her family graze nearby, in awe of their dynamics and beauty. They were so naturally a part of the wide-open space.

We'd visit the area every Thanksgiving, and I'd gather my camera and coffee to go see the horses. When we approached retirement from the Air Force, my husband asked where I might like to retire. It was an easy decision—northern Nevada, where we could live close to the wide-open space where the wild horses lived. Perhaps I was called at a very young age to be part of keeping our wild horses wild on their home habitat.

I think my dad, who recently passed, would certainly approve. I am so grateful to see these wild horses every single day and work to keep them wild.

Deb Walker is the Nevada Field Representative for the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign). Prior to working with AWHC, Deb was one of the founding board members and President of the Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates, which piloted a fertility control program with the Carson City Bureau of Land Management for the beloved Fish Springs wild horses. She is a retired school teacher of 25 years. Deb lives outside Gardnerville, Nevada, with her husband and her rescued animals, which include two horses, three dogs, and a cat. She has two daughters and three grandchildren.