The Hardest Thing I Do: Witnessing Wild Horse Roundups

One of the hardest things I do in my job at the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) is witness majestic wild horse families lose their freedom in BLM helicopter roundups.

It’s painful work, but also essential to exposing and reining in the cruelty.

I’ve seen helicopters stampede horses from miles away. They arrive at the trap terrified and exhausted. Injuries, including broken legs and necks, are common as horses jump fences and try to evade capture. Often, these injured horses are “euthanized” via a bullet to the head.

When they reach the trap, it’s all over. Just as they realize there is no escape, the BLM wranglers get to work separating their families. Mares are torn from their stallions; foals are ripped from their mothers’ sides. The horses call out to each other in panicky, plaintive cries and whinnies.

It breaks your heart.

For me, the worst part is watching the horses loaded into trailers—the terror and confusion in their eyes. I can't hold back my tears as I watch them drive off—never to be free or see their band or homeland again.

Before the roundup, these iconic mustangs were living proud and free with their families on America’s public lands. After capture, they become just another tragic statistic in the BLM’s vast holding system and failing management program.

It doesn’t have to be this way. And with your help, we can change this broken, inhumane system.

During one of the more disturbing roundups last year, the contractor’s helicopter ruthlessly chased a pinto mare and her lookalike foal. The chase was so relentless that many of the observers onsite were crying. The day before, a mare who refused to go into the trap was also roped, only to crash through a barbed-wire fence and escape with the rope still around her neck. A member of our team searched and searched, but we still don’t know if she’s safe or was strangled.

Our work to document these stories has real results. This year, our videos of the roundups have been seen by millions of people on social media, creating critical awareness, correcting abuse, and building a wave of public opposition to the BLM’s plan to slaughter these cherished animals.

This work takes resources—hiring a videographer, paying travel expenses, securing camera equipment, hiring lawyers and necessary staff. It’s not cheap, but it’s some of the most meaningful and impactful work that can be done to protect defenseless animals in this country.

Will you please donate now to help us continue this critical work into 2018?

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this work possible.

Gratefully,

Grace Kuhn, Communications Director