Wild Horse and Burro

Looking around the beautiful ranches these herds now called home was stirring. In the native habitat where wild horses live near us the predominant foliage is sagebrush...[but] the horses that have been relocated to off-range pastures were truly living in nirvana, with thick grass, plentiful water, and readily available natural shelter in abundance. 

Preston assesses horses in the holding pastures to assign a score measuring their body condition, identifying them by their color, markings, and the identification number they carry on their hip, experience that he gained on the job under the supervision of the veteran PIs who trained him.

The Bureau of Land Management published new population estimates of wild horses and burros roaming public lands managed by the agency. As of March 1, 2022, the BLM estimated approximately 64,604 wild horses and 17,780 wild burros were on BLM-managed lands, for a total of 82,384 animals.

As the Bureau of Land Management carries out its mission to manage and protect wild horses and burros on public lands, we’re trying to develop and use a variety of humane fertility control methods that can slow herd growth and reduce the need to gather excess animals and find them good homes.