Wild Horse and Burro

The 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act directs the Bureau of Land Management (and U.S. Forest Service) to manage and protect wild horses and burros on public lands where they existed at the time the Act was passed. The Act also directs that wild horses and burros are to be managed at appropriate levels to support a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands.  

This year, the Bureau of Land Management commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. The Act, which provided wild horses and burros on Federal lands with legally protected status for the first time, placed them under the stewardship of the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. The legislation inspired broad support from the American people who recognized the enduring legacy of the animals.

Nicole Melton knows what a good horse is worth. As a third-generation hunting guide with her family-owned Bighorn Outfitters, she uses horses and mules on a daily basis to transport hunters, fishers and adventure-seeking pack trips through the awe-inspiring ruggedness that is Idaho’s River of No Return Wilderness.  

Welcome to the home of Katelynn Keller, wild mustang adopter and happy participant of the Adoption Incentive Program offered by the BLM.  

Did you know that the U.S. Army still utilizes horse detachments for service today? While there is a long history of cavalry use in the U.S. Army, most cavalry units were disbanded after 1939. It was in the 1960s that the modern Army began re-establishing horse detachments, using animals for ceremonial traditions, parades, and training missions.