In Arizona: Exclusive Report: Where Have All the Wild Horses and Burros Gone?

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Twin Peaks Report from Kathy Gregg, Environmental Researcher and Craig C. Downer, Wildlife Ecologist, A.B., M.S., Ph.D. Candidature
Photographs by Craig Downer

There are no “excess” wild horses and burros on their legally designated land.

This wild horse looking across the vista appears to be wondering the same thing that continually crossed our minds during this three day journey …
“Where have all the wild ones gone”?

Although a very few wild horses and burros were seen, the best way to describe our three days on the Herd Management Areas (HMAs) is “mile after mile and hour after hour seeing no wild horses or burros”.

During this three day ground survey there were two experienced wildlife observers with binoculars searching for wild horses and burros and other wildlife in the Twin Peaks, New Ravendale, Buckhorn and Coppersmith Wild Horse and Burro Herd Management Areas (HMAs). We traveled approximately 160 miles over 3 days and

17 hours in the herd management areas. We drove slowly with many stops along with some limited off-road hiking and we constantly looked for signs of wild horses and wild burros. A total of 23 wild horses and 18 wild burros were observed. All observed horses and burros and range conditions appeared to be in excellent health – the only good news.

Near Rye Patch Road, we saw two family groups traveling together. One family is Magic, our treasured son of the great Twin Peaks stallion BraveHeart who was captured in 2010 and Magic’s faithful mare Hope. The other family consists of a bay stallion, charcoal colored mare, their yearling and their new foal … and a burro! Although having been spotted earlier this year – safe and sound – these two families had been missing after the Rush fire raced through their home area last summer. It was an inspirational moment to see them safe after having escaped the massive 2010 capture and the uncontrolled Rush wild fire – the white/appy stallion again lived up to his name, “Magic”.

This public land is set aside by Congress principally for wild horses and burros, but there are very few that remain since the roundup of 2010. It is incredible and unbelievable when the BLM says there are 1,684 out here again…

Magic and Hope

Per the 1971 Congressional Act, the land is to be devoted PRINCIPALLY but not exclusively to the wild horses and wild burros welfare in keeping with the multiple-use management concept of public lands. Definition of “principally”: First, highest, foremost in importance, rank, worth or degree, chief, mainly, largely, chiefly, especially, particularly, mostly, primarily, above all, predominantly, in the main, for the most part, first and foremost.

There are no “excess” wild horses and burros on their legally designated land. The American people are being deceived by our government agencies that are mandated by Congressional Law to protect these animals. The wild horses and burros ALREADY have a place to live and it is not in governmental corrals. These animals and this land do NOT belong to the government … the wild horses and burros and the lands belong to you and me.