The Mustang Horse Is Free-Roaming By Nature

By Marsha Klein


Any mustang horse information is part of the history of the Wild West that existed hundreds of years ago. Although not indigenous to North America, he symbolizes all that was noble and beautiful in those days.

It was the Spaniards who introduced the horse to North America. After that, they were captured and tamed by Native American tribes. They were used as pack animals and for riding. Although some consider them feral, they were all descendants of domestic animals, brought in by the Spanish settlers.

They are honored by the Congress of the United States as symbols of the days of the wild West. They represent the noble spirit of the pioneers. Currently, some herds are genetically linked to the Iberian horses. Others have interbred with horses that strayed from ranchers who owned them.

The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for protecting these magnificent animals. There is disagreement on their rights to the land as opposed to the rights of ranchers and their livestock. Many would disagree with current treatment of the Mustangs. There are round-ups and some say, in excessive numbers.

Adoption is one of the methods of herd population used by the BLM. In 1900 there were more than two million Mustangs roaming the land. The military rounded them up and trained them for riding. The Native Americans did the same. A horror that is no longer permitted was rounding them up to slaughter them for pet food.

They were once chased and hunted by men in airplanes. This terrorized them and many died in the heat of summer. History reports that many were poisoned by the ranchers. The wild Mustangs that now roam on public land are protected from harm by the Bureau of Land Management, a government agency.

Some predators do facilitate natural population control of the herds. They are the mountain lion, the grizzly bear and the wolf. A mountain lion can chase down and kill a moose so the horse is at risk. The human type of predator is no longer allowed to hunt or poison them as they did in the past.

They are now being offered for adoption to qualified individuals. The person must be able to prove he can provide a good home and promises not to sell them for at least a year. By 2010, more than 225,000 had been adopted.

One senator proposed euthanasia as a way to decimate the population of wild Mustangs. He wanted to euthanize all those over the age of ten. One horse lover wanted to establish a sanctuary in Nevada for them. It is a wonderful idea. But, unfortunately, it would lead to continuing overpopulation.

The wild Mustang is a magnificent animal. He has beauty and the kind of spirit that is admirable to all sensitive human beings. Anyone interested in adopting one of them can find all the mustang horse information needed from the BLM or another source. Decimating these majestic animals by killing them seems unacceptable and even unpatriotic considering their history.




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