The Free Roaming Mustang Horse Is A Symbol Of The Old West

By Marsha Klein


There is a plethora of mustang horse information, all of it extremely interesting. First of all the Mustang is not indigenous to North America. However, it has come to be known as a symbol of the West.

Spanish settlers brought this fine animal to America and after that their descendants were ridden by Native Americans who adapted them to their own use. Some people refer to them as feral, which is a misnomer as they are descendants of domesticated Spanish equines.

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.

These magnificent animals are protected by the Bureau of Land Management. Ranchers are opposed to the horses rights to roam and graze on public lands. The ranchers want the land for use by their livestock. Many disagree with the concept of privately owned stock grazing free. The Mustang have been rounded up and removed to preserve the rights of ranchers.

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.

At one time, they were cruelly herded using planes and helicopters, causing them undue stress and sometimes collapse in the heat of summer. Some were alleged to be poisoned to reduce the herds. Those that now roam on public land are protected under the auspices of the Bureau of Land Management.

The adult Mustang does have a few natural predators that facilitate natural population control. These are mountain lions, wolves and grizzly bears. Mountain lions are strong enough to take down a moose and therefore the horse is no match for them. Human predators are now prohibited from hunting or poisoning them as dictated by federal law.

The current method of population control is adoption. They are rounded up in humane ways by using a tame horse, trained to lead them into a corral. They are then offered to those who agree to provide a good home and not sell them for at least one year. About 225,000 have been adopted as of 2010.

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.

A wild Mustang is a thing of beauty and represents the type of spirit and determination admired by any person with sensitivity. For those who want to consider adopting one there is mustang horse information available from the BLM and other sources. Euthanizing or harming these gorgeous animals is an unacceptable idea. There history makes them special and it would be unpatriotic to ignore that fact.




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