The “wild” horses of the American Great Plains are not truly wild. In reality they are feral horses – domestic horses that were released or escaped from captivity and are surviving on their own. It is true that the distant ancestors of the horse probably evolved on this continent, but they were closer to the size of a big cat and unrecognizable as horses.
Long before they evolved into anything like the horses that we know, they crossed the Bering land bridge – moving in the opposite directions of the Europeans coming to North America. They spread out across the steppes of Europe and Asia and went extinct in North America.
On the steppes they evolved into the large animals that we are familiar with and that Eurasians domesticated to supply much of the power to build Old World civilizations. They returned to North America in the holds of Spanish Galleons, in the fifteenth century, as something quite different from the Lilliputian creatures that left many thousands of years before. The horses that populate some parts of the Great Plains are the relatives of those Spanish war-horses that escaped from the Spanish or were stolen by Native Americans who were responsible for dispersing them from Mexico to Canada.
A few weeks ago local cowboys held a round-up and gathered all they could to return them to their domesticated life of their ancestors. Although these are some of the best horseman around, we were skeptical of their success, but they were successful.
A few of these proud beasts were too quick and got away from the cowboys. So the "wild" horse lives on - living, breathing reminders of the freedom we Americans hold dear.
Note from photographer, Jill O'Brien: For the corral/horse shots, I was lying in the dirt, hiding behind a wooden fence, peaking out between holes and slats, doing my best to not disturb the cowboys work and to not upset the horses additionally by my presence. I want to report that I was so impressed with the horseman (women). They moved slowly, used gentle voices and were very patient with the loading.
Addition To Story:
If you continue to read the comments posted, you will see that this story has many readers upset. They have assumed that these horses are going to slaughter, which is simply NOT true. These feral horses were rounded from the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, which is managed by the Forest Service. Grazing permits for livestock (cattle, buffalo, horses, sheep, etc.) are issued to local ranchers. The Forest Service determines the length of time and the number of animals allowed to graze. There are also times when no grazing is allowed, for pasture rest and recovery. These decisions are based on land conditions, species diversity (all of the other creatures that call the grasslands their home), rainfall or drought. No current permittees are currently running horses on the grasslands.
So, where did they come from? Our guess is that they either escaped from neighboring ranches or were purposely placed there by someone who could not care for them. Local cowboys did the gathering, most of whom were Native American. These horses will be returned to their former life and will be used as ranch/stock horses. Although this may still upset some, these horses will have a good life. Some may be used in rodeos and others may be trained as working ranch horses and will occasionally be asked to carry a rider on their backs to gather or move cattle. In their down time, they will live on the prairie much like they have been, in addition to having plenty of food and water.
The Buffalo Gap National Grasslands is not a Horse Sanctuary. The beginning feral herd was around a dozen and in the past years had grown to around 75 (a guess), as horses make more horses. And, as mentioned in one of our below responses, it is impossible to think that we can keep ALL of the animals. ALL animal numbers must be kept in check with lands available. Controlling any species can be done by, selling, harvesting, adoption or a controlled breeding program. To many of one species means less or the extinction of another species. Although we too think that horses are beautiful to see running across the prairie, these horses fate for a good life is more assured with the hands they are currently in. The cowboy culture is an American treasure, and you can’t have cowboys without horses.
There are several Wild Horse Sanctuaries across the U.S. some managed for sustainable healthy herds and land (which we are supportive of) and others not. For more info on wild horses that have not been managed well, you may want to read up on some of the outcomes. Here are a couple of links:
Is the West's Wild Horse Crisis So Bad Only Euthanasia Can Fix It?
Employee: 30 wild horses died of starvation on South Dakota ranch
34 comments
Thank you, Jill and Dan, for an informative article. We may not like everything about the situation, but it sounds as though the humans are trying to deal with a difficult situation in the best way they can. I hope some of the armchair critics will consider donating to help and I’m glad there are caring people like you two to keep us informed. From horses to dogs and cats, not to mention wild animals, we all have an impact on the world around us and it isn’t always a good one. We don’t have wild horses here in the lowcountry of SC, but a friend and I just spent most of the day helping to rescue a young dog abandoned in the national forest here. A sweet animal, even though she was covered in flees and very mal-nourished. Couldn’t keep her, but fortunately the county shelter is a no-kill facility and she will be cared for and a home found for her. It’s an hour and a half from our village, but worth the trip to help her. How wonderful it would be if every human community would be responsible for the animals around us. We could learn so much from them if we only would. Thank you for helping those horses and for nurturing the Great Plains and bringing back the bison.
Michael – We do not have the answers to your questions. But you bring up another good point on genetics.
Linda – We did NOT sell or place any of these horses. We were aware of this gathering because we received a request to use our corrals. We are however familiar with some of the rancher/cowboys who participated in the round-up. Good families, good horseman.
Nancy – You ask “Why were they rounded up?” Here is what we know. The Buffalo Gap National Grasslands is not a Wild Horse Sanctuary. It does however lease land for ranchers to graze their animals at different times of the year. Length of time and number of animals allowed to graze is controlled by the Forest Service. This is based on grassland conditions, draught, etc. It is not an open grazing without regulations grassland. Currently there is not a permittee who is grazing horses. Therefore the horses were illegally put there or escaped from somewhere else. WE do not know.
Lastly, in an above comment a link was copied. For those that decided not to read the story and are concerned, the ugly part and truth of the story was: 860 horses were starving to death. Many died, due to too many horses, not enough land (land could sustain around 200), and not enough monies to buy feed for them. This could have been avoided had they controlled the population by selling, adopting, or implementing a controlled breeding program.
I just adopted two yearly mares from the rescue in Landry,SD. They are from the white sands herd in New Mexico where a lot of outlaws like Billy the kid got their horses. They are wonderful and already know hierarchy.
The horses from the plains need to be saved. Instead of commenting about how nice this story is ADOPT a few yourself !
I understand both sides. What is being done to increase the number of predators in the area so we can return to a natural way of controlling the wild herds. Or what about programs to sterilize as a way for humans to control the population?
Jill I loved your story / photos. I was brought up on a small farm. I understand about the grazing, with that said.
I’m with the other people, who wants you to follow each group of horses, you sold and or placed.
that in it self would be a great story. I know when serving up any meat its the males and old females,
on our plates. Is there anyway you or others castrates the very young males.
thank you
Curious to know how many escaped capture (“a few”?) and if anyone knows what the male to female ratio is? How many stallions vs bachelors and how many breeding mares? What are the genetic links between each member of the remaining band?
I’d hate to see a decrease in the genetics of the remaining band drive their health down like it has in the NC Outer Banks.
Dear Concerned Readers,
Again, we appreciate your concern, but it is very important to look at the big picture and to also keep a realistic opinion in mind. Horses make more horse every year, and numbers can get out of hand, degrading the landscape and causing starvation. A well run sanctuary will control the number of horses with the amount of land available. Ways of controlling the numbers are through selling them to ranchers, or implementing controlled breeding programs. It is absolutely impossible to keep them all if there is not enough land. The same goes for bison and cattle, etc. Also, if you keep all the horses and do not have enough land and supplemental feed is required to sustain the growing population, you do not have wild horses you have a feed yard of horses. We have seen this first hand in South Dakota, if you are interested in reading about this there are several stories on line, including this one of a series. http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/whistle-blowers-finally-expose-conditions-at-wild-horse-sanctuary/article_800dc7d6-cd86-5b8a-af69-bbbc4551c069.html
These horses are going to respected ranchers and horseman that will give them the care needed and will not meet their peril through starvation.
Why were they rounded up?
It makes me hurt in my old heart, the horses would rather suffer the hardships of the wild and free, than to endure the confines and constricts of surrendering under “domestication.” It’s a shame another way can’t be found to let free be free, instead of always comprising the animal’s want for man’s will and might.
What will really happen to these wild horses that were “captured”? We often think such “fine wild horses” won’t be harmed, but that just isn’t reality today. All horses are candidates for slaughter and these are no exception… Wild Idea Buffalo Company, please follow these particular horses that were taken from the wild in your own back yard and share their futures with your customers. Thank you.
They are beautiful do they need and how can they be adopted? Or are there others that do need adopted? We would also love to adopt a Buffalo.
Once again, a heartfelt thank you. I understand and agree that the herds
must be “thinned” but so happy a few a free. Life is in cycles.
Loved the story and photos. Lucky you to get to take the pictures and watch the cowgirls/guys work with them. And, y’all are right, with no natural predators anymore to help control the population, the habitat will become unsustainable and disease and starvation would become rampant followed by an agonizing death. People that live in cities/towns and suburbs just can’t comprehend that wildlife populations must be controlled by humans when there are no or not enough natural predators to do it. However, with that said, I’m still glad a few of the horses got away!
Laurie & Mimi,
We certainly appreciate your concern, but these animals will be well taken care of and have large pastures to run.
And, as you can see by the photos these are fine horses, not slaughter horses. In this part of the country a man (woman) and his horse have a very special bond.
Beautiful animals and pictures. The last one of them running free has a beautiful tone to it. Was that the light of the moment? Filter? Regardless, thank you for the share and background info.