Mitchell 1
Shannon Mitchell
ENC1102-15
Leigh Graziano
8 October 2010
Research Paper
“Ye-A! Ye-A!” the cowboys screamed to their ranch horses as the sped across the desert
behind at least one hundred and fifty flying tails. A cloud of dust rose up and could be seen from
miles away from the pursuit. The cowboys, who worked for the Bureau of Land Management,
needed to roundup this herd of mustangs to control the population. However, population size
was the last thing on their mind as they inched closer and closer. With their adrenaline pumping
and their endorphins getting the best of them, they were in only for the excitement and the
adventure, as well as for the cash reward.
One cowboy shouted to the group as he pointed, “You go to the left, and I’ll get the back.
Push them up against that rock wall to make it easier to corral them in.” Up ahead, on the right
was the beginning of the Mineral Mountains in Cedar City, Utah. As the herd progressed, the
cowboys took their positions and pushed forward. There was a subtle, but quick shift in the
position of the herd as they tried to escape the predator, human. One cowboy scanned the
mountain range up ahead and saw exactly what the mustangs were headed for, and grinned. In
between a cluster of sage and rocks was a steep, narrow trail. The cowboy spurred his already
foaming-at-the-mouth mount into a faster gait, toward the mustangs making the assent. The lead
stallion of the herd saw the cowboy following and urged his mares on faster through rubble and
brush. The cowboy signaled to his co-workers, who made the call over Walkie-Talkie to bring in
the helicopter. In the meantime, while waiting for the air units, the cowboy focused his attention
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on the black mustang stallion that was not going down without a fight. The cowboy pushed his
horse on and reached for his rope. He closed in the distance as the stallion tried frantically to
charge up the steep hill. There was an opening to level ground one hundred meters away. He
loosened his rope, swung the lasso above his head, and let it go. In the split seconds that it flew
through the air, time seemed to stop. The stallion, terrified, tried to shy away from the flying,
snaking object that signified the end. Then it all happened at once. The stallion stretched out his
neck to lengthen his stride as the lasso circled perfectly around the straining muscles. The
stallion was immediately dragged down by the cowboys, through rocks and trees. The helicopter
was heard overhead and the mares and foals tried to scatter from fear of the sound, but it was too
late. After pushing, urging, and beating the horses across the desert, the group made it back to
the Bureau’s headquarters, where each horse was thrown into an overcrowded pen, with other
already-starving and scared mustangs, waiting for their fate.
Even though this is only a fictional story, events like this occur every year to the wild
horses and burros. The Bureau of Land Management, which is a government-run business, tries
to control the population sized of feral animals, mainly focusing on the great American Mustang
and burros, which are wild donkeys. The American Mustang actually originated from the
Spanish brought to America in the 16th century. These horses were believed to have been either
released into the wild or else have escaped. From then on, these horses became part of America’s
history and culture. However, over the 20th and into the 21st century, the idea of preserving
America’s history has been declining immensely. The laws regarding the population control on
the size and amount of wild “free-roaming” horses and burros should be reconsidered in order to
benefit America by preserving a history and setting a better picture of America as the world
would see.
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In 2010, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans on rounding up and securing in corrals
a total of 9,670 wild horses and burros. ( " T e n t a t i v e G a t h e r S c h e d u l e " ) These animals
will be put up for adoption to the general public, however there are some limitations. In 1971,
Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971. This act gave the
Bureau of Land Management the rights to take control of the preservation of these great
American icons. However, the National Park Service (NPS) was also given authority over the
wild life in the national parks, meaning that it could not be affected by the Bureau’s actions.
The NPS took advantage of that right and decided that the burro was a problem, as well as the
wild horse. They claimed that the burro, although acclaimed to be in the written act, was not
“free-roaming.” They also claimed that the burro was “non-native.” As a result, the NPS tried
to remove the burros off of national park land by any means possible, which included death by
a gun. Other means of removal were to round up the burros and take them to auction yards to
be sold to any buyer, including people from slaughter houses. ( S t i l l m a n ) The BLM, on the
other hand, has limitations to how and why they round up horses and burros. According to the
Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971, the BLM has the authority to decide on the
over population of mustangs and burros. As stated in the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro
Act of 1971 (Public Law 92-195), in heading 1333, section b, sub-section 1:
The Secretary shall maintain a current inventory of wild free-roaming horses and burros
on given areas of public lands. The purpose of such inventory shall be to: make
determinations as to whether and where an over population exists and whether actions
should be taken to remove excess animals; determine appropriate management levels of
wild free-roaming horses and burros on these areas of the public lands; and determine
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whether appropriate management levels should be achieved by the removal or destruction
of excess animals, or other options (such as sterilizations, or natural controls on
population levels). ( “ T h e W i l d F r e e - R o a m i n g H o r s e s a n d B u r r o s A c t o f
1971 (Public Law 92 -195)”)
As mentioned in the Act, the BLM is in search of many ways of removing and keeping these
animals off of public land. The BLM has annual roundups, which include the use of mounted
riders, vehicles, and helicopters. After roundups, the horses are brought to different “offices,”
which are BLM headquarters, where the horses are held until further actions are made. These
include seven different offices in California, four in Utah, and twelve in Nevada, as well as many
others. Each office holds the horses and burros until they are auctioned off and adopted.
( " T e n t a t i v e G a t h e r S c h e d u l e " ) Auctions for these animals are held at the offices, as well
as online now, according to High Country News writer Nick Neely: “Hoping to pick up the
sluggish pace of adoptions, the BLM now holds auctions online in addition to in-person sales.
It’s eBay in the true sense of the word. You can browse a gallery of headshots that beg your
affection. Or at least the shelter of your corral,” he explained. Unlike eBay, however, when
“bidding” for a horse or burro, the bidder has to fill out an application form that signifies that the
applier is old enough to adopt, also manage the species in a “humane” way. Each applier has to
be at least eighteen years of age and has to have a large enough area for holding the animal. The
BLM needs proof of these holding areas, and have to make sure they meet regulation
requirements. (Neely) Once the horse or burro is adopted, the adopter has one year to prove the
quality of their care. After one year, the adopter has to provide the BLM with a “…certificate
from an appropriate authority stating that the animal has been well cared for.” Once the
certificate is accepted by authorities, the adopter becomes the owner. ( P i c k e r a l 1 6 8 , 3 4 0 )
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This whole preservation of the horses and burros began over fifty years ago, however,
with one passionate native Nevadan rancher. Velma Bronn Johnston, born in 1912, had a love
for horses that showed through one day after she viewed the reality of “mustangers” executing
their job. These men had rounded up a herd of horses and had crammed them into a trailer. On
her way to work on morning in 1950, Johnston saw these horses in the trailer, covered in blood.
She was appalled and wanted to help the horses. Instead of continuing her drive to work, she
followed the trailer and found that it led to a slaughter house where the animals would soon be
turned into pet food. At that moment, Johnston was touched and promised to make a
difference. She did not like the animal cruelty that was being displayed and went to Congress
on the matter. After much discussion, the Legislature came to a consensus. In 1959, the Wild
Horse Annie bill was passed to protect horses and burros from being rounded up by the use of
motorized vehicles. Also, the bill outlawed the use of poison in watering holes. Johnston, who
also became known as Wild Horse Annie, continued to be an active advocate for the horses
because she realized that although the bill was passed, it would not change everything. She
ended up founding the International Society for Protection of Mustangs and Burros in 1960.
This was just the beginning of many organizations to come that focused on protecting wild
horses and burros. ( B a r e n d s e , E d . D . ) By 1971, the roundups were still highly
questionable and as a result the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971 was passed.
This Act solidified the prohibition of using motorized vehicles. Also, it enforced serious legal
consequences on individuals who would bring harm to the animals, illegally sell the wild
horses and burros, or illegally capture a wild horse or burro without going through the BLM.
Ultimately, this Act was intended to protect the horses and burros by putting them in the hands
of the government, as mentioned before. Other agencies that have been created since then to
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protect the mustangs and burros, which include the Mustang Foundation, the Animal Welfare
Institution, and the American Wild Horse Preservation. These foundations focus on preserving
the horses and burros and have, in fact, created preservations and other means of home to save
them. ( “ T h e W i l d F r e e - R o a m i n g H o r s e s a n d B u r r o s A c t o f 1 9 7 1 ( P u b l i c
Law 92-195)”)
These preservations are very similar to the Native American reservations. In many
ways, the Trail of Tears and the story of the American Mustang match up. The Native
Americans, the basis of America, were forced in 1838 to move across the country to a
reservation because of disagreements over human and race rights. ( " E g yp t i a n A A A " )
Although the horses and burros are not necessarily ‘fighting for rights,’ they are being taken off
of their home land. However, unlike the Cherokees, they are not being forced onto
preservation, at least not right away. Like the Indians suffering on the Trail of Tears, through,
these animals are suffering while being rounded up. The organization Last Chance for Animals
investigated the abuse and suffering that was occurring to these animals. In 2010, the Animals
Special Investigations Unit (SIU) ventured to the Mountains of Northwest Nevada to acquire
more information on these roundups. What they found was horrible. Just like the Indians on
the Trail of Tears, the horses and burros were hurt, sick, or dying. The SIU discovered that
these animals have been starving. A BLM Facilities Manager, John O’Neill explained on the
documentary film that the SIU created that these horses are receiving, “…domestic feed [and]
that’s not agreeing with these horses.” As a result, the animals will not eat and get
Hyperlypemia, which is the failure of the liver. Since the horses are not eating, their liver is
failing from the lack of nutrients. With the failure of the liver, the rest of the body stops
functioning. O’Neill explained that there have been twenty-seven deaths at his facility
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recently. The Trail of Tears’ travelers also witnessed many deaths along the way, many as a
result of starvation, just like the horses. The Indians were also injured or died from injuries
along the way. The video showed that many horses have had foot injuries. These injuries
could really cripple a horse. Many horses have become lame, which is a result of such injuries,
and if these horses are released back into the wild, as some are, they are in danger of being
attacked by predators because they are slowed down by the injury. ( " L C A i n v e s t i g a t e s
t h e B L M C a l i c o R o u n d u p " ) On the Trail of Tears, not only were lives lost, but also part
of America’s life. Because of the deaths, America lost a large chunk of American history. The
Native Americans helped solidify much of what America is made of. On the first
Thanksgiving, for example, the pilgrims and Indians dinned together, showing unity. America
was built off of the idea of unity. Although the issue at hand is not about the history of Native
Americans, the American Mustang is a huge part of American history, just like the Indians. In
fact, it is such an important icon, that it is used every day in our society. The mustang has
become an even more important figure recently in our culture. It has a social status. In the
days of the wild-west cowboys, the capture and taming of a mustang gave the cowboy a high
respect, while the free-roaming mustang represented the freedom of America. As the years
have progressed, the mustang has become a sign of power and strength. It has been used to
represent sports teams. It has represented muscle cars. If the wild horses keep decreasing in
number, the importance of the American Mustang will become a past-time. It will change
American culture.
However, the problem with America’s value of the mustang is that it has become more of
a materialized iconic symbol, rather than representing a rich history. The actual animal has been
forgotten. Instead, America has only focused on the iconic symbol of the wild horse, such as the
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Ford Mustang sports car. This has placed the title of a materialistic country on America.
However, there are still those who believe in the mustang; those who know the importance and
symbolism of this animal. Many have fought for the horses and burros; organizations like the
Wild Horse Preservation Organization, or the International Society for the Protection of
Mustangs and Burros. These organizations, as well as many protestors, have tried to fight the
rights that the government has given the BLM. As a result, the government is being divided
against the horse lovers. Is not America supposed to be united?
The separation of American beliefs on this matter is not only based on the ideas of the
importance of these animals, but also on the idea of animal cruelty and abuse. As seen in the
video, these animals have been injured in the process of being rounded up. They have also
become terrified as the BLM uses helicopters as a means of herding them in. As mentioned
previously, many of these animals are starving. There have been many deaths. According to
the Wild Horse Preservation organization, the numbers of wild horses have gone from 2 million
to less than 33,000. ( " A m e r i c a n H o r s e P r e s e r v a t i o n C a m p a i g n " ) This is a
population decrease of 98.5%. ( " L C A i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e B L M C a l i c o R o u n d u p " )
The Bureau of Land Management, however, finds the monitoring of the population
necessary. They claim that the land has become, “not suitable for wild horses.” ( " L C A
i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e B L M C a l i c o R o u n d u p " ) The government believes that there is an
over population of these animals, which is why the Wild Free-Roaming horse and Burro Act of
1971 was created. As stated in the Act, the roundups are a result of a “over population” issue.
(“The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (Public Law
92-195)”)
The BLM strives to create “appropriate management levels.” Director of the
BLM, Bob Abbey claimed, “[that] based on the best information the BLM currently has,
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without these (roundups), the land will suffer, wildlife will suffer and, ultimately, the horses
will suffer,” as stated in an article by Jeff Gearino. ( G e a r i n o ) The BLM ultimately claims
that keeping the horses and burros on the range would lead to a loss of resources; that they
would run out of food. ( " L C A i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e B L M C a l i c o R o u n d u p " )
The removal of these animals is not necessary, though. The BLM is concerned about
over population; however they do not take into consideration the nature occurrences of life,
such as death rate, and the process of natural selection and survival of the fittest. With the
environment constantly changing, variations of the species will be reproduced that will
ultimately either become dominant because of strong traits, or else die of due to bad genes.
With the ‘decreasing of resources,’ the horses will either decrease in population by survival of
the fittest, or will migrate. ( " B i o l o g y O n l i n e " ) More horses are dying because of the
roundups rather than being endangered from the lack of resources. O’Neill explained that
many horses are “euthanized.” ( " L C A i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e B L M C a l i c o R o u n d u p " )
The BLM kills these animals if they are in pain or are injured. However, they could help the
animals. They may believe that the animals are too wild to help. Why, then, are these animals
locked up or are being sold at auctions?
The Bureau of Land Management has been given the authority to maintain population
size of the wild “free-roaming” horses and burros, by the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro
Act of 1971. This Act is targeted towards the preservation of the wild horses and burros.
However, the BLM has acquired a bad reputation. From any possible means of roundup to
euthanize methods, horses and burros have become severely injured and have died. BLM
authorities have even admitted to the use of guns. Instead of helping preserve the American
Mustang, the BLM is destroying it. With that destruction come the destruction of America’s
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history, unity, and image. This issue is more than just an issue over animal’s rights and cruelty;
it is an issue of preserving America.
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