Most Americans love and respect both domestic and wild horses. Horses hold a special place in our history and our hearts.

Today is National Day of the Horse. In 2004, Congress designated Dec. 13th as National Day of the Horse to honor the contributions horses have made to our country’s history, economy and national character.

Another important day falls this week that nods to the love Americans hold for our horses, December 15th. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was enacted on December 15, 1971. An additional press event for signing was on December 18th. Even the day of the Anniversary itself lands with a debate. (It became law the day it was published as law in the federal register.) We nod to the Anniversary of the day it became law; not the media event.

Idaho stud release, 2023

Much of our time each year is devoted to exposing the incompetent decision making process of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) before, during and after a roundup. Let’s face the facts: BLMs program is data poor, not based in science and operates using backdoor deals, old cowboy myth and practices they have repeated for so long, simply surround themselves with those in agreement, and continue the program in an archaic bubble.

Today, let us take a moment to sit in the magnificence of an animal that has inspired so many throughout history. Their strength, grace, loyalty, spirit has touched poets and tactician alike. Books, movies and songs spring from that seed of. inspiration. These steadfast beings served alongside humans under the most horrific circumstances of war.

Take a moment to celebrate the horse.

You can also use today to take action for our wild ones.

Congress is in the process of approving, for the 5th year in a row, a funding package to run a machine to slam down populations in the wild to numbers that were never determined through science. Boundary lines and numbers on the range were determined through political wrangling at the national and local levels. Once they hit their targets (often genetically nonviable numbers) they are “expanding fertility control” through the use of substances that are likely to remain active longer than the lifespan of the mares they applied the drugs to (GonaCon).

We are focused on gaining funding for a formal public rulemaking process for welfare standards this week. You can help HERE. 

You can learn more about BLMs perspective by watching the BLM Advisory Board today and tomorrow at BLM.gov/live

You can learn more about the board meeting HERE.

Our wild ones should live free on the range with the families they hold dear. Our wild ones should also live without abuse. WHE carries ongoing litigation to push BLM into open public process to create an enforceable welfare standard for our treasured wild ones.

Thank you for keeping is in the fight!