■ Steppelands Foundation Resource Portal

Wild
Horses

A research and policy depository on America's wild horse crisis — for anyone willing to look at it honestly.

Public Law 92-195
Wild horses and burros are protected by federal law as "living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West" — yet today more are held in captivity than roam free on public lands.
73,130
On-range estimate (Mar 2025)
25,556
Appropriate Management Level
64,205
Held in captivity (Aug 2025)
$142M
FY2025 federal appropriation
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■ Latest
Wyoming BLM plans full removal of wild horses from 2.1M acres of Wyoming's checkerboard region over 2025–2026 Apr 2025 Courts 10th Circuit blocks Wyoming checkerboard roundups in ruling seen as temporary victory for advocates Jul 2025 Budget Trump FY2026 budget cuts BLM wild horse program 25%, removes longstanding slaughter prohibition May 2025 Congress House and Senate Appropriations committees both reject Trump slaughter proposal, maintain ban Jul 2025 Nevada BLM conducts emergency gather of 300 horses near Ely, Nevada citing severe drought conditions Feb 2026 Slaughter Mustangs sold under BLM Sale Authority for as little as $25 entering slaughter pipeline within days of title transfer Jan 2026 Export Nearly 20,000 American horses shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter in 2024 alone Feb 2026 BLM Over 8,000 wild horses adopted in FY2025 — a 20% increase and the most placements since 2021 Feb 2026 Wyoming BLM plans full removal of wild horses from 2.1M acres of Wyoming's checkerboard region over 2025–2026 Apr 2025 Courts 10th Circuit blocks Wyoming checkerboard roundups in ruling seen as temporary victory for advocates Jul 2025 Budget Trump FY2026 budget cuts BLM wild horse program 25%, removes longstanding slaughter prohibition May 2025 Congress House and Senate Appropriations committees both reject Trump slaughter proposal, maintain ban Jul 2025 Nevada BLM conducts emergency gather of 300 horses near Ely, Nevada citing severe drought conditions Feb 2026 Slaughter Mustangs sold under BLM Sale Authority for as little as $25 entering slaughter pipeline within days of title transfer Jan 2026 Export Nearly 20,000 American horses shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter in 2024 alone Feb 2026 BLM Over 8,000 wild horses adopted in FY2025 — a 20% increase and the most placements since 2021 Feb 2026
Coverage

In The News

Wyoming / Removal
Full Removal Planned for Wyoming's 2.1M-Acre Checkerboard Region
The BLM is planning to permanently remove all free-roaming horses from the Great Divide Basin, Salt Wells Creek, and Adobe Town herd management areas over 2025 and 2026 — approximately 3,371 horses targeted, in the agency's largest gather operation in years. A 10th Circuit court ruling temporarily blocked the roundups after an appeal from advocacy groups.
WyoFile April 2025
Budget / Slaughter
Trump FY2026 Budget Removes Slaughter Ban, Cuts Program by 25%
AWHC — May 2025
Congress
House and Senate Appropriators Both Reject Slaughter Proposal
Animal Welfare Institute — July 2025
Export / Slaughter
Nearly 20,000 American Horses Shipped to Mexico and Canada for Slaughter in 2024
Sentient Media — February 2026
Nevada / Emergency
BLM Conducts Emergency Gather Near Ely, Nevada Amid Severe Drought
KOLO TV — February 2026
Slaughter Pipeline
Mustangs Selling for $25 Under BLM Sale Authority, Entering Slaughter Within Days
In Defense of Animals — January 2026
By The Numbers

The Scale of the Crisis

73,130
Horses on public land
BLM estimate, March 2025
2.9×
Over appropriate management level
AML ceiling: 25,556
64,205
Held in captivity off-range
More in holding than on range
$142M
FY2025 federal appropriation
Nearly 600% increase since FY2000
Estimated On-Range Population by State — 2025
Nevada
~34,000
Wyoming
~9,000
California
~5,800
Utah
~5,000
Colorado
~3,200