Wild Horse and Burro 2026
Wild Horse and Burro articles for 2026
A dangerous proposal just resurfaced.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
For the second year in a row, a dangerous provision has reappeared in the President’s budget proposal.
If enacted, the FY27 budget language could open the door to outcomes for wild horses and burros that Americans overwhelmingly oppose:
- Allow the transfer of wild horses to foreign countries, including those with active slaughter industries
- Remove the long-standing ban on the killing of healthy wild horses and burros
TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to reject this proposal →
This should alarm everyone who cares about the future of America’s wild herds, Meredith. Last year, advocates like you helped stop similar language from moving forward. Together, we made it clear: the American public does not support slaughter, and we do not support sending wild horses out of the country to face uncertain and inhumane outcomes.
Now, the threat is back. And once again, Congress needs to hear from you.
AWHC is already working alongside partners at Animal Welfare Institute and bipartisan champions in Congress to ensure these protections are restored. But public pressure will be critical to winning this fight again.
The solution is not mass removal or slaughter. It’s humane fertility control, paired with responsible stewardship of our public lands — an approach that is proven, cost-effective, and scalable.
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We’ve done this before — and we can do it again.
Thank you for standing with America’s wild horses and burros,
American Wild Horse Conservation
This is the moment
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The first roundups of 2026 have already taken place.
Wild horses have been captured.
Families broken apart.
Operations carried out with little time for the public to respond.
And now, a far larger number are still ahead. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to remove 14,830 wild horses and burros this year—many immediately after foaling season, when families are most vulnerable.
| PROTECT WILD HORSES → |
Because once large-scale roundups begin, they move fast: Helicopters push horses to exhaustion as they chase them for miles, foals struggle to keep up, and horses of all ages lose their freedom forever.
That’s why AWHC exists, Meredith. We are:
On the Ground: Deploying observers to document roundups and expose the truth
In the Courts: Challenging unlawful actions and fighting for stronger protections
On the Range: Expanding humane fertility control to prevent future roundups
In Washington: Advocating for policy reforms that end this broken system
This work is urgent. And it’s happening right now. But it depends on the support of people who refuse to look away. Because what happens next—for this generation of wild horses—is still being decided.
Will you make a donation to power our work?
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With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
Foaling season has begun
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Right now, across the American West, new life is taking its first steps.
Foals are being born on the range—staying close to their mothers, learning how to move with the herd, experiencing their first days of freedom.
This should be a season of hope. But this year, it isn’t.
Because even before foaling season began, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) quietly carried out multiple “emergency” roundups—removing wild horses with little notice and limited oversight from the public lands they call home.
And now, a much larger wave is coming. The federal government’s 2026 plan calls for 14,830 wild horses and burros to be removed from the range this year.
| PROTECT WILD HORSES → |
Foals will be born into active roundup zones, pregnant mares are at risk of being chased and captured, and families could be separated during the most vulnerable moment of their lives
We’ve already seen how this plays out. That’s why AWHC is already in the fight—right now:
- Documenting roundups the public is meant to miss
- Challenging unlawful removals in court
- Pressuring the government for transparency and accountability
- Expanding humane fertility control to stop this cycle at its source
But this work only continues with support from people like you, Meredith.
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Because every foal born this season deserves the chance to grow up wild—not be swept into a broken system before their life has even begun.
With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
Your Senators need to hear from you before April 13
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The U.S. Senate has until April 13 to sign onto a letter supporting humane wild horse reforms in the FY27 Interior Appropriations bill. Your representative needs to hear from you today.
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We have a new opportunity — and a tight deadline — to push for real change for America’s wild horses and burros.
Right now, a Senate appropriations letter is circulating that calls for more humane, responsible management of wild herds on public lands. Senators only have until April 13 to sign on.
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For too long, federal management has relied on a costly and outdated approach: removing wild horses from the range and placing them into long-term holding. Today, tens of thousands of animals are confined in government facilities — a system that continues to grow more expensive and harder to sustain every year.
At the same time, proven, humane tools like fertility control — which can manage populations without removing horses from their habitat — remain dramatically underused.
This is exactly the kind of imbalance this Senate letter aims to address. By encouraging investment in humane, science-based solutions, it represents a meaningful step toward breaking the cycle of roundups and long-term confinement.
But it only works if enough Senators sign on before the deadline. And, that’s where you come in.
When advocates like you spoke out during the House effort, lawmakers paid attention — we were able to garner a record-breaking 91 signatures from members of Congress! Now, we need that same energy focused on the Senate.
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This is one of those moments where a simple action — just a few clicks — can help shape the future of how wild horses are treated on our public lands.
Thank you for standing with America’s wild horses and burros,
American Wild Horse Conservation
We have a chance to stop the loophole sending wild horses to slaughter
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
America’s wild horses are icons of the West — symbols of freedom, resilience, and the spirit of our public lands.
But today, thousands of these animals remain vulnerable to slaughter.
A dangerous loophole allows so-called “kill buyers” to purchase horses and ship them across U.S. borders to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada. Some of those horses have been proven to come directly from the federal government itself.
Through the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Sale Authority program, wild horses can be sold with minimal limitations, creating a pathway where animals removed from public lands can ultimately end up in the slaughter pipeline.
That’s why Congress must pass the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act.
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The SAFE Act (H.R. 1661) would finally close the slaughter pipeline for good. Instead of relying on temporary spending restrictions that must be renewed every year, the bill would create a permanent federal ban on the transport and sale of horses for slaughter.
It would also ensure that wild horses remain protected even after they leave federal custody — closing the dangerous gap that exists today when a Mustang is adopted or sold.
Because the bill is being advanced as an amendment to the Farm Bill, it has a real opportunity to move forward in Congress.
But lawmakers need to hear from the American public that protecting our wild horses matters.
Please take a moment today to urge your members of Congress to support the SAFE Act today.
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Thank you for your support,
AWHC Team
We’re fighting for equines everywhere — will you help?
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Yesterday we asked you to speak up for the Ejiao Act, a bill that would help shut down the global trade in donkey hides used to produce ejiao.
This trade kills millions of donkeys every year and causes tremendous suffering for animals and the communities who rely on them. Passing the Ejiao Act would be a major step toward ending that cruelty.
But laws alone are not enough.
Protecting equines — from America’s wild horses to working donkeys around the world — requires constant advocacy, investigation, and public pressure.
That’s the work we do every day.
From fighting cruel helicopter roundups… to pushing for humane fertility control… to supporting legislation that protects equines everywhere… American Wild Horse Conservation is on the front lines.
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Together, we can build a future where all equines are treated with the dignity and protection they deserve.
Thank you for standing with us,
American Wild Horse Conservation
A bill that could stop a global animal crisis
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Across the world, millions of donkeys are being killed each year to fuel a booming trade in ejiao — a gelatin made from donkey hides that is used in cosmetics and traditional medicine.
Demand for this product has exploded in recent years, driving a global trade that has devastated donkey populations and caused immense suffering. Donkeys are often stolen, transported long distances without food or water, and killed under inhumane conditions before their hides are processed.
The United States currently plays a role in this market as one of the largest importers of products containing ejiao. But Congress has a chance to change that.
The bipartisan Ejiao Act (H.R. 5544) would prohibit the transport, sale, and purchase in the United States of ejiao products and donkey hides used to produce them.
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Donkeys are vital partners for communities around the world — transporting food, water, and children to school.
They deserve protection from a global trade that treats them as disposable. Please take a moment to urge your lawmakers to support the Ejiao Act today.
Thank you for your support,
American Wild Horse Conservation
Two futures for America’s wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Right now, America’s wild horses are facing two very different futures:
Future #1: The status quo.
Helicopter roundups continue to chase horses from our public lands, breaking apart families and sending animals into government holding facilities. Taxpayers spend $144 million every year on this cycle — and once captured, a single horse can cost up to $50,000 to house over their lifetime.
Or…
Future #2: A humane, science-based solution.
Fertility control using the reversible vaccine PZP prevents pregnancies while allowing horses to remain wild and free on the range with their families.
PZP is widely tested, scientifically-backed, and already proving effective. At American Wild Horse Conservation, we manage the largest wild horse fertility control program in the country, demonstrating that this approach can work at scale.
And it’s far more cost-effective:
- Lifetime government holding: up to $50,000 per horse
- Humane fertility control: about $3,500 for lifetime protection
Congress has already allocated $11 million for humane fertility control in the FY26 appropriations bill.
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Because the future of America’s wild horses depends on the choice we make today.
Thank you for standing with us.
— AWHC Team
Protecting Wild Horses for Generations to Come
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
We’re officially a month into the Year of the Horse, and at American Wild Horse Conservation, it’s already a powerful reminder of why this work matters so much.
America’s wild horses and burros embody freedom, resilience, and the spirit of the West. Yet protecting them requires constant vigilance, defending their right to live free on public lands, advocating for humane policies, and safeguarding the landscapes they call home.
The Year of the Horse is a time to celebrate these incredible animals. It’s also a time to ask an important question: How will we ensure wild horses remain protected for generations to come?
One meaningful way supporters choose to make a lasting impact is through a legacy gift.
By including American Wild Horse Conservation in your will or estate plans, you help ensure that the fight to protect wild horses continues long into the future. These gifts cost nothing today but provide powerful support for advocacy, habitat protection, and humane conservation efforts for years to come.
| CREATE MY FREE WILL AND LEGACY |
We’ve made it easier to take this step. Through our free partner FreeWill, you can create or update your will online in about 20 minutes.
You can also use this beneficiaries tool to review and update beneficiary designations on accounts like retirement plans and life insurance policies, another simple way many supporters choose to create a legacy for the causes they care about.
As we celebrate the Year of the Horse, we invite you to consider your role in protecting these iconic animals.
With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
Nevada wild horse roundups began Sunday
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Over the weekend, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) quietly launched four wild horse roundups across Nevada — with just five days’ notice to the public. More than 2,500 wild horses and burros are now being targeted for removal from their homes on our public lands.
And because these operations are being conducted using bait-and-trap methods, the public is not allowed to observe them.
No observers.
No transparency.
No accountability.
| PROTECT WILD HERDS |
This is the plan the BLM began yesterday:
- Spring Mountains: 425 wild horses + 425 burros planned to be captured
- Pancake Complex: 300 horses to be removed
- Caliente Complex: 350 horses to be removed
- Antelope & Triple B Complex: 1,000 horses to be targeted
That’s 2,500 wild horses and burros being removed from Nevada’s public lands — largely out of the public eye.
These captures come after two “emergency” roundups were already carried out earlier this year, with the agency still refusing to release a full 2026 roundup schedule for public review.
In fact, American Wild Horse Conservation recently sent a formal letter to the Bureau of Land Management requesting that the agency immediately release its roundup schedule so the public can understand what is being planned for our federally protected wild horses.
But instead of transparency, the agency is moving forward with removals without a clear plan — and without allowing the public to witness what’s happening on the ground.
Wild horses belong on our public lands, and the public deserves transparency when the government removes them. That’s why this March, we’re mobilizing advocates across the country for a Month of Action to protect America’s wild horses and burros.
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We will continue monitoring these operations closely and will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Thank you for standing up for America’s wild horses and burros,
AWHC Team
Ends TOMORROW: Carry the spirit of the wild horse with you
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
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A broken system is failing America’s wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Members of Congress have until March 16 to sign onto a letter supporting humane wild horse reforms in the FY27 Interior Appropriations bill.
Your representative needs to hear from you today.
| TAKE ACTION |
The wild horse program is stuck in a broken cycle.
Every year, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rounds up thousands of wild horses and burros from public lands — only to warehouse them in government holding facilities that are already overcrowded and too expensive to maintain.
Instead of investing in humane solutions that keep horses on the range, the agency continues to rely on removals. The numbers tell the story:
In Fiscal Year 2025, the BLM removed 7,853 wild horses and burros from the range, while administering just 921 fertility control treatments — a science-backed tool that safely manages populations where wild horses belong.
Despite direction from lawmakers and the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board to expand fertility control, the agency has failed to scale up these humane solutions.
Without change, wild horses and burros will continue to be funneled into a broken system of roundups and long-term holding that already consumes the vast majority of the program’s budget.
Now, Congress has an opportunity to step in.
A letter is currently circulating in the U.S. House of Representatives calling for humane wild horse and burro protections to be included in the Fiscal Year 2027 Interior Appropriations bill.
But the window to secure support is short. Members of Congress only have until March 16 to sign onto this letter.
That means your representative needs to hear from constituents like you, Meredith, right now.
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If enough representatives sign on before the March 16 deadline, it could help steer federal policy toward humane, common-sense management that keeps wild horses where they belong — on the range. Your voice could help make that happen.
Thank you for standing with America’s wild horses and burros,
American Wild Horse Conservation
Celebrating the woman who changed the fate of America’s wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
More than 70 years ago, a woman in Nevada witnessed something she could not ignore.
Velma “Wild Horse Annie” Johnston was driving along a highway when she noticed blood dripping from a passing livestock truck. When she discovered it came from captured wild horses being hauled away for slaughter, she made a decision that would change history.
Velma wasn’t a politician or a lobbyist — she was an administrative assistant. She believed Americans would care if they knew what was happening to wild horses on our public lands — and she was right.
She organized a grassroots movement that spread across the country. Schoolchildren joined what became known as the “Pencil War,” flooding Congress with handwritten letters demanding protection for wild horses. And, Meredith, their voices worked.
In 1971, Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, recognizing wild horses as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and placing them under federal protection.
It remains one of the most powerful wildlife protection laws ever passed in the United States.
But today, the promise of that law is being steadily weakened.
Across the West, wild horses are being removed from their homes through aggressive helicopter roundups and placed into government holding facilities by the tens of thousands. At the same time, wild horse habitat continues to shrink while commercial livestock grazing on public lands continues largely unchanged. In fact, on many of the same landscapes where wild horses are blamed for land degradation, there are roughly 30 cattle authorized for every single wild horse.
The result is a troubling reality: Wild horses — the very animals Congress once moved to protect — are increasingly treated as obstacles rather than icons.
Wild Horse Annie showed the world that ordinary people can shape the future of these animals. Today, we must do the same.
As part of our Month of Action, will you act now to help hold the line for America’s wild horses? →
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Velma Johnston proved that one person speaking up can spark a movement. Together, we can ensure her legacy continues.
Thank you for standing with the wild ones,
AWHC Team
Antelope HMA: 344 horses removed — here’s what happened next →
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “emergency” roundup outside the Antelope Herd Management Area has now concluded. Below are the final outcomes that our team of observers witnessed:
- 344 wild horses were captured: 131 stallions, 147 mares, 66 foals
- Three deaths occurred during the course of these removals — including a yearling who suffered a fatal neck fracture at the trap site.
However, and equally disturbing story has begun now that this roundup has concluded.
In the days following this removal, our Investigations Team documented a dramatic expansion of listings on the BLM’s Sale Authority website — growing from roughly 40 pages to nearly 70, many featuring horses under five years old.
Under federal law, horses can enter the Sale Authority if they are over 10 years old or have been offered unsuccessfully for adoption three times. But when emergency roundups rapidly increase the number of horses entering the system, more animals are pushed through this pipeline faster — reducing transparency and increasing the long-term risk to these federally protected horses.
At the same time, federal officials continue advancing a goal of placing 20,000 horses per year into adoption or sale channels, while rapidly scaling the online corral system to move animals faster.
That raises a serious question: Has the government demonstrated that humane placement capacity exists before accelerating removals? Meredith, precedent tells us the answer is no.
When removals outpace real demand, the risks to these horses grow. And as more animals are funneled into Sale Authority, federal safeguards fall away.
This is not sustainable management. It is a slaughter pipeline.
We will not stay silent as “emergency” roundups feed a system that cannot responsibly sustain the volume being removed.
This is exactly why we launched our Hold the Line campaign — to push back when “emergency” becomes a shortcut and to ensure wild horses are protected by law, not processed by quota. Stand with us, Meredith. Demand transparency, accountability, and real checks before more horses are taken.
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Thank you,
AWHC Team