American Wild Horse Conservation
Speak up for Wild Horses before July 2 📣
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The Bureau of Land Management is reviewing nationwide strategies that could shape how America’s wild horses and burros are managed for years to come.
Public comments close July 2.
|
This is bigger than one roundup or one herd.
The BLM’s Programmatic Environmental Assessment could influence the tools and strategies used throughout the federal Wild Horse and Burro Program, including decisions about fertility control, helicopter roundups, population targets, holding facilities, animal welfare, and public transparency.
This is an important opportunity to ask the BLM to:
- Expand proven fertility control programs, including PZP
- Prioritize humane, on-the-range management
- Move away from routine helicopter roundups
- Protect genetic diversity and long-term herd health
- Reevaluate outdated population targets using current science
- Improve transparency and animal welfare protections
- Protect removed wild horses and burros from the slaughter pipeline
- Consider livestock grazing and other land uses when evaluating range conditions
You do not need to be an expert or address every issue.
The most effective comments are written in your own words. Share why wild horses and burros matter to you and which humane management approaches you believe the BLM should prioritize.
Submit your personalized comment before July 2.
Thank you for standing with America’s wild horses and burros.
American Wild Horse Conservation
|
Clear the clutter and plan for what matters most 🌾
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Spring cleaning often starts with closets and drawers, but it’s also a good time to organize the documents that matter most.
For many people, estate planning can feel complicated or like something to put off. In reality, creating a will or reviewing beneficiary designations can be one of the most empowering ways to protect your loved ones and reflect the values that matter most to you.
That’s why American Wild Horse Conservation offers free planning tools to help supporters take this step with confidence.
With our partner FreeWill, you can:
- Create or update your will for free in about 20 minutes
- Review your beneficiary designations to ensure your accounts reflect your wishes
- Explore simple ways to include the causes you care about in your long-term plans
|
If you already have a will, reviewing your beneficiary designations is still an important step. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and donor-advised funds often pass outside of a will, so keeping these designations updated can help ensure your wishes are honored.
Review your beneficiary designations.
Many supporters are surprised to learn that gifts through wills, retirement accounts, or life insurance policies can help protect the causes they love while costing them nothing today.
If you decide to include American Wild Horse Conservation in your plans, your gift can help defend wild horses and burros, protect their habitats, and advocate for humane management policies far into the future.
It’s a simple step today that helps ensure these iconic animals remain free for generations to come.
P.S. Already included American Wild Horse Conservation in your plans? Let us know so we can thank you.
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.
| DONATE NOW |
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
Wild horses deserve better than “Emergency” excuses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
|
Your Horse, In Watercolor
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
You asked—we listened. By popular demand, we’re extending our special Year of the Horse partnership with Apolis through March 15!
This limited-time collection features hand-painted, customizable bags created for horse lovers—each one crafted by artists and made to carry meaning, not just your everyday essentials. With every bag purchased, $100 is donated to American Wild Horse Conservation to support the protection of wild horses and burros on public lands.
| PERSONALIZE YOUR BAG → |
Wild horses continue to face removals from their homes and confinement in government holding facilities. Your purchase helps power our on-the-ground observers, legal advocacy, and public accountability work to protect wild horses where they belong—on the range.
If you’ve been waiting to customize your bag, this is your moment. The extension runs through March 15, and these hand-painted designs are only available for a limited time!
With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
This isn’t “balance.” It’s mass removal.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
I wish I were writing to you with better news.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has just approved plans for a massive roundup in Nevada’s Callaghan Complex — one of the last great strongholds for wild horses in the West.
If carried out, this operation would remove nearly 5,000 wild horses from more than a million acres of public lands — pushing thousands of animals into government holding facilities and leaving only a fraction of the herds behind.
Families will be broken apart. Entire bands will disappear from landscapes they’ve lived on for generations. But this is not a fight we can take on alone. To stop this plan, we need a united community behind us — and we urgently need to fuel our Legal Fund with whatever you’re able to give today.
The BLM claims this plan is about “balance.” But when you look closely, the story changes:
This decision is built on outdated population targets that were set decades ago — before climate change, before modern ecological science, and without meaningful updates to reflect current conditions on the range. Their own monitoring fails to distinguish between the impacts of livestock grazing and wild horses on fragile habitat, yet wild horses are once again being singled out for removal while commercial livestock grazing continues.
Even more troubling: the BLM is proposing to remove thousands of horses before meaningfully deploying humane fertility control at scale — despite clear evidence that fertility control works when implemented seriously. This is not a last resort. It is a default to mass removal — a costly pipeline to overcrowded holding facilities where these innocent animals will live out their lives in captivity or be sent to slaughter.
I refuse to accept that as “management.” And I know you won’t either, Meredith.
American Wild Horse Conservation is preparing to challenge this decision and escalate pressure on the agency — in the courts, in Washington, and in the public eye. But we can only move as fast and as forcefully as our supporters make possible.
Your support powers our legal work, on-the-ground advocacy, and the fight to replace mass removals with humane, science-based solutions that actually keep wild horses wild. A gift to our Legal Fund today will help power the next phase of this fight as we work to halt this devastating plan.
| FUEL OUR LEGAL FUND |
This is the moment we either draw the line for wild horses — or allow their disappearance from these lands to become permanent. If we stand together now, we can still change what happens next.
With determination,
Patricia Miller
Board Chair
American Wild Horse Conservation
The Fire Horse year is here — and wild horses still inspire.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The Year of the Fire Horse has begun — a period of strength, resilience, and forward motion. For those of us who care about wild horses and burros, it’s a powerful way to welcome the year ahead.
As we shared earlier this week, wild horses are at a decade-defining inflection point. But this moment isn’t only about policy or numbers — it’s about why wild horses matter to people, to culture, and to our shared sense of freedom.
Across the American West and around the world, wild horses symbolize endurance, family, and the untamed spirit of the natural world. For many, seeing wild horses for the first time is unforgettable — a reminder that something truly wild still exists.
To mark the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse, we’re lifting up the voices of supporters and volunteers who stand with wild horses every day:
These stories remind us that this movement is personal — and that visibility creates momentum for change.
Thank you for being part of a community that keeps wild horses in the public consciousness — not as a memory of the past, but as a living presence we are responsible for protecting today.
With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
The Year of the Fire Horse: A turning point for wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
As the Year of the Fire Horse begins today, I’ve been reflecting on what that symbol represents: strength, endurance, and the courage to keep moving forward — even when the terrain is difficult.
That feels especially fitting for this moment in American Wild Horse Conservation’s journey.
2025 was not just a year of activity, it was a year of measurable progress.
Together, we expanded humane fertility control, documented roundups across the West, strengthened legal accountability, and helped bring the reality facing wild horses and burros into the national conversation. Because of supporters like you, millions more people now understand what’s at stake.
And yet, the bigger picture is sobering.
Nearly a decade ago, approximately 20,000 wild horses were trapped in long-term government holding. Today, that number has more than tripled — with over 62,000 horses confined, now outnumbering those still living free on our public lands.
This is how change moves with wild horses, Meredith: in cycles and over decades. There are moments of progress, followed by periods of pressure.
What we are living through now is not just another cycle — it is an inflection point. The choices made in the next few years will shape the future of wild horses for a generation.
Today, I’m sharing our 2025 Impact Report with you. But I want to be clear: this is not a look back. It is a launch point for what we are building in 2026.
Download the full report to see your impact:
| DOWNLOAD THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT |
As we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, wild horses are experiencing something rare: a cultural renaissance. Across media, art, advocacy, and public dialogue, these animals are reemerging as what they truly are — the lifeblood of the American West and a living symbol of freedom.
This renewed visibility matters. It creates an opening to move wild horses back into the mainstream of our national conscience — not as an afterthought, but as a priority.
We are aligning our 2026 organizational priorities with this moment.
AWHC is evolving — strengthening our field presence, sharpening our legal strategy, expanding public engagement, and demanding higher standards of accountability from federal agencies. The foundation you helped lay in 2025 is what allows us to step into this year with clarity, resolve, and momentum.
The stakes remain high. Roundups continue. Horses are still being removed from their families and pushed into a holding system never designed to operate at this scale. Protections passed by Congress are still being tested in practice.
But moments like this — when public awareness, cultural energy, and institutional pressure converge — are rare. The Year of the Fire Horse invites forward motion. With your partnership, we are prepared to meet this decade-defining moment with the urgency wild horses deserve.
Thank you for standing with us — not just for what we’ve achieved, but for what we are building next.
With gratitude and resolve,
Patricia Miller
Board Chair
American Wild Horse Conservation
P.S. Our limited-time Apolis brand partnership turns what you carry everyday into real protection for wild horses—$100 from each bag supports AWHC. Customize your bag here.
2026 is the Year of the Horse. Protect something wild.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
This week, we welcome the Year of the Horse—a symbol of strength and freedom—with a special partnership designed to protect what’s wild. We’re teaming up with Apolis to support wild horses through an exciting, limited-edition promotion:
For one week only, Apolis is offering select personalized bags created in celebration of the Year of the Horse.With each bag purchased, $100 will be donated to AWHC to help protect America’s wild horses and burros on public lands.
Across the West, wild horses continue to face removals from their homes on public lands and confinement in holding facilities. Your support fuels our frontline work—deploying observers, challenging harmful policies, and fighting for humane, science-based management that keeps horses on the land where they belong.
When you personalize an Apolis bag through this promotion, you’re not just choosing something beautiful and functional. You’re choosing to stand for freedom on the range, family bands left intact, and a future where wild horses remain wild.
This collaboration brings together two values-driven organizations committed to protecting what’s precious. Apolis builds thoughtfully made products that create a positive impact around the world—and now, your everyday bag can directly support the protection of wild horses here at home.
Join us in bringing the values of the Fire Horse with us—by turning symbolism into protection for our cherished wild horses.
With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
| PERSONALIZE YOUR BAG → |
Valentine’s Day is for wild love
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Today is a celebration of love — but love in the wild doesn’t look like roses and chocolates. It looks like standing watch while your partner rests. It looks like staying close through storms, rivals, and years of survival.
Meet Blue and Lady of Nevada’s Fish Springs Range.
Blue and Lady are the king and queen of Nevada’s Fish Springs Range. Blue is everything you’d imagine a wild stallion to be: fiercely protective of his family, a resilient fighter, and a leader shaped by desert wind and sun. Lady is a stunning mare who has raised generations of wild horses — her intuition and quiet strength helping keep her family wild and free.
Photo credit: JT Humphrey
They’ve stood by each other for years, rarely straying far apart. When Blue rests, Lady keeps watch. When people spot Lady, they know the mighty Blue is nearby.
Through brutal winters and the steady passage of time, their bond has endured. This is wild love.
Blue and Lady are lucky — their family bond has endured rival stallions, brutal winters, and the steady passage of time. So many others aren’t given that chance.
But this Valentine’s Day, you have the power to help keep wild horse families together:
When you become a monthly supporter, you help create steady, year-round protection for wild horses and burros — the kind of support that allows us to respond to emergencies, document roundups, fight removals, and keep families in the wild where they belong.
As a thank-you, anyone who starts a monthly gift will receive a free Valentine’s Day–themed wild horse phone background — a small reminder of the love you’re helping protect, every time you unlock your phone.
| DONATE NOW |
Thank you for standing with wild families.
With gratitude,
American Wild Horse Conservation
P.S. Valentine’s Day may only come once a year, but wild horse families need protection every day. Monthly support helps make that possible. Please consider making a recurring monthly donation to AWHC today!
Deadline TOMORROW: Help restore critical wild horse habitat
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
We’re down to the final hours to unlock our $25,000 Land Fund match, and we still have a long way to go. The deadline is tomorrow at midnight, and the wildlife that calls Fish Springs home can’t afford for us to fall short.
| DOUBLE MY DONATION |
When the Conner Fire tore through Nevada at the beginning of summer, it scorched critical habitat of our Fish Springs Land Preserve — including key habitat for the wild horses who depend on this land for forage, water, and safety.
This community has already stepped up in incredible ways. But to have the resources necessary for the restoration work this land requires, we need to unlock the full match — and we’re not there yet.
| DOUBLE MY DONATION |
Your support will directly fund critical restoration efforts like reseeding burned areas, repairing damaged habitat, and rebuilding natural water sources across the preserve.
We’re almost there — but we can’t finish this without you.
Thank you for powering this important work.
— The AWHC Team
Neptune’s home range needs our support.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Earlier this year, we introduced you to a newborn colt named Neptune, born during foaling season on AWHC’s Fish Springs Land Preserve. He took his first wobbly steps on the cold, March earth of the range — full of that unmistakable, too-long-for-his-body foal energy.
As AWHC’s Nevada State Director, I’ve watched many foals take those first steps across Nevada’s desert landscape. But today, I’m reaching out because the land Neptune and his family band depend on needs our help.
| DOUBLE MY DONATION |
When the Conner Fire swept across the 17,700 acres of Fish Springs at the beginning of summer, it burned up critical wildlife habitat — including the meadows and open spaces where Neptune spent his first days exploring the world alongside his herd.
Thankfully, Neptune is still with his family — healthy, wild, and growing fast. But the lands he calls home need rebuilding.
Your support will fund efforts like reseeding, restoring habitat, and helping to rebuild the fragile areas that young horses like Neptune rely on for forage, shelter, and safety.
That’s why this restoration effort matters so much — and it’s why a generous donor has offered to match every gift made to our Land Fund, up to $25,000, through Monday at midnight. Will you make a 2X-matched donation today to help restore Neptune’s home on the Fish Springs range?
| DOUBLE MY DONATION |
Thank you for caring about Neptune, his herd, and this land as much as we do.
With gratitude,
Tracy Wilson
Nevada State Director
American Wild Horse Conservation
Your gift goes 2X as far until Monday at midnight
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
We’re starting to make progress towards unlocking our $25,000 Land Fund Match — but we’re still $19,889 away from reaching our goal. The Monday night deadline is approaching fast, and we cannot afford to lose momentum now — the Fish Springs landscape can’t wait.
Over 1,000 acres of our Fish Springs Land Preserve — a critical habitat for wildlife — were scorched by the Conner Fire this past summer. Meadows where wild horses grazed, native grasses flourished, and wildlife gathered for water now sit exposed. If we don’t act soon, the damage could deepen, making restoration even harder in the spring.
| DOUBLE MY DONATION |
Your support today will fund critical projects on the Fish Springs range like reseeding efforts, habitat restoration, and rebuilding damaged ecosystems that the Fish Springs wild horses and other wildlife rely on for their survival.
| DOUBLE MY DONATION |
Thank you for your support. We couldn’t do this without you.
— American Wild Horse Conservation
[Action Needed] Roundup funding has been restored
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Mono Lake’s wild horses are in imminent danger.
With the federal government now reopened, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) now has the funding to move forward with helicopter roundups — and they could begin at any moment, Meredith. Join us in urging USFS to abandon these plans now. →
The Mono Lake horses are deeply tied to the cultural and spiritual heritage of the local Indigenous communities. Yet despite broad opposition, USFS is still preparing to use helicopters to chase, trap, and remove these innocent animals.
| ACT NOW |
Our team has been working in collaboration with the local communities to call for a humane, science-based, and culturally grounded alternative that includes:
- A two-year pause on any helicopter roundups in the Mono Lake region
- A Tribal Management Council to guide decision-making
- A Tribe-run training and adoption facility that creates jobs and cultural connections
- Use of humane, on-range fertility control, not removals
- A transparent review of herd-size targets with community voices involved
This is what humane, responsible, wild horse management should look like. With removal funding restored, we need strong public pressure to ensure the Forest Service changes course.
| ACT NOW |
Your action today can help ensure that these iconic horses remain free.
Thank you for speaking up at this critical moment.
— American Wild Horse Conservation
ACT NOW: 4,000 Signatures Still Needed
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The federal government has officially reopened, and for America’s wild horses, what we do next couldn’t be more important. Call on your members of Congress to support the Horse Protection Platform as they put together the FY26 spending bill.
Late Wednesday night, federal lawmakers passed a short-term funding bill that keeps the government running through January 30, 2026. The good news: protections against horse slaughter remain in place for the 64,000 wild horses and burros currently in government holding.
The bad news, Meredith, is that this funding bill also fully funds the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) costly and inhumane roundup program at the same level as last year. This means that helicopter roundups could resume at any moment while Congress decides the fate of Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations.
| TAKE ACTION |
AWHC has proven that humane, in-the-wild fertility control is effective, scalable, and far more cost-efficient than funneling more horses into holding facilities every year. And lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree—their support helped secure $11 million for humane management last year. But Congress still needs a strong push to make these solutions a priority now.
January’s funding deadline gives lawmakers a rare chance to finally shift resources toward science-based, humane management. But they won’t act unless they hear from the public. Will you remind them loud and clear? Add your name and tell Congress helicopter roundups must end.
| ACT NOW |
Thank you for standing with us,
— The AWHC Team