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: 

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.