Hobby

Wild horses are beautiful creatures, and many ranchers often attempt to catch one and break it as a workhorse. What is the real difference in wild horses from those raised on ranches and farms, besides the fact that wild horses are not tame?

In North America, the most common wild horse is the mustang. This horse has a small, muscular body and is mostly bred as a descendant of horses imported to the Americas by the Spanish conquistadors. Up until this occurred in the late 15th century, horses were completely extinct from the Americas since the end of the previous ice age.

The mustang is popular as a school mascot because of its hardiness and free spirit, as well as its grace and speed. These traits have made the wild horse a natural attraction that people find exciting to get a glimpse of.

While it is illegal for the average person, rancher, farmer, or hunter to either shoot or imprison a wild mustang, and severe penalties are inflicted on those who break this law, it is unsure as to how well enforced these regulations are in rural and remote areas. At the same time, the Bureau of Land Management has been charged with the responsibility of controlling the wild horse population.

This is accomplished through a capture program, where captured mustangs are offered in an adoption program for a small fee that covers the cost of paperwork and some other expenses. Of course, it is still illegal to sell an adopted mustang for any reason, as these wild animals are still protected under an act of Congress. This is used to prevent the use of mustangs as horse meat. While this is a partial solution to the control of the mustang population, there are still far fewer adopters than captured horses.