Running Free - A Wild Horse Tale

Wild Horse Tutorial - Module Summaries

Module Summaries

Module 1 - Origins of the American Wild Horse (a.k.a. Mustang)

The horse we know today evolved from a small dog like animal called Eohippus, some 50 million years ago. The wild mustangs of North America descended from the Spanish Conquistador's horses, which they brought to explore the New World. The Spanish word mestenos means "strayed or escaped" in English.

Module 2 - Herd Structure

Wild horses live in small herds called family bands. The band contains a band stallion and his harem, or group of mares, and their offspring. The band stallion is the protector of the band, and mates with the mares. The lead mare is the day-to-day boss, and leads the band to grazing areas and water holes. The band stallion kicks out his sons and daughters once they have reached sexual maturity. His daughters are quickly taken up by other band stallions, and his sons join groups of other young stallions called bachelor bands. Stallions fight each other for winning mares.

Module 3 - Herd Behavior and Communication

Herd behavior and communication is achieved through vocal, physical, and smell communication. Whinnies, snorts, and nickers make up vocal communication. Ear position indicating mood and grooming make up physical communication. Smell is used to bond a mare and her foal, and create a corporate smell for a family band.

Module 4 - Herd Habitat (where they live)

In the past, wild horses were found all across the United States. Today they are mostly found in the western states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. Wild horses are also found on small islands off of the eastern coast.

Module 5 - Herd Diet

Horses are grazers typically, and eat grass; however, they have also been known to be browsers and eat leaves, berries, and roots.

Module 6 - Herd Security/Survival

The band stallion is the protector of the band. He warns the band of danger and drives them from behind. Wild horses have keen senses, and are very adaptable to their surroundings. They survive hot summers and cold harsh winters. In the fall, they develop thick winter coats to protect them from the elements. In the spring, they shed their winter coats. In a storm they seek out what shelter they can find, band close together, and turn their rumps towards the storm, and drop their heads.

Module 7 - How the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Manages Mustang Populations

Mustangers and ranchers would roundup wild horses, shoot at them, and haul them off to slaughter houses. Wild Horse Annie was a crusader out to save the wild horse from mass destruction. In 1959, the Wild Horse Annie law was passed, and protected wild horses from being rounded up by planes. Still, illegal roundups occurred, but were difficult to prove. In 1971, with the help of many children across the United States, President Nixon passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. This made it a federal offense to roundup wild free-roaming horses and burros. The BLM was charged with managing the wild horse populations. In an effort to manage the population, they developed the Adopt a Wild Horse Program. Instantly it was a success, and over time it improved and expanded to include prison wild horse training programs. The training programs trained wild horses to accept the halter and saddle to increase the adoptability of the horses. After years of policy and regulation changes, despite the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, the wild horses remain unprotected. We the American people can save them by contacting our Congress person and telling them how much we value free roaming wild horses as they symbolize our American spirit and living history.