Addressing the Misinformation on Wild Horse Populations and Rangeland Health

No one talks about the cattle!

It’s frustrating to see the wild horse population constantly blamed for rangeland degradation while the far greater impact of livestock grazing and habitat destruction by cattle goes ignored. The claim of an “overpopulation” crisis is not based on independent, science-backed research but rather on biased agency estimates that serve the interests of cattle ranchers and special interest groups.

If wild horses were truly overrunning the land, we wouldn’t see millions of acres of Herd Management Areas (HMAs) zeroed out while livestock grazing continues at unsustainable levels. Nor would we see BLM reports conveniently ignore the fact that cattle outnumber wild horses by more than 30 to 1 on public lands. The degradation of rangelands is largely driven by overgrazing by commercial livestock—not wild horses, whose populations are a fraction of what the land historically supported.

Hunters who claim wild horses are depleting forage fail to mention the millions of dollars spent on habitat manipulation to increase game populations for hunting, including the mass removal of predators like mountain lions and wolves. These actions disrupt natural ecosystems far more than the presence of wild horses ever could.

Until we have an honest conversation about ALL factors impacting rangeland health—livestock overgrazing, extractive industries, and habitat destruction—the blame placed on wild horses remains a deflection from the real issue. Wild horses belong on the land as much as any other wildlife, and their removal only serves to benefit those profiting from their absence.

I encourage people to look at the full picture, question agency narratives, and demand accountability for the real causes of rangeland degradation.