August 4th

Today is August 4th, a real milestone and the anniversary of our rally to save the Salt River wild horses!

They were deemed stray livestock by the Forest Service, because they had not been assigned a protected territory back in 1971, when that was mandated by the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act which was unanimously passed in Congress at that time. We had collected 50 eyewitnesses and historic articles including pictures, that proved they had been there for centuries.

The public stood up big for them and so did our legislators and elected officials. People cherish them, and they are an important tourism resource for Arizona. Today these horses are much better off than if they had been protected by the 1971 Act. They are now protected by AZ State Law, ARS 3-1491, which we helped pass.

Not one Salt River wild horse has ever been removed except for the needed rescues. The population is now at a negative growthrate each year, which proves to the Forest Service that there are better ways than spending taxpayer dollars on cruel removals. Our vision of humane management is working.

We have made some compromises with the Forest Service in regards to the habitat where they are allowed to live, but the horses might get a good chunk of grazing habitat back, when we get an overpass over Bush hwy, which we are still working on.
Today instead of fight with the authorities, we have great working relationships with them, which is to the credit of our Forest Supervisor Neil Bosworth, who decided to do right by the public of Arizona

Under contract with the Arizona Department of Agriculture, we take care of everything related to the management of wild horses, so that they are nobodies “headache” but ours.

Our programs run 100% on public donations and include:

• scientific documentation program
• road patrol program
• fencing program
• rescue program
• humane birth control program
• emergency feed program
• habitat improvement program

We are proud to manage these horses for the public of Arizona to enjoy them, without fear that they will be harmed. We are eternally grateful to: the Tonto National Forest (TNF), the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA), Governor Doug Ducey, Maricopa County of Transportation (MCDOT) and YOU the public without whom none of it would have been possible.

Today, we are happy, but we are also sad that there is yet another herd in Arizona in the exact same boat. It is the Alpine herd in the Apache Forest and are fighting for them the same way we fought for the Salt River wild horses.

Will you stick with us? Will you continue to give us your support until the concept of humane management is the norm for all wild horses everywhere? We are grateful for every one of our supporters even if it’s just a like or a share.

“History is only ever made, by people who care about the future”. SRWHMG.