Wild horse management in the American West involves difficult trade-offs between animal welfare, ecosystem health, and political interests. Current approaches raise significant welfare concerns for hundreds of thousands of animals.
The welfare of wild horses is compromised both on the range and in holding facilities. Helicopter roundups cause acute fear and stress, injuries from falls and wire fencing, and permanent disruption of social bonds that form the core of horse social structure. Long-term holding in large corrals lacks the movement, grazing variety, and social complexity of wild life. Overpopulation on degraded range causes its own welfare problems through inadequate forage and water. Scaling up fertility control is the most welfare-compatible approach but requires sustained funding and political will.