Wild horses on US public lands face complex welfare challenges from population management, drought, and political conflict over grazing rights.
Wild horse management in the US is a welfare challenge at every stage. Helicopter roundups are stressful and sometimes injurious, separating family bands that have strong social bonds. Horses transferred to holding facilities may spend years or decades confined, at enormous cost to both welfare and public funds. Immunocontraception programs that manage populations on the range have been proven effective and offer far better welfare outcomes, but have been slow to scale due to political and logistical barriers.