The BLM has been derelict in its duty for some time to help manage the struggling wild horse population throughout the west. This is especially true in Nevada but also impacts the wild horse populations in western Utah. The House passed a bill to further protect wild horses by a vote of 239-185, however Utah’s entire house delegation voted against the bill citing reasons such as the need to focus on the economy and Rep. Matheson claimed there is insufficient food and range for wild horses. Approximately 36,000 Wild Horses comprise its western range and the BLM claims this is approximately 9,000 more than the ecology can support.

The bill aims to reduce the amount of time that horses wait in holding and adoption pens and would ease the government’s ability to make arrangements for wild horses on private lands. Tragically, many wild horses are slaughtered abroad and there is no discussion of reducing welfare livestock ranching on public lands even though the number of livestock on public lands far exceeds wild horses in the west. Given a choice it would seem that Americans would be in favor of reducing the number of livestock on public lands instead of giving up on wild horses in the west.