In 2019, more than 100 foals were born. Last year, only 16 were born and this year the ‘advocates’ hope for even better results, according to a story posted yesterday by FOX10 News of Phoenix.
The multi-dimensional program includes darting and feeding.
As usual, the effort focuses on the horses, not on the causes of their removal from their home range.
Contraceptives have short-term and long-term effects. Unlike the Covid vaccines, where some acute effects have been documented while the chronic effects are mostly unknown, the short-term and long-term effects of PZP are known but are usually glossed over or dismissed by the PZP zealots.
With this much human involvement, the Salt River horses are no longer wild, they are a carefully curated exhibit.
Go see them before they’re gone.
RELATED: Success on the Salt River.
UPDATE: Added video.
Western Horse Watchers Association 
LEAVE THE HORSES ALONE!!! 😥🙏🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🙏🐴 LET THEM ALONE. America’s Icons
Let them roam free of human intereaction as much as possible. Don’t keep treating them like a circus act!
LEAVE OUR ARIZONA SALT RIVER WILD HORSES ALONE!
It would be so nice not to have human interaction in nature period. But look around the country where wild horses are being rounded up and sold to kill buyers. Bands being torn apart, injured, and ultimately destroyed. Is that what you want by just saying “ leave our salt river horses alone”.
The Salt River Wild Horses are being humanely cared for by many different programs implemented by the SRWHMG. It’s saving their lives. You say leave them alone, look around the country ladies. They are being rounded up because there are too many of them. Not in my opinion, but the BLM doesn’t care what I think. Therefore be grateful we have the SRWHMG that really cares about the Salt River Wild Horses.
This story is so wrong. These horses live in an area surrounded by large communities. If they are not fed during this horrible drought and they become skinny the FS will remove them. If the population is not reduced in a manor that leaves them genetically viable the FS will remove them. SRWHMG is doing an amazing job humanely managing the wild horses. With all the restrictions created by the FS we are very fortunate to have a group who is able to work with the FS and AZDA so that the horses can remain in the only place they have called home for hundreds of years!
These horses have survived here for many many years before humans interfered and started feeding or anything else and did just fine without humans as all animals do.
It should be understood that we are in a terrible draught and there is no forage for this herd. In the summer the river is full of eel grass but even that does not provide enough nutrients. Without the supplemental feed these horses would be starving. And without PZP the herd would be gone. The SRWHMG does an excellent job of humanely managing the horses. I applaud them.
These horses have survived here for many many years before humans interfered and started feeding or anything else and did just fine without humans as all animals do.
Except we didn’t build all around them making it impossible for them to migrate and forage for food. Now that we have built up around them it’s our responsibility to help the heard. Think about it.
Leave the Salt River Wild Horses alone and watch them disappear! In my opinion there are many different factors of why these horses are still roaming free. The Forest Service has mandated fencing and closed herd requirements, despite rigorous protests on the exact location of the fencing. The fact is they no longer have as much range available to them and that is not going to change, with exception of the area south of Bush Highway. This large section of land is available if funds can be arranged to build an overpass. Critics of the situation keep pointing to letting horses back in the Saguaro Lake area, the Forest Service has stated that they will not be allowed in this area and the stakeholder does not want them there, he was very vocal about this when those bands were moved back to river area where the older horses were born. With these limiting factors the only way to keep the current horses at the river is to supplemental feed them as necessary and reduce the herd size. If they are left alone the numbers will dramatically multiply and removal will be the only option. All over the country herd’s are being decimated with families ripped apart, it seems every roundup results in multiple deaths of horses that were doing just fine in the wild. In addition as a taxpayer I do not like that we are paying huge amounts to board them. Why not manage them with hay as needed and let them stay in their family groups and roam to the range. This option does not cost the taxpayer a dime.
Simple Math… they will increase by 100 + year over year if nothing is done. PZP is working and will hopefully keep them on their birth land. The alternative is removal. PZP is necessary to stop the increase in population and supplemental feed is necessary to get them through the drought until we get enough rain and the river grass grows. Since their home is on the river and the surrounding land, they will ALWAYS have people, hikers, tubers, kayakers, photographers around them. I can only hope that people learn to respect the wild horses in AZ.
Leave the Salt River Wild horses alone. They have been there for many years and have survived many elements this ugly earth has thrown at them. The drought is one element they haven’t been able to handle on their own. The supplemental feeding is needed until some rain falls and the forest grows. The PZP is needed as the FS has cut down their acreage. They have been used to many people as that area is a massive recreation area and they have learned to cohabitate. Point blank leave the Salt River Wild Horses Alone!
If we could please take a step back. Like anything else, 100 years ago we didn’t have Bush Hwy. We didn’t have humans trashing the desert. We didn’t have cars polluting our desert. The wild horses had a beautiful home. But, like anything else years pass and humans take over the land and take a piece of their home little by little. How can they survive? I know we all have an opinion and I respect it. Truly do. But, for those that don’t think that SRWHMG is doing a fantastic job at keeping them safe, healthy and free I am sorry you feel that way. All the volunteers are dedicated and I’ve seen them in action. I love the horses and I love to photograph. Which would we prefer. Skinny sick horses or how they look now. Wish the land was what It was 100 years ago but it’s not. They are beautiful and bring so much joy to many. I hope we can agree on that. I would be lost without the horses and the beautiful AZ desert.
The comments stating simply to leave the salt river horses alone are clearly made because people do not recognize that we have already chosen to not leave them alone by building in their area and recreating in there area and placing roads and fencing in their area. They were here long before us humans but we get to take what we want from them. Because we get that choice we must also help them survive in the changing land and times. The supplemental fees program does just that, helps them get through drought times. The PZP program helps ensure that there are not so many horses that a round up happens. So, if you want them left alone, prepare to see them rounded up and sitting in pens alone without their bonded families. How depressing is that? Instead let’s do what we can to keep them in the home they have left. Thank you for all concerned!
Personally I would love it if these horses could roam wild and free on hundreds of thousands of acres of land. Unfortunately the Salt River herd is surrounded on all sides by humanity and have to exist on 19,000 acres of land. These horses are definitely wild but they are getting used to human interaction because of the huge draw of the public to see these majestic animals. If it weren’t for the Supplemental Feed and PZP Birth Control Programs this herd would most likely be gone. Is that what everyone wants? I see a great deal of criticism regarding the Salt River Management Group but it would seem to me they are simply going about the business of actively caring for these horses under a great deal of public scrutiny. If we want to continue to enjoy these beautiful creatures for generations to come I would love to see people supporting rather than tearing down an organization full of selfless volunteers with one goal in mind. Keep the Salt River Horse Wild and free. No horse shall be removed.
The commentary doesn’t include many things and is not even close to clear and concise. But that wouldn’t make it interesting reading. The birth control darting program and the temporary emergency feeding program of the SR Wild Horses by the group that manages them SRWMG is vital toward the horses overall survival. Without the AZDA approved supplement feeding program we’d have emaciated skeletal shapes and probable wild horse copses for the public to see and enjoy instead of whats there today. This all reminds me of what us known as “Catch 22”. No matter what move you make or decision make you’ll lose. The public’s outcry of rotting horses along the river and why weren’t being managed properly would be the headlines everywhere. Then if you designed and implemented a survival stragegy….like SRWHMG did you’ve interfered and made the horses tame and listless lap cats. Pick your poison. As far ranchers go, we all know their objectives, goals and why. $$$. Nothing to do with keeping the wilderness pretty or preserving anything wild and free. There are no easy answers to saving anything in today’s world of massive greed and groups of distorted aggressive and opposing views. The only circus in town is all of us. The horses just stand and watch, content, healthy, wild and free. The way it should be. Let it be. Thank you SRWHMG and AZDA.
If I had enough money I would buy enough for all the 200 herds they always need to be free it is who we are beneath all the bull. The BLM dishes out I so regret not taking the position to caretaker them . We need to bond together nationally so that we can remove the bad and put in people who really care 7073374448 I want to help I’m almost 70 which means I have heard and it I’ll help you let me know I’m very brave they are our legacy if we protect them from money hungry uneducated murderous BLM they are blaming if all on the harmless burros and horses it just shows lama lack of intelligence and willingness to do the correct thing helicopters chasing horses I swear I really would like to face those people the pilots who fly them the whole thing . Anytime any place I’ll get there I really don’t want the 16 babies or Thur moms or their stallions dads to be brutalized, remember the stallions are always euthanasied because they fight so hard to protect their families imagine them all jammed into those death trailers come on people stand up for them this year we can make a difference please
If I had enough money I would buy enough for all the 200 herds they always need to be free it is who we are beneath all the bull. The BLM dishes out I so regret not taking the position to caretaker them . We need to bond together nationally so that we can remove the bad and put in people who really care 7073374448 I want to help I’m almost 70 which means I have heard and it I’ll help you let me know I’m very brave they are our legacy if we protect them from money hungry uneducated murderous BLM they are blaming if all on the harmless burros and horses it just shows lama lack of intelligence and willingness to do the correct thing helicopters chasing horses I swear I really would like to face those people the pilots who fly them the whole thing . Anytime any place I’ll get there I really don’t want the 16 babies or Thur moms or their stallions dads to be brutalized, remember the stallions are always euthanasied because they fight so hard to protect their families imagine them all jammed into those death trailers come on people stand up for them this year we can make a difference please no I haven’t spoke before
I would never want to see a round up of the Salt River Herd.
SRWHMG is doing a great job with decreasing the population as the Forest Service wants.
Hundred yrs ago there was no Bush Hwy with cars speeding through at 60-70mph. They could go anywhere they wanted w/o being harmed. Without the supplement feed durning this drought and food loss from the fire there would be dead horses. Would you like to look at and smell that on your hike?
Without management the horses will be gone forever. We have to have compromise or we will never see them again.
It is the end of March it is not going to be easy with all the with COVID But we have to stop the BLM roundups once and for all. We have a Native American in charge send her your wisdom, guidance and total support. It is possible I will be able to actually help this year. I pray to Gods the great stallions, their mares and is it16 babies? Ok we need to get serious and get organized. Leaders tell me what to do please