Feral horses

[14idaho]

I've owned 2 feral horses. Here's what I can tell you. It's a misconception that they are smaller than domestic horses. One was over 16 hands and the other was 15.6. They. both were great mountain horses but had some interesting quirks. When they came to a small stream they would always jump it. If they came across a bear on the trail they would chase it. Very good tempermant, and reliable. Easy to train, all around good stock. I still have their registration papers, both were branded from the BLM. My farrier was a native american and invited me to dinner one time and he had cooked a colt that had broke it's neck. Didn't do much for me, very tough and not very tasty. Not sure if he knew how to cook it .

 

[ozyclint]

A couple years ago, the forest service was going to remove the feral horses from the Salt river area near Phoenix. All hell broke loose on social media and the forest service caved and canceled their plans. The horses down there are like Hollywood stars now, complete with cute innocent names.

If you want to see emotion over science, here’s the news report from when this went down. Pure emotional BS, complete with tears.

Let me guess, there's a Cecil the stallion?

 

[Moserkr]

Invasive species, should be able to eliminate on sight. Cool seeing them though, like any wildlife. Bet they dont taste bad, and Id give it a shot if cooked right.

 

[Bubblehide]

40 years ago north eastern Ca you could see the damage they did to the environment back then. With their current population levels, they have already destroyed some environments.

 

[AZ8]

Let me guess, there's a Cecil the stallion?

 

[WRO]

I had an Alberta outfitter that wanted me to shoot a feral cow once. I ran into it but couldn't pull the trigger. I didn't want to screw up my hunt, the cow never did anything to me and I couldn't see how a cow could possibly be a danger to anything important. It would have been really good eating though.

I shot one a few years ago at the request of the rancher, great eating..

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[Gobbler36]

A couple years ago, the forest service was going to remove the feral horses from the Salt river area near Phoenix. All hell broke loose on social media and the forest service caved and canceled their plans. The horses down there are like Hollywood stars now, complete with cute innocent names.

If you want to see emotion over science, here’s the news report from when this went down. Pure emotional BS, complete with tears.

Hahah o man, those two ladies in that news clip are pathetic.

it’s hard to fathom there are people like that walking around

 

[FatCampzWife]

You can’t buy them and then kill them. They have rules against sending them to slaughter. That’s why we have all the holding facilities.
They would make great dog food, and feed for zoo animals, as well as human food.
Horse is actually very good. Though I’d expect a ferrel one to be less so than domestic. But I’d imagine most folks eating fast food wouldn’t notice the difference in a burger patty.
Funny, all the talk of world hunger and food banks short on quality protein, yet we have all this meat wandering around destroying habitat that we pay to keep alive.

Young ones are good to eat (big yearlings, 2 & 3 yr olds)...8 yr olds, not so much. Blend then with a little beef tallow & they're very delicious.
Don't even get me started on how the glut of ferals came to be...We trained, rode, & raised horses for a few decades. Many of our friends were responsible horse people. Tree huggers came in, banned slaughter houses, & the market went in the toilet. People bought horses cuz they were cheap, then figured out they couldn't afford them. Starteddumping them in parks, 'cuz so much space,' & the 'wild' populations blew up.
I've loved & had horses for 40 years. But there is absolutely a place for slaughter houses. Another example of uninformed do-gooders making a total mess of things. Their law has brought an immense amount of suffering to the species they were trying to protect.

 

[MThuntr]

Free-roaming horses disrupt greater sage-grouse lekking activity in the Great Basin

I'm not sure who can access this paper. It's a new one stating in their observations feral horses were more disruptive to lekking activities than cattle. In one observation, a stallion actually flushed birds off the lek. Yes it's a stretch but I'm no fan of feral horses (lots of horses are dumped in wild horse areas and gain instant protection)

 

[dieselchessy]

Young ones are good to eat (big yearlings, 2 & 3 yr olds)...8 yr olds, not so much. Blend then with a little beef tallow & they're very delicious.
Don't even get me started on how the glut of ferals came to be...We trained, rode, & raised horses for a few decades. Many of our friends were responsible horse people. Tree huggers came in, banned slaughter houses, & the market went in the toilet. People bought horses cuz they were cheap, then figured out they couldn't afford them. Starteddumping them in parks, 'cuz so much space,' & the 'wild' populations blew up.
I've loved & had horses for 40 years. But there is absolutely a place for slaughter houses. Another example of uninformed do-gooders making a total mess of things. Their law has brought an immense amount of suffering to the species they were trying to protect.

Had and been around them most my life. Love isn’t a word Id use in context with horses.
They must be treated like employees. When they stop working they get fired. They are to big, expensive, and monetarily risky to have as pets. I know lots of folks who are horse poor due to feelings of attachment over riding common sense.

 

[ozyclint]

that blonde lady is right. it is something we will regret in 20 years time and the forest service is making a mistake. By caving in and not getting rid of them!

 

[AZ8]

Too much emotion here in Arizona. Between the horses and the “wild” burros, the habitat for native species is being devastated. But, who cares, right. As long as the “wild, iconic animals of the West” is preserved...they‘re happy.

Heck, the Salt River horses even have a calendar! Get em while they last!

2025 SRWHMG Calendar - Salt River Wild Horse Management Group

Order your 2025 Salt River Wild Horse Management Group Calendar! Support the horses with a 2025 SRWHMG Calendar.

saltriverwildhorsemanagementgroup.org

 

[CoHiCntry]

Hunt a horse? Not sure I could do it? Not against it & understand needing them off the land in certain situations but think I’ll let you guys do the shooting . And I’m sure as heck not eating them, lol!

 

[hutty]

When Congress prevented horses from being shipped to slaughterhouses. Once that happened, it was literally off to the races as far as their numbers increasing. Every administration both Rep and Dem has punted the issue and just throws money at it. Currently 50 million a year.

I shot Zebra in Africa and wouldn't have a problem if horse was on tag.

 

[Fatcamp]

There is a poular elk hunting area up in BC here that has wild horses. They are friggin mean!! When they see you they charge you! I had never thought of a horse a scary until I ran into these wild bastards. I would take cover behind trees ready to shoot if required!

Horses are very scary. I wouldn't hesitate to dump one.

 

[dboone3]

Wow, I wasn’t aware of feral horses until this thread... makes me wonder what other domesticated animals are out in the wild somewhere... cows, chickens, etc.?

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Wow, I wasn’t aware of feral horses until this thread... makes me wonder what other domesticated animals are out in the wild somewhere... cows, chickens, etc.?

I mean no offense here but where do you live that you weren’t aware of the scourge that is feral horses in the west


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[dboone3]

I mean no offense here but where do you live that you weren’t aware of the scourge that is feral horses in the west


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I’m outside Seattle. Have only lived here about a year.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I don't doubt they destroy everything left unchecked. But I would like to know what effect they had on the ranges back a couple hundred years ago while they were left to themselves. Maybe they just moved frequently enough they didn't damage any one spot that much?

Range has decreased greatly.
Before all the city's and suburbs and farms were built in the bottom of every valley.
Thats where all animals truly want to winter.
Now they winter on what was transition.

Ohh and fire wasn't suppressed. So there was much more feed in the big timber instead of just brush. So that spread them out even more.

And invasive species being spread daily by thousands of inbound people and how fast and easy we can move across landscape. Very natural Prarie grass.

Horses pull the vegetation vs bite it off. So everything they touch takes much longer to come back.

 

[Icountsheep91]

I'd make a trip out west every year for a Feral horse season.