History of Mustangs

Wild horses and burros—defined by federal law as unbranded, unclaimed, free-roaming horses or burros found on public lands in the United States—mark a special place in the story of the American West. But where did this diverse group originate? Today’s mustangs hold rich heritage as descendants of horses who first came to the Americas with Spanish explorers and missionaries in the 1500s. As people began settling the West, more livestock joined the growing population, too, reaching a total of around two million wild horses and burros by the late 1800s.

However, the spread of civilization also created competition for the land that provides shelter, food, and water for wild horses and increased the need for domesticated horses and burros. The emergence of domestic and international markets for horse meat further impacted demand for mustangs, and by the mid-1900s, the number of wild horses and burros roaming the West had dramatically decreased.

In the 1950s, an unlikely champion emerged. Velma B. Johnston, who later became known as “Wild Horse Annie,” launched a campaign aiming to establish legislation to protect wild horses and burros across America. Johnston’s
“Pencil War” invited others, including many school-aged children, to join her in writing letters to Congress asking for change on behalf of the shrinking mustang population.

A bill (Public Law 86-234) prohibiting the use of motorized vehicles to hunt wild horses and burros on public land passed in 1959, but Johnston wanted more. She and her fellow campaigners continued petitioning for the formation of a program to protect, manage, and control wild horses and burros, and Congress responded by passing the “Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act” (Public Law 92-195) in 1971. On December 15, U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the bill into law, charging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the task of preserving and protecting placing wild horses and burros.

Today, the BLM continues to manage the wild mustang and burro population across 26.9 million acres of public land. In addition to that responsibility, the BLM also attempts to maintain healthy ecological balance by decreasing damage to native vegetation and discouraging growth of invasive weeds that reduce natural food and water supply. This requires careful monitoring of herd size to ensure the wild horse and burro population doesn’t exceed habitat capacity. To maintain this balance, the BLM orchestrates movement of animals and preparation of those mustangs and burros for adoption to qualified homes.