What happens when the people shaping public lands policy are closely tied to the very industries competing with wild horses for those lands? In this episode, I look at the growing influence of grazing and extractive interests on public land policy, and why these changes could have serious consequences for America's wild horses.            I explain how proposed grazing changes could reduce public oversight, weaken protections for land health, and prioritize livestock grazing above wildlife conservation. I also discuss the expanding sale authority program for wild horses, the increase in online sales and transport to states with nearby slaughter auctions, and why many advocates are deeply concerned about where these policies are heading.        You'll hear why these developments matter right now, how Project 2025 connects to current policy changes, and what actions you can take to speak up for wild horses. I also outline why contacting senators and representatives is so important as Congress considers the fiscal year 2027 budget and ongoing public lands policies.        Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/68         If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

Have you heard about the new herd management plan for the Red Desert Complex? If not, now is the time to pay attention. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released a plan that will impact the wild horses in this area, and the comment period is open. In this episode, I explain why submitting your comments is crucial and how they can influence the future of these horses.     The BLM is planning how to manage the wild horses across 753,000 acres of the Red Desert Complex. This is your chance to speak up. I outline the main concerns with the current management plan, including water availability, drought conditions, sterilization, genetic diversity, and the continued reliance on non-scientific approaches in managing the horses.      I also explain how these factors could affect the horses' ability to thrive in the Red Desert Complex. You'll learn what specific issues you should address when submitting your comments and why it's so important to ensure that the BLM considers long-term sustainability for these wild horses.     Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/67       Submit your comments here by May 4, 2026: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=6c9a6ab7-c027-f111-8341-001dd804183b&       If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

What is it like to visit the wild horses of Salt Wells Creek during a winter with almost no snow? In this episode, I share what I saw during my recent trip to this Wyoming range, where unusually dry conditions made travel easier but also raised concerns about the lack of moisture across the region. You'll hear about several of the families and bachelor stallions I observed during my time in the range, including familiar horses I have followed for years and new foals born outside the official foaling window defined by the Bureau of Land Management.     This visit also highlights how wild horses organize themselves during winter, when survival takes priority and conflicts between stallions are often subdued. I reflect on the families I observed, the young horses growing within those bands, and why understanding the realities of wild horse life on the range matters when decisions are made about how they are managed.     Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/66      If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

What could this year mean for wild horses? As we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, a symbol of movement, passion, and freedom, I reflect on what lies ahead for the horses who embody those qualities more than any other. Wild horses represent vitality and resilience, yet their future remains uncertain as policies and priorities continue to shift.     More than 64,000 wild horses are currently confined in holding facilities, and over 22 million acres have been removed from herd management areas. Oversight remains limited, roundups continue to loom, and transparency has steadily declined, leaving the public with fewer tools to ensure these horses are protected. In this episode, I share what I believe must change, from ending roundups and restoring habitat to creating independent oversight and returning horses to public lands.         Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/65      If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

What happens to wild horses once they are removed from public lands and placed in holding facilities? In this episode, I examine a new Bureau of Land Management policy that expands the use of sales as a way to reduce the number of wild horses in government care, raising serious concerns about oversight and protection.   I'm joined by longtime wild horse advocate and Freedom of Information Act expert Debbie Coffey to explain what this policy change allows and why it matters. We discuss how increased reliance on sales, especially group sales, creates risks when transparency is limited and public access to information continues to decline. We also outline why advocates view this shift as a direct threat to wild horses belonging to the American public and what listeners can do in response.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/64   If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

Have you ever wondered what makes a wild curly horse so distinctive? In this episode, I revisit my first experiences with the curly horses of Salt Wells Creek and share how discovering this rare lineage changed the way I understood the diversity within America's wild horse herds. These horses carry traits that set them apart from others on the range, and encountering them for the first time revealed just how unique this population truly is.   As I revisit this story, I also share why these horses are now at risk. Salt Wells Creek is one of the herds slated for full removal under the new land use plan, and curlies were notably absent from public adoptions after the most recent roundup. I hope this episode encourages you to learn more about what is happening to these unique horses and to take action to help protect the wild curly herds that remain.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/63   If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

Have you wondered what is happening with America's wild horses as 2025 comes to a close? In this episode, I share a clear look at where things stand today. After more than twenty years of observing these herds, the gap between what the law intended and how wild horses are managed has never felt more evident.   I also break down the political forces shaping the future of these herds, including how appropriate management levels are set, what the most recent government funding does and does not protect, and why Project 2025 continues to cast uncertainty over the years ahead. In this moment of reflection, I return to why these horses matter and share an excerpt from my first book, Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses. This episode offers both an honest look at the challenges ahead and a reminder of what we are fighting to protect.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/62   If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

What can you do to help stop our horses in this country from going to slaughter? Horses from every discipline, age, and background are being shipped for slaughter every year. In 2024 alone, 20,000 horses were killed. Many people do not realize how easily a Thoroughbred, a child's lesson pony, a show horse, or even a mustang can be sold at auction and bought by kill buyers.   In this episode, I talk with filmmaker and advocate Ashley Avis, creator of Black Beauty and Wild Beauty, about her newest project: The Lost Horses, a national campaign designed to help finally pass the SAFE Act. Ashley shares how her work documenting wild horse roundups led her into the undercover world of Texas auctions, where she witnessed the brutality of the slaughter pipeline firsthand. Her team is now using cinematic storytelling, celebrity-voiced PSAs, and coordinated outreach to bring widespread attention to this issue.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/61

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to connect with wild horses? In this episode, I take you with me on my September journey through Salt Wells Creek and the Red Desert Complex in Wyoming. With the roundup postponed for another season, I was able to spend time among wild horse families who remain free, witnessing their strength, their relationships, and the quiet power that defines life in the high desert.   Throughout this trip, I spent mornings watching families gather near water, stallions keeping watch over their bands, and bachelor groups moving together across the landscape. Their movements, their social bonds, and their ability to endure challenges are powerful reminders of what's at stake in keeping these herds wild.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/60

What happens to wild horses after a roundup, and how has it changed over the years? In this episode, I revisit the topic of wild horse holding facilities to examine how horses are cared for after being removed from public lands. From my earliest observations to the present, the situation has worsened, and the challenges facing these horses are more urgent than ever.   I share what I've learned about holding facilities across Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, highlighting high-level issues such as overcrowding, disease outbreaks, and the risks to mares and foals. This episode also explores solutions. I outline steps to stop helicopter roundups, increase accountability, and return wild horses to public lands where they belong.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/59