Fish Springs Wild Horses

The life of a wild horse is all about family. Stallions are the protectors while mares make most of the decisions. Stallions play an important role in raising foals in their bands, as do the mares. 

Young stallions get kicked out normally around the time they are two years of age. They are accepted to live in bachelor bands while they mature and gain confidence, skills and muscle needed to become a band stallion.

Wild horses need to be protected in order to keep their freedom. We have encroached on their natural habitat, and now it is essential to discourage them from coming near homes and streets. Please don't provide feed or water to lure them close to people.

The only thing that differentiates wild horses from their domestic cousins is NATURAL WILD BEHAVIORS. As in all mammals, hormones affect behaviors. Castration, spaying and drugs that impact hormone production would destroy the natural wild behaviors we so cherish. For this reason, we oppose any management of wild horses that involves spaying, gelding or drugs that change natural hormones. We support using humane PZP fertility control which has been proven to be safe and effective for over 35 years in managing populations. PZP does not alter hormone production and safely prevents conception.

Keep Wild Horses Wild. 

When observing wild horses on the range, please observe the following practices that are designed to protect these precious horses: 

1. Please don't get close to wild horses. Stay at least 100 feet away from wild horses to prevent habituating horses to humans. Other users of our public lands may complain if wild horses approach them which could get the horses rounded up and removed.

2. Please do not feed wild horses. The age-old saying "Fed Wildlife is Dead Wildlife" is true. Feeding wild horses can turn these magnificent horses into beggars and in turn they could be perceived by some as a nuance.  

3.  Enjoy. These magnificent, beautiful wild horses will only be saved if people like you speak up for them!

NOTE: If you live near wild horses, please do not offer feed or water on your property as that will entice horses to come into neighborhoods/roadways which will get the horses rounded up and removed.

Give them room... use your zoom.  We don't want our wild horses to get too desensitized to humans or anyone to get hurt out there. Wild horses are reactive and you don't want to get caught in the middle when one horses chases off another one. Stay back at least 100 feet when they are calm—and farther if they are playing or sparring.