Author's NotesTo those hoping for a solution to the plight of the Salt River Horses, as well as their brethren around the country, please accept my apology. There remain few options for these beautiful creatures. And, as our urban areas continue to encroach on their world and our grasslands shrink, the situation is bound the get worse.
In 1971, the federal government enacted the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The law states in part, “any person who maliciously causes the death or harassment of any wild free-roaming horses or burros shall be subject to a fine of not more than $2,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.” The law protects these creatures from capture, branding, harassment, or death.
Wild horses roam on almost 27 million acres administered by th
