- Breeding
- Horse Breeding, Part 1: The Estrous Cycle
- Horse Breeding, Part 3: Birth and Care of a Foal
- Should You Go Into Horse Breeding?
- Buying a Horse
- Do you need insurance for horses?
- What to Look For When Buying a Horse
- Rocky Mountain Horses
- General Horse Articles
- The Missing Equine Link: How the Modern Horse Came to Be
- Sleep and Your Horse’s Health
- Ask Chelsie Natural Horsemanship - What Does It Mean To Disengage My Horse?
- Horse Feeding
- You’ve Got the Right Feed, Now What?: Proper Feeding Practices
- 5 Horse Feeding "Don'ts"
- A Look at Horse Feed
- Horse Grooming
- An Overview of Horse Grooming
- eZall Shine & Detangler Transforms Ratty Manes and Tails Into Flowing Tresses
- Mane Saving Ideas
- Horse Health Issues
- Bucking, Shying and other Attention Deficit Disorders
- Let Sleeping Horses Lie: A Look at Horse Sleep Patterns
- Common Horse Illnesses: Choke
- Horse Training
- Training Mythunderstandings: More Early Lessons for the Green Horse
- Help Your Stiff Horse Bend
- Training Brasilia
- Horses & History
- Horsing around the Sierra Madre - 1974 Style.
- Horses in Art: An Abridged History
- Battle-Ready: A History of the War Horse
- Horses & Sports
- Ask Chelsie Natural Horsemanship - What Does It Mean To Disengage My Horse?
- Nearly $7 Million Generated Annually for the District of Columbia
- Halter Horse Show
The Feral Horse and Its Impact
05/26/2008
A feral horse is a free, untamed horse whose ancestors were domesticated. This contrasts feral horses with wild horses, which are descended from other free horses. Feral horses are descended from domesticated horses that escaped or strayed
A feral horse is a free, untamed horse whose ancestors were domesticated. This contrasts feral horses with wild horses, which are descended from other free horses. Feral horses are descended from domesticated horses that escaped or strayed, and learned to survive and reproduce in the wild without human interference. Over time, the behaviors of these horses revert back to behavior resembling that of true wild horses.
Feral horses live and travel in herds, or groups. Led by a dominant mare and a stallion, these herds can range from several to over a dozen. The herd members change as young stallions challenge the older ones for dominance over the herd, or as they grow, young ones are driven out to join other herds.
Animal welfare advocates and others often clash and debate with livestock producers over what to do with feral horse populations. If a feral herd is living in a region where horses are native, then a controlled population can have very little impact on the surrounding territory, especially if they do not have to compete with any domestic livestock in the area. However, if the population numbers increase dramatically, or if they are an introduced species into the area, they can severely affect the native plants and animals in that territory. If near human population, they can damage manmade fencing and other equipment and structures.
In the Western United States, feral populations have competed with domestic livestock on the range, which leads to deteriorating rangeland and debate over whose fault it is. Commercial livestock producers claim the feral population is responsible and should be removed, while animal welfare advocates debate that the domestic livestock populations should be reduced.
In some areas, the feral horse provides value, such as the Chincoteague and Assateague Island feral horses. These horses provide both sentimental value and economic value, as their annual Pony Swim and accompanying carnival attracts tourism from all across the country. By carefully managing these populations, they support the local economy. Population management techniques can include capturing horses for adoption (practiced in Assateague), or the often-debated practice of hunting them.
