by Matthew Holloway | Jul 18, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Wildlife ecologist and wild horse advocate Craig C. Downer will join a rally at the Arizona State Capitol next week as opponents of a planned reduction in the Salt River horse herd call for an independent scientific review before removals begin.
Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses announced that Downer will appear at the “Preserve the Herd, Follow the Science” rally on Wednesday, July 22, at 8 a.m. in front of the state Senate building. The group’s event page lists the rally for July 22 and 23.
Downer has conducted field investigations of the Salt River herd and its habitat, including studies in 2012 and 2015 involving interviews, ecological transects, and a literature review. In a 2019 letter published by High Country News, he argued that wild horses contribute to the ecosystem by transporting nutrients from the river into the surrounding Sonoran Desert.
The advocacy group said Downer is concerned that reducing the herd to approximately 125 horses could leave the population without sufficient genetic diversity to remain healthy and adaptable.
“Such an artificially low population will interfere with maintaining sufficient genetic diversity to adapt to the rigors of survival in the wild,” Downer said.
The state’s current management agreement sets a goal of reducing the herd from approximately 274 horses to 120 over five years. The Arizona Department of Agriculture said when it announced the contract that the gradual reduction was intended to balance limited resources within the horses’ range while maintaining the herd’s genetic integrity.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, which received the state contract, has said approximately 25 horses are scheduled for removal in September. The organization has expressed opposition to the reductions while stating that it will fulfill the terms of the agreement and relocate removed horses to protected sanctuaries.
The Agriculture Department previously said it did not independently mandate the 120-horse target. The department said the management group proposed that figure during the contracting process. State officials said sustainable management requires balancing the size and diversity of the herd with the amount of forage, water, and habitat available along the Salt River.
Downer and Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses are requesting an independent review by wildlife ecologists, equine geneticists, and other specialists before any horses are removed. The group is also asking state officials to release the genetic, forage, habitat, and population data used to support the planned reduction.
Arizona Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Sheldon Jones said the management plan requires adopted horses to be relocated to department-approved sanctuaries and expressly prohibits their sale, donation, trade, or slaughter.
Dr. E. Gus Cothran, an equine population geneticist and professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, released a statement warning that reducing the Salt River wild horse population to 120 could threaten the herd’s long-term survival.
“At the most basic level, 150 to 200 animals is a minimum number,” Cothran said. “This is the number that, if everything goes right and only population genetics is involved, should maintain genetic health for 200 years or so.”
The rally follows an unsuccessful legislative effort to pause removals and require additional genetic testing.
Senate Bill 1199, as amended in the House, would have imposed a three-year moratorium on population-control removals while the Department of Agriculture contracted for an independent genetic assessment. The proposed testing would have examined effective population size, genetic diversity, and inbreeding within the herd.
The House approved the measure with bipartisan support on June 9, but the bill did not receive a final concurrence vote in the Senate before lawmakers adjourned.
Current Arizona law prohibits harassing, shooting, injuring, killing, or slaughtering horses belonging to the Salt River herd. It also bars people from interfering with, taking, chasing, capturing, or euthanizing the horses without written authorization from the Department of Agriculture or the Maricopa County sheriff.
Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses is inviting members of the public, elected officials, and horse advocates to attend the rally at 1700 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.
The organization said in a statement, “Before a single horse is removed, the State of Arizona should be able to demonstrate that its approach to herd reduction is based on peer-reviewed science and will preserve the Salt River wild horse herd for generations to come.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Jul 15, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
New expert analysis warns that the Arizona government’s plan to reduce the Salt River wild horse population to 120 horses could prove devastating to their continued existence.
The herd currently has approximately 274 horses, nearly half of what the herd was at its peak in recent decades.
Dr. E. Gus Cothran, equine population geneticist and professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, issued a statement expressing concern that the plan may prove detrimental to the future existence of the wild horses. Cothran says wild horse populations require 150 to 200 horses minimum for long-term genetic health, though no number can provide an exact guarantee on a herd’s survival.
“At the most basic level, 150 to 200 animals is a minimum number,” said Cothran. “This is the number that, if everything goes right and only population genetics is involved, should maintain genetic health for 200 years or so.”
Cothran said genetic testing of just 20–25% of the herd would allow for insight into the herd’s genetic health: approximately 55 to 70 horses.
Citing that assessment, advocates and community members have raised concerns that the state’s current plan of removal for the horses would have the potential for permanent and devastating impact to the wild horse population.
The Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses have asked Gov. Katie Hobbs to pause the permanent removals pending an independent genetic study and scientific review.
“Once that diversity is lost, it is gone forever!” said Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses in a statement. “Before a single horse is permanently removed, Arizona should demonstrate through independent science that the remaining herd will be genetically healthy and capable of surviving for generations. Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses calls upon Governor Hobbs to halt removals, to do the science, and respect the public process.”
Some contend the Arizona Department of Agriculture’s (AZDA) plan to remove these horses violates the Salt River Wild Horse Protection Act passed in 2016. The act empowers the state to exercise discretionary management of the horse population, with protections against the obstruction, chase, capture, removal, or euthanasia of the horses without government permission.
AZDA awarded the management contract to the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG). The company is operating on a goal to reduce the herd size over the next five years through natural attrition, fertility control, and manual relocation, per a press release issued by AZDA in February.
SRWHMG has already been involved in population reduction efforts. They reduced the population from 450 horses using fertility control methods.
AZDA promised that all removed wild horses were only permitted for the relocation to approved sanctuaries — no horses may be donated, traded, slaughtered, or sold.
According to AZDA, the contract procurement process included input from an assessment panel consisting of veterinarians, a rangeland management scientist, and a federal wild horse manager.
AZDA Director Paul Brierley said the management plan represented the responsible promotion and protection of the “Salt River experience.”
SRWHMG President Simone Netherlands called the plan “a pragmatic compromise.”
Last month, the Arizona legislature failed to pass a proposed three-year moratorium on the herd reduction and mandatory study on the Salt River horses’ genetic diversity. The House passed the bill, SB 1199, but the Senate declined to pass it on concurrence.
Republican Reps. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) and David Schweikert (AZ-01) were among the founding members of the bipartisan Congressional Wild Horse Caucus last year.
These and other members of Congress have been pushing for the passage of the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act, HR 4356, which would eliminate helicopter roundups.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Corrections adjust the name of “The Friends of the Salt River Horses” to “The Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses” and clarify that the Arizona Senate did not pass SB 1199 on concurrence.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 9, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Rep. Cody Reim (R-LD3) is leading a legislative effort to strengthen protections for the Salt River wild horses. The move comes amid controversy over a state management agreement that could reduce the herd by more than half within five years.
Reim announced support for an amended form of Senate Bill 1199, legislation intended to clarify and reinforce provisions of Arizona’s 2016 Salt River Horse Act, which originally protected the horses from removal after widespread public opposition to federal proposals targeting the herd.
According to a statement released by the Arizona House Republicans, Reim said the legislation seeks to ensure the law reflects the original intent of preserving the horses and limiting removals. The bill would halt all removals of the horses for a period of three years. An amendment from Rep. Pamela Carter (R-LD4) added an emergency clause allowing the measure to take immediate effect once signed into law.
“The current management group is being forced to reduce the Salt River herd by as many as 150 horses, starting this year,” Reim said. “These horses are a cherished part of Arizona’s heritage, and Arizonans have made it clear they do not want them rounded up and removed to satisfy arbitrary population targets. This bill protects the herd and keeps these horses where they belong.”
The renewed debate follows a February agreement between the Arizona Department of Agriculture and the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group that calls for reducing the herd from approximately 274 horses to about 120 over a five-year period through fertility control measures and relocations to approved sanctuaries.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, which has overseen the herd since 2018, said the agreement would require relocating roughly 25 horses annually while continuing birth control efforts intended to gradually reduce the population.
Supporters of the horses have opposed the reduction plan, arguing the removals are unnecessary and inconsistent with the intent of the original law. More than 30 advocates gathered at the Arizona Capitol in April to protest the proposal and urge state officials to preserve the herd.
In social media posts this week, Reim and House Republicans promoted the legislative push as an effort to preserve what supporters describe as a culturally significant and popular attraction along the Lower Salt River. Reim thanked fellow legislators for allowing him “to pause horse removals from the herd and protect them as a valuable asset to the state.”
The Arizona Department of Agriculture said in a February statement that the management plan is intended to balance ecological sustainability, available range resources, and long-term herd health. Department officials have also stated the reduction proposal originated from the contractor managing the horses rather than from a direct state mandate.
The Salt River Horse Act was signed into law in 2016 after the U.S. Forest Service considered removing the horses from the Tonto National Forest area. The legislation established state oversight of the herd and authorized humane population management practices.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | May 12, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A new caucus has been formed within the U.S. House of Representatives to champion the conservation and humane treatment of wild horses. The aptly named ‘Congressional Wild Horse Caucus’ announced Thursday, will be co-chaired by Republican Congressmen David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani of Arizona and Democrat Reps. Dina Titus of Nevada and Steve Cohen of Tennessee. The caucus will pursue reforms to conservation laws and regulations.
Schweikert spoke of his formative experiences on Arizona ranches and farms in a statement saying, “Growing up, I had the blessing of spending much time on several ranches and farms in Arizona. These experiences have led me to serve as an advocate for humane treatment and protection of these majestic species. I’m looking forward to the conservation initiatives that will come out of the formation of this caucus.”
Congressman Ciscomani reflected on the wild horses of Arizona as well as the burros that are also found in the state’s deserts. “Wild horses and burros embody the spirit and heritage of the West and deserve to be protected and treated humanely. For too long, these animals have been subject to cruel and costly roundups that, at best, remove them from their natural habitat to be housed in warehouses, and at worse, result in the death of the animal.“
He added, “Caring for wild horses and burros is not a partisan issue, which is why I am proud to be named as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Wild Horse Caucus to promote humane policies, such as fertility control and habitat preservation, to manage and care for these iconic animals.”
The newly formed bipartisan caucus is supported by non-profit organizations including the American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). Senior figures from both organizations expressed the importance of the Caucus’ work.
Suzanne Roy, executive director of AWHC, called the creation of the caucus “an important step toward reforming a broken system.” She added, “For too long, federal wild horse policy has relied on costly and inhumane roundups that remove animals from the range only to warehouse them in holding facilities. We commend the leaders of the Wild Horse Caucus for recognizing that there’s a better way to manage our wild herds that is rooted in humane treatment, science, and fiscal responsibility.”
Dr. Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., AWI’s equine program director and senior policy advisor, said, “Protecting America’s wild horses and burros has always been a bipartisan issue, in large part because these iconic animals hold an important place in our country’s history and because, for countless Americans, they continue to embody the spirit of freedom and resilience.”
She concluded, “We are grateful to Representatives Titus, Ciscomani, Schweikert, and Cohen for their outstanding leadership on this issue. The Congressional Wild Horse Caucus will help ensure these beloved animals will be protected for generations to come.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | May 2, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) plans to remove masses of the Salt River wild horses despite protesters citing protections for this population codified nearly a decade ago.
The Salt River Wild Horse Protection Act, signed into law by former Governor Doug Ducey in 2016, prohibits the harassment, shooting, injuring, killing, or slaughtering of the horses. It also prohibits individuals from interfering with, taking, chasing, capturing, or euthanizing the horses without written authorization from the state or county sheriff for humane purposes. The law does allow for the state to enter into contracts with the United States Forest Service and a private entity to “address any issue” concerning this horse population.
Advocates for the Salt River wild horses say AZDA’s new plans to outright remove them would not be humane and therefore not allowed by the law.
AZDA’s new request for proposal (RFP) for a new management company to mitigate the horse populations requires outright removal of the wild horses instead of the gradual, ongoing efforts to shrink the population. AZDA wants the number reduced to about 100 horses by removing or adopting out three horses for every new horse born. There are less than 300 that live on the river at present.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG) is the current management company looking after the horses. SRWHMG did reapply for the new AZDA RFP despite disagreeing with its removal provisions. SRWHMG president Simone Netherlands announced it has purchased 34 acres in order to establish a retirement sanctuary for the removed horses if awarded the contract.
Ideally, SRWHMG want to continue using its more “humane” approach for reducing the wild horse population. The management company currently uses a form of birth control to shrink the horse population. SRWHMG reported the population declined by about 40 percent in six years: from 460 to 2019 to around 260 presently.
“Even if you adopt a horse out, it sounds very nice but it’s very hard to find good adopters for completely wild horses because they’re very costly, they’re very hard to train, and the horse is truly not going to be happy standing in a 12×12 stall when they have the most beautiful life here on the lower Salt River,” Netherlands told Fox 34.
However, SRWHMG’s method hasn’t proved fast enough for the state. AZDA defended the removal requirement as a means of more immediate resource mitigation in a statement.
“The humane management of the herd, including population reduction to match the available resources of the Salt River where they live, is an ongoing effort,” said AZDA.
Members of the public have expressed fears that these removals would mean poor quality of life or even death for the wild horses. Protesters worry that one competing bidder, Rail Lazy H, would send removed horses to a fate similar to those managed under her in past contracts, such as the Alpine wild horses sent to a slaughter auction in Texas.
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