The Wild Horse Project (WHP), a project of Rock the Earth, continues to raise funds to complete and distribute its inaugural documentary, Galloping Ghosts. This summer’s efforts have been largely focused on raising awareness and participation in the preservation of wild horses. Galloping Ghosts explores the history of horses from their earliest use in human civilization all the way to their contributions to society today. The documentary accents the challenges not only of relocating wild horses, but also of the “horse whisperers” who socialize, train, and oversee adoption of wild mustangs. These amazing trainers who specialize in working with wild horses are a small and select few. Relocating and training wild horses (also known as gentling) requires a great deal of land and significant funding. The cost for feed alone per horse can run as high as $10,000 a year not to mention veterinary care. So, with obvious interest, WHP closely follows all things wild-horse related, particularly shifts in herd management areas (HMAs) as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) tries to balance competing interests such as herd needs, private, and commercial ranching interests.

 

Just this week the Army announced plans to rehome750 horses currently roaming land on the Fort Polk Army base in Louisiana, which was officially designated the retirement home for post WWI and WWII cavalry horses. The existing herd is a mixture of descendants of these battle horses, who have a rich history and likely include some of the most superior military equine bloodlines. Although we think of “wild herds” more commonly as found on BLM lands in the west, the Fort Polk wild horses are unique in that the war horse descendants have passed along their superior ancestry and have additionally benefitted from continuing to evolve in a warm climate. The results are a herd of horses that have not had any human training, yet exhibit superior instincts and intelligence, observable to anyone who has spent time around them.

 

WHP awaits word from the BLM about a pilot program to secure resources and the highly specialized trainers who would be needed to work with this special herd of 750 horses. We maintain that it is not only possible, but given the role that horses have played in human history, and for generations in American history, WHP believes that this program is extremely noteworthy and hope it will stir more organizations and individuals to active participation. To learn more about The Wild Horse or to get involved, contact us:

mustangs@wildhorseproject.com.