Have you heard about the new herd management plan for the Red Desert Complex? If not, now is the time to pay attention. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released a plan that will impact the wild horses in this area, and the comment period is open. In this episode, I explain why submitting your comments is crucial and how they can influence the future of these horses.

The BLM is planning how to manage the wild horses across 753,000 acres of the Red Desert Complex. This is your chance to speak up. I outline the main concerns with the current management plan, including water availability, drought conditions, sterilization, genetic diversity, and the continued reliance on non-scientific approaches in managing the horses.

I also explain how these factors could affect the horses' ability to thrive in the Red Desert Complex. You'll learn what specific issues you should address when submitting your comments and why it's so important to ensure that the BLM considers long-term sustainability for these wild horses.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/67

Submit your comments here by May 4, 2026: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=6c9a6ab7-c027-f111-8341-001dd804183b&

If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

What is it like to visit the wild horses of Salt Wells Creek during a winter with almost no snow? In this episode, I share what I saw during my recent trip to this Wyoming range, where unusually dry conditions made travel easier but also raised concerns about the lack of moisture across the region. You'll hear about several of the families and bachelor stallions I observed during my time in the range, including familiar horses I have followed for years and new foals born outside the official foaling window defined by the Bureau of Land Management.

This visit also highlights how wild horses organize themselves during winter, when survival takes priority and conflicts between stallions are often subdued. I reflect on the families I observed, the young horses growing within those bands, and why understanding the realities of wild horse life on the range matters when decisions are made about how they are managed.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/66

If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

What could this year mean for wild horses? As we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, a symbol of movement, passion, and freedom, I reflect on what lies ahead for the horses who embody those qualities more than any other. Wild horses represent vitality and resilience, yet their future remains uncertain as policies and priorities continue to shift.

More than 64,000 wild horses are currently confined in holding facilities, and over 22 million acres have been removed from herd management areas. Oversight remains limited, roundups continue to loom, and transparency has steadily declined, leaving the public with fewer tools to ensure these horses are protected. In this episode, I share what I believe must change, from ending roundups and restoring habitat to creating independent oversight and returning horses to public lands.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/65

If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses