Professional Documents
Culture Documents
For more information, please visit the Salt River Wild Horse Management Groups website and
follow them on Facebook.
1. Are the Salt River horses wild and native horses or stray livestock horses?
The Salt River wild horses are an iconic and historic population of unbranded,
unclaimed, wild and free-roaming horses that merit protection within our national forest.
Evidence indicates that wild horses have been living on the lower Salt River since well before
the Tonto National Forest was created in 1902. It is believed that the herd is descended from
the Spanish horses brought to Arizona by Spanish missionary Father Eusebio Kino in the
1600s. An Arizona Champion Newspaper article, dated January 25, 1890 and located in the
Arizona State Archives, classifies horses in the Salt River Valley as native stock. The United
States Forest Service (USFS) itself acknowledges that the horses have lived on the lower Salt
River since the 1930s. Further historic records and eyewitness accounts chronicle the presence
of free roaming horses on the lower Salt River throughout the modern era, through the 1970s,
when the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act was passed, to present day.
The FS claim that the Salt River horses are not wild is based on a 1974 letter that
acknowledged dense riparian vegetationmakes it very difficult toeven observe these
animals. The decision to deny the Salt River horses protection under the Act ran counter to the
longstanding FS policy to manage these horses as wild and distinct from stray livestock prior
to 1971. In fact, then FS Regional Rangeland Ecosystem Specialist, Curtis M. Johnson, stated
that the horses were not considered unauthorizedthey were considered wild horses and
managed as such throughout the 1960s.
In a May 17, 1979 Phoenix Gazette article, Perl Charles, a former Forest Service official and
noted conservationist (for whom many hiking trails are named) confirmed that the horses were
wild and had been present on the Salt River for 35 years that he knows of, and maybe since
the turn of the century. At the time, Mr. Charles was advocating for protection of the population
of 40 to 50 wild horses, stating, Its a delightful thing to watch them running free.
During his career with the Forest Service, Perl Charles estimates he rounded up and removed
over 3500 head of wild horses within the national forests. Therefore, Perl Charles should be a
credible authority on identifying wild horses versus alleged branded Indian horses present at
the time.
Simply put, USFS claim that these horses are stray livestock is not supported by historical or
current evidence. No parties -- including neighboring tribes or the State of Arizona - claimed
these horses in response to the July 31, 2015, USFS published notice to impound. Therefore
it may be assumed that they are not truly stray livestock.
Of the six million annual visitors to the Tonto National Forest and
the tens of thousands of animals who call it home, the small herd of
free-roaming horses living along the lower Salt River is compatible
with, and supportive of, a healthy ecosystem.
There are no scientific data published in any peer-reviewed journal about the
Salt River wild horses or the lower Salt River habitat. Neither the U.S. Forest
Service nor any other organizations have performed a scientific study or
overall environmental assessment of the lower Salt River, indicating that
there have not been serious environmental concerns on the lower Salt River
to date.
Claims that these horses pose a threat are based on scant research in other
geographic regions that are not relevant to the lower Salt River region. And
the data from these regions indicate that wild horses have both
environmental impacts and environmental benefits, much like any other
wildlife species, including birds.
In fact, the 16-mile stretch where the horses graze is one of the most
biologically rich areas along the entire 200-mile river, in spite of the human
caused challenges it faces. Photo-documentation accumulated by members
of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group supports this observation
with evidence over long periods of time showing healthy and growing trees,
seedlings sprouting from horse manure, abundant plants and flourishing
wildlife diversity in the very area on the river where the horses roam.
Bald Eagles on the river have been making a comeback since the early
1980s and eagle nesting was particularly successful this year in the exact
area that the horses call home, according to the Audubon Society itself. The
horses and the bald eagles have been cohabiting together successfully and
may even have a symbiotic relationship.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group cares deeply, not only about
the wild horses, but also about the birds, the environment and all other
wildlife. We look forward to working with the USFS and conservation groups
in any and all projects that improve the environment and benefit the
ecosystem, in which thousands of species have been harmoniously co-
habiting for more than a century. The lower Salt River should be preserved as
is, for future generations to come.
The FS initially cited public safety as its main motivation for removing the
horses. Yet, the FS states on its website that in nearly three years, there
were only four accidents involving a horse, with no mention of any human
injuries:
Between January 1, 2013, and August 4, 2015, Maricopa County
documented at least 30 incidents involving these stray horses, from
Any traffic safety issues that do arise can be addressed by continued work
between the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group and the Maricopa
County Department of Transportation. This work has already begun with the
placement, in late 2014, of watch for horses signs placed strategically at
each of the eight horse crossings on Bush Highway. Additional safety
measures could include flashing lights at dusk, when visibility is low.
5. Why is it so important to save these wild horses?
Now that we are down to the last of these historic living symbols, it
is crucial that we make informed decisions based on science and
based on what future generations of Americans would want us to
do.
These wild horses are crucially important to the local, environmental, and the
global community for many reasons that include recreational enjoyment and
economic, cultural, and educational contributions. The herd is iconic,
representative of nature at its best: wild and free. It is also accessible -tourists and photographers come from all over the nation to see these wild
horses.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the wildlife viewing industry in
the U.S. garnered $65.7 billion in 2012 alone, and is growing every year. Wild
horse eco-tourism in particular is on the rise. Madeleine Pickens Mustang
Monument Wild Horse Resort in Nevada is drawing international tourists
willing to pay over $1,000 per night for the opportunity to spend time with
mustangs. On the Salt River, visitors can spend an entire day with wild
horses for just seven dollars -- the cost of a Tonto National Forest day pass.
The Salt River wild horses draw visitors to the area, providing a boost for
local businesses and the economy.
These horses are also important to the Salt River Pima and Fort McDowell
Sovereign Nations and as such are protected by both tribes because of the
horses long and rich heritage with indigenous peoples and because of their
historic and cultural significance.
Children of all ages benefit from the presence of these horses. Local high
schools have brought their classrooms outdoors to study the wild horses.
Very few urban areas exist where students can travel a short distance to gain
tremendous experiential knowledge in an outdoor classroom that extends
beyond a schools four walls. Educational seminars about the wild horses are
offered routinely by Ranger B at the Usury Pass Center on the Salt River.
Join the email list for the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign to stay
up to date on news relating to the Salt River wild horses and other wild
horses and burros in the U.S.