Steven den Beste has an interesting post about feral horses. It's particularly interesting to me right now, because I'm up in wild horse country.

He's right. This isn't an endangered species issue--it's more of an emotional and cultural one. We're read too many romantic stories about horses running free, unbound from bridle and fence. Wild horses are one of those "large charismatic animals" that get too much attention relative to smaller, less cute, but more endangered species.

And it's a powerful emotion, too. I still vividly recall a time, over a decade ago, that I was driving in a remote valley on the California-Nevada border, population density .0001 per square mile, and I saw a small herd off in the distance. It was a stallion with three mares and a couple colts, running with the wind. They looked as though they belonged there.

But until I read Steven's post, it hadn't occured to me that they might have an inbreeding problem, and certainly, given the finite resource of the open sage, it would make more sense to use it for animals that are not raised by the millions domestically.

How about doing some research on the Florida Cracker Horse?

Did you know they are decendants of the first horses to reach the continent by way of Spanish Explorers and are genetically typed to be of Spanish Colonial genetic lines? The Sorria, Jennet, Barb, Lusitano etc?

They are just as valuable in American History, and yet there are only 300 of them registered and located in the country? The Mustang is far from endangered, over 30,000 free roaming, 20,000 in various holding facilities and pens awaiting adoption and over 200,000 having gone through the adoption program and 5 registries dedicated to breeding and showing Mustangs.

300 of this Spanish Colonial breed is far more endangered than the Mustang. (I own a Mustang too).
It would be nice for some one with your way of words to bring this to the attention of others who can help keep this great breed with Historical value from vanishing.

Thank you