Overview

Origin of wild horses in North America
Although a much different breed, wild horses across North America have been traced to prehistoric times.. Ultimately, North American horses became extinct about 10,000 years ago, long before Europeans arrived in America in 1492. Then, on the second voyage of Christopher Columbus, horses were brought to the American continent.
Role of horses in North America
On American soil, horse soon became the mode of transportation for the Spanish conquistadors as they traveled south to conquer and colonize the North American gulf coast. From that time on, horses played a crucial role in transportation, agriculture, industry and the everyday lives of Americans across the continent.
Particularly as Americans moved westward, horses became essential to moving across the vast plains. Trading with the new Americans, native Americans soon acquired horses and benefited from their unique capabilities in their culture.
According to western writer J. Frank Dobie, wild horses reached a peak of about 2 million in the 1800’s. Then about one million were conscripted into the U.S. military during World War I. Later wild horse populations neared extinction until reintroduced in the 20th century.

Wild horse population
Wild horses peaked at about 2 million
According to western writer J. Frank Dobie, wild horses reached a peak of about 2 million in the 1800’s. Then about one million were conscripted into the U.S. military during World War I. Later wild horse populations neared extinction until reintroduced in the 20th century.
Wild horses in North Carolina have been traced to their original ancestors brought by the Spanish in the 15th century. Today, all North American horses encompass about 32% of the global population of about 59 million horses.
Wild horses today
Of the North American horse population, there are currently about 82,000 wild horses and burros as of March 2022 spanning 53 million acres, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Today, all North American horses encompass about 32% of the global population of about 59 million horses.

Worldwide, wild horses are estimated at about 600,000 with approximately 400,000 in Australia alone.
Where to see wild horses in North America
One of the best places to see wild Mustangs, at a respectful distance, is in the state of Nevada, which is home to about half of American wild horses where the Mustang horse dominates. Many of the Nevada wild horses are part of the Virginia Range herd, located in the western region of the state. The herd is sometimes referred to “Annies Horses” due in part to the efforts of Velma “Annie” Johnson in her campaign to protect wild horses, which ultimately resulted in the U.S. passed a bill, termed the “Wild Horse Annie Act” in 1959.
The best way to see the Nevada herd is to hike east of Reno to a nearby watering hole in the area.
Other places to see wild horses include the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, the Pryor Mountains in Montana and Wyoming, and the Flint Hills in Kansas, and North Carolina. Western herds are dominated by many wild Mustangs. Smaller herds can also be seen in the Wild Horses Outer Banks of North Carolina, Assatrague Island in Virginia and Maryland, and Sable Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. As in the west, the Mustang horse dominates the population of all wild horses
A complete article on some of the best places to see wild horses in the United States is linked HERE.

Final thoughts
While wild horses of ancient North America are long gone, they proliferated the wild west after Europeans brought them to the continent. After being tamed with the wild west, modern Americans were not ready to give them up to posterity. Accordingly, legislation was passed by the U. S. Congress and signed into law as the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 to protect unbranded horses on public lands.
Since the passing the legislation in 1971, some Americans have further taken on the challenge to aid the survival of wild horses. A “Wild Horse and Burro Program” was established within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management to overssee implementation of the Act.
Lastly, the independent American Wild Horse Campaign was established to address local issues that relate to the preservation of wild Mustangs and Burros in the western United States.
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