What is a Wild Horse?

The wild horse is an almost completely extinct species of horse that was once found in Europe, Asia, North America, and North Africa. The scientific name for the wild horse is Equus ferus. A single subspecies of this horse, Przewalski's horse, Equus ferus przewalskii, is the only remaining wild horse species in existence.

Wild horses lived in open plains and in steppe environments as early as the Pleistocene epoch. The North American subspecies of the wild horse became extinct about 10,500 BCE. Asia and African subspecies extinction was more recent, occurring only a few thousand years ago.

The Tarpan, Equus ferus ferus, was the second to last remaining species in Europe as recently as the late 1800s. Its extinction was due to cross-breeding with domestic species and excessive hunting. Scientists have tried to resurrect the original Tarpan species by selectively breeding Bilgoarj Konik horses. This breed is one of several known descendants of Tarpan-domestic horse hybrids and was chosen for breeding because of its close resemblance to the extinct wild breed.

Breeding with domestic stock led to a decrease in pure wild horse populations for many subspecies. The mustang, often considered a wild horse, is not of the Equus ferus species, however. Instead, they are the descendants of feral domestic horses.

Przewalski's horse still exists in small numbers in Mongolia. Named after the Russian explorer who discovered the species, this horse is stocky, with a short neck and legs and a powerful jaw. They are dun colored or grayish-brown with erect manes, lacking forelocks, made of short black hair. Short, lightly colored hair covers the upper part of their tails and long black hair the lower.

Wild horses live in herds, led by a stallion. Juvenile males often form bachelor groups and eventually attempt to take over groups of females. Przewalski horses breed in May or June, with gestation lasting approximately 11-12 months. Foals can stand just an hour after birth, and mares can mate again after only a week.

The last wild Przewalski horse was recorded in 1968, but in 1977, the horse was rescued from extinction by the Netherlands' Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse (FPPPH). Using the 300 Przewalski horses then in captivity, the FPPPH initiated a breeding program that kept the original lines pure without succumbing to inbreeding. The resulting offspring were released into the wild. In the year 2010, there were only about 170 of these horses living in the wild. The FPPPH's efforts, however, have upgraded this horse's status from "Extinct in the Wild" to "Critically Endangered."

A wild horse is an undomesticated horse living in a natural state with no human ownership or control. These horses, often referred to as "mustangs" in North America, are descendants of domesticated horses that escaped or were released into the wild. They form herds, have complex social structures, and are adapted to survive in various environments.

Truly wild horses, which have never been domesticated, are extremely rare. The Przewalski's horse, native to the steppes of central Asia, is considered the only remaining true wild horse species. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they were once extinct in the wild but have been reintroduced with a population of around 760 individuals as of 2021.

Wild horses differ from domesticated horses in behavior, genetics, and lifestyle. Wild horses are self-reliant for foraging, shelter, and evading predators, leading to a more robust and hardy constitution. They often have different social behaviors, forming tight-knit bands led by a dominant mare, with stallions protecting the group. Domesticated horses, on the other hand, rely on humans for care and have been selectively bred for various traits.

Wild horses can be found in several parts of the world, including the western United States, parts of Canada, and Australia. In the U.S., wild horses roam public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with populations concentrated in states like Nevada, Wyoming, and Oregon. They inhabit diverse ecosystems, from grasslands to deserts.

Wild horses face numerous challenges, including habitat loss, competition for resources with livestock, and environmental changes. Human management practices, such as roundups and fertility control, are also controversial topics. The BLM reports that overpopulation on the range can lead to deteriorating conditions for the horses and the ecosystem, necessitating management interventions.

Wild horse populations are managed through a combination of roundups, adoptions, fertility control, and sanctuary provisions. The BLM oversees these efforts in the United States, aiming to balance horse populations with ecological health and other land uses. Management practices are subject to public input and legal frameworks, such as the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.