In today’s age, we are so quick to hold judgement without the truth or facts. As a horse lover and champion of America’s Wild Horses, I’ve seen too many times that folks are quick to make assumptions and are quick to do the blame game.
Which brings me to this question: Which President of the United States signed the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to protect these American treasures?
President Richard M. Nixon in 1971 (Republican)
In President Nixon’s own words:
“Wild horses and burros merit man’s protection historically – for they are a living link with the days of the conquistadors, through the heroic times of the Western Indians and the pioneers, to our own day when the tonic of wildness seems all too scarce.
More than that, they merit it as a matter of ecological right – as anyone knows who has ever stood awed at the indomitable spirit and sheer energy of a mustang running free.”
Noting that he took “special pleasure” in “signing strong legislation to protect these noble animals,” the President highlighted that wild horses and burros deserve protection as “an ecological right — as anyone knows who has ever stood awed at the indomitable spirit and sheer energy of a mustang running free.”
In just one year, with the help of many horse advocates and organizations, especially the American Wild Horse Campaign, we as a country have made history with the first wild horse protection legislation introduced in Congress in more than a decade. With the support of over five dozen members of Congress (which included representatives from both parties) in the fight against brutal surgeries for wild mares, and with the groundbreaking fertility control program for mustangs in Nevada, which is setting a worldwide standard, we should all applaud one another of a job well done.
Let’s never forget that. We encourage you to visit the following Wild Horse Organizations: