Environment | National

Navajo Nation tackles large horse population on reservation






A horse on the Navajo Nation. Photo from Navajo Horse Healing Project / Indiegogo

The Navajo Nation is working to address large numbers of wild and unclaimed horses on the reservation.

The tribe rounded up more than 8,900 horses in 2013, according to Scott Bender of the Navajo Nation Veterinary Program. The overwhelming majority were sold off the reservation, TheHorse.Com reported.

In addition to roundups, the tribe is offering free vaccination, fertility control and tracking services. Microchips are required for all horses on the reservation.

An estimated 75,000 to 96,000 horses live on the reservation. Most are owned by the 12,000 permitted holders but that still leaves large numbers of wild and unclaimed animals.

Former president Ben Shelly at one point supported sending wild horses to slaughter but changed his position after facing opposition on the reservation.

Get the Story:
Caring for Horses in the Navajo Nation (TheHorse.Com 5/14)

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