After observing Bureau of Land Management (BLM) operations during wild horse gathers and at long- and short-term mustang holding facilities, a task force comprised of American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP)-member veterinarians found BLM care and handling of wild mustangs and burros appropriate. But one wild horse advocate believes the task force’s impression of BLM operations is inaccurate.

Last June the BLM requested that the AAEP study the safety, health status, health management, care, handling, and welfare of animals the agency manages. For six months beginning in fall 2010, the task force visited several BLM long- and short-term holding sites and observed several wild mustang gathers.

In a report released by the AAEP on Aug. 30, the task force recommended ways the agency could improve mustang handling including expanding the use of fertility-control drugs, implementing biosecurity protocol at holding facilities to reduce infectious disease outbreaks, and requiring helicopter pilots to use flight patterns that maintain safe distances between the aircraft and the animals during roundups.

The recommendations are intended to improve BLM mustang management operations, said William Moyer, DVM, AAEP president; however , the task force determined that overall BLM wild horse management practices generally do not compromise the animals’ welfare: "The task force concluded that the care, handling, and management practices utilized by the BLM are appropriate for this population of horses and generally support the safety, health status, and welfare of the animals