| Summary: | Since the 1930s, wild horses have become a subject of public concern. They are often showcased as symbols representing the historic past of the western United States. More recently they have become symbols of a mythic, or imagined, west. Writers, scholars, politicians, advocates, ranchers, and land managers are among the few groups who have taken a role in the livelihood of these animals living freely on public rangelands. The protection movement that began in the 1950s and carried over into the 1970s ultimately resulted in the passage of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. This act placed all wild horses living on public rangelands under the protection of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. Before this legislation individuals in the West could round up wild horses without interference. Afterwards, only the federal government and appointed contractors were allowed to do this. As a result of all the policy changes people in the general public began learning more about the wild horse situation in the United States.
Perceptions regarding wild horses have undergone some change since the passage of the 1934 Taylor Grazing Act. Case studies contained in this dissertation provide examples of perceptions in different parts of the country. The personal narratives gathered from these areas are analyzed as essential pieces to the wild horse dilemma. They help provide an additional lens through which scholars can examine the changing perceptions regarding wild horses. The second section of this dissertation delves into the developmental stages of wild horse protection in the United States. Advocates, activists, and politicians sometimes view the subject in varying ways and those are examined. Legislation, slaughter, holding facilities, and adoption methods are a few of the main areas analyzed within this section. As times have changed it has become necessary to reform and adapt under the Act of 1971. Doing this could ensure the future of wild horses living in the United States. Perceptions about them have changed, and it is still a subject wrought with emotion, but American identity is still connected to their aesthetic appeal.
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