Celebrate 50 years of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 provided wild horses and burros on Federal lands with legally protected status for the first time, placing them under the stewardship of the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The Act was passed unanimously by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon. The Act defines wild horses and burros as “all unbranded and unclaimed horses and burros on public lands of the United States” and recognizes them as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.”
In 2021, the BLM embarked on a year-long commemoration of The Act, highlighting the clear connection between Americans' support for the wild horse and burro adoption and sales program and the agency's mission to preserve and protect wild horses as part of a thriving ecological system on public lands.