West Douglas Herd

The West Douglas Herd for decades has been fighting for their survival after BLM decided to zero out the herd.  The herd consists of fewer than 300 horses in a canyon-filled area in northwest Colorado south of Rangely.  These horses were separated from a larger herd when a highway expansion cut them off in 1983.

In 2006, the BLM removed more than 30 horses and the majority of the mares went to the holding areas in Kansas.   In February, 2007, ISPMB took the 11 stallions to prevent them from being castrated and going to the holding pastures.  The stallions remain with ISPMB in our effort to conserve an endangered herd.  Only three of the stallions were under three years of age while the other 8 were nearly twenty years of age.

The stallions remain in our conservation program in case the BLM follows through in eliminating the rest of the horses in the West Douglas Herd Area.  The horses are one of the most wild horses in all of the herd areas in the United States.  We believe this comes from their constant harassment in trying to eliminate these horses. 

We support every effort to stop the elimination of wild horses in the West Douglas Herd.