Room to Roam - Managing Free-Roaming Horses Across the US for April 7, 2026 - Horses in the Morning

When we think of wild horses we traditionally think of mustangs roaming the picturesque landscapes of the Western US, but they're just 25% of America's free-roaming horses. Join us today as we explore the population of 300,000 free-roaming horses across the US, how they're commonly managed, and how federal regulations cross into it. Listen in...

HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3921 –Show Notes and Links:

• Your Hosts: Julie Broadway (President) and Emily Stearns (Health, Welfare, and Regulatory Affairs Liaison) of the American Horse Council
• Guest: Sarah Coleman, Kentucky Horse Council
• Guests: Dr. Melissa Esser and Kayla Gram from The Science and Conservation Center
• Link: Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board
• Sponsors: Zoetis - Wild Horse Refuge
• Subscribe to the American Horse Council Podcast - Search American Horse Council Podcast on your podcast player.
• Follow Horses In The Morning on Facebook
• Follow the American Horse Council on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter)

Time Stamps:

• 00:30 - AHC monthly episode and feral horse topic intro
• 01:00 - Define feral vs wild horses; where they live
• 02:48 - Introduce SCC guests Kayla and Melissa
• 04:27 - Introduce Sarah Coleman & Kentucky Horse Council
• 06:42 - Kentucky free-roaming horse history & coal country context
• 11:29 - What free-roaming herds look like on public lands
• 12:03 - Why population control matters for range and safety
• 14:37 - Kentucky residential conflicts and nuisance road horses
• 16:49 - Kentucky’s three‑prong approach (gelding, removal, PZP)
• 19:05 - Federal range management: gathers, holding, adoption
• 31:12 - How PZP darting works and who uses it
• 34:02 - How listeners can volunteer and get involved
• 36:46 - Wild Horse Refuge sponsor & segue to law/policy
• 38:21 - Wild Horse & Burro Act, AMLs, tools, oversight & board