Horses are a natural part of North America's environment

[Smilodonfatalis]

Feral Horses Belong on the Georgia Coast and are a Natural Part of America?s Ecosystem | GeorgiaBeforePeople

They lived in North America until about 7,000-10,000 years ago when the Indians ate them all.

Wild horses belong in North America's wild places.

Environmentalists are wrong to want them removed completely from our wild lands.

 

[Old Rocks]

Over population of wild horses is just as damaging as over population from any other source.

 

[Mr. H.]

Horse populations should be managed, slaughtered, and the meat exported.

 

[ScienceRocks]

I like horses. No need to hate.

 

[Mr. H.]

I like horses. No need to hate.

I bet you like cows, chickens, pigs, and fishes... in your belly.

Horse meat is a delicacy in many world cultures. It's in high demand and commands a high price.

Here in the U.S. we have horses running rampant, destroying our ecosystem because we "like" them?

Do the math for fuck's sake.

 

[Politico]

Horse populations should be managed, slaughtered, and the meat exported.

What population? The indians ate them all.

 

[koshergrl]

It's true.

But today's wild horses are not descendants of those. Today's wild horses are horses that descended from the Conquistadors' horses.

Well, mustangs are, anyway. But most wild horses are just ferals.

 

[Mr. H.]

Horse populations should be managed, slaughtered, and the meat exported.

hat population? The indians ate them all.

Yes yes, that is my understanding. And today certain parts of our world do eat horsemeat. We can give our horsemeat to the world, or we can continue to allow them the degredation of our environment.

 

[koshergrl]

Yuck. Horses aren't for eating. They serve a different purpose.

 

[Old Rocks]

Horses are mammals, same as cows and pigs. The meat is quite good, and there are places in the US where it is available. There is no reason not to harvest and eat wild horses where the population is a burden on the system.

 

[Smilodonfatalis]

It's true.

But today's wild horses are not descendants of those. Today's wild horses are horses that descended from the Conquistadors' horses.

Well, mustangs are, anyway. But most wild horses are just ferals.

Genetic studies show that the Pleistocene horses in North America are the exact same species as the modern day horse.

 

[Smilodonfatalis]

Over population of wild horses is just as damaging as over population from any other source.

Are the 30,000 wild horses running free in western North America more damaging to the environment than the millions of beef cattle there?

 

[koshergrl]

Well they compete for the forage..and the water. And we do eat the cattle.

I don't think it's particularly wise to reduce our food sources in order to protect feral horses, but a certain number of them are nice.

They're becoming a problem on the rez in the area I hail from. There are so many of them, and these definitely are feral, not mustangs. They're eating crops and wanering around. I have a friend who is hand raising a baby because the mother was shot on her place. They don't know what they're going to do yet. They can't seem to get it together enough to have a horse program, which is too bad, they have the land and the kids to really do something, but everybody fights so much they just can't get it off the ground.

 

[koshergrl]

It's true.

But today's wild horses are not descendants of those. Today's wild horses are horses that descended from the Conquistadors' horses.

Well, mustangs are, anyway. But most wild horses are just ferals.

Genetic studies show that the Pleistocene horses in North America are the exact same species as the modern day horse.

Can you link that? I'd be really interested in reading. I know we havea few...keigers...but I didn't think most of our wild horses hearkened back to the originals.

 

[mamooth]

Genetic studies show that the Pleistocene horses in North America are the exact same species as the modern day horse.

Depends what you mean by "exact".

Modern horse, Equus ferus caballus.

The Eurasian Wild Horse it descended from (Tarpan), Equus ferus ferus.

Same species, yes, but different subspecies. Though they'd look nearly identical, and only a horse aficionado would notice a visible difference.

 

[koshergrl]

Yeah, they aren't descended.

I think we located 2 tiny bands of native horses in the whole of north America..those are what are called the Keigers.

Other than that, our mustangs, and other wild horses, are descended from the Spanish horses.

True Appaloosas may have a slightly different history, but I think they are still introduced.

 

[Coyote]

It's true.

But today's wild horses are not descendants of those. Today's wild horses are horses that descended from the Conquistadors' horses.

Well, mustangs are, anyway. But most wild horses are just ferals.

Genetic studies show that the Pleistocene horses in North America are the exact same species as the modern day horse.

They're the same species but the wild horses (mustangs) on the North American continent are descended from horses brought over from Europe when the first colonists arrived. They are all feral descendents of domestic animals - the original horses were wiped out during the Pleistocene.

The problem with wild horses is there are no longer any natural predators to keep populations in check

 

[Coyote]

Genetic studies show that the Pleistocene horses in North America are the exact same species as the modern day horse.

Depends what you mean by "exact".

Modern horse, Equus ferus caballus.

The Eurasian Wild Horse it descended from (Tarpan), Equus ferus ferus.

Same species, yes, but different subspecies. Though they'd look nearly identical, and only a horse aficionado would notice a visible difference.

I think it might be like the difference between domestic dogs, wolves and coyotes - they are genetically the same and can interbreed. True wild horses are interesting and the only remaining ones are the przewalskis. They are very primative looking - a lot like the horses in cave paintings

 

[Coyote]

Yeah, they aren't descended.

I think we located 2 tiny bands of native horses in the whole of north America..those are what are called the Keigers.

Other than that, our mustangs, and other wild horses, are descended from the Spanish horses.

True Appaloosas may have a slightly different history, but I think they are still introduced.

I hadn't heard of the Kigers - so I looked them up. Very interesting - nicely put together horses!

 

[koshergrl]

So they're also descended from the spanish horses..

looks like our natives are all gone then.