Ranch and Country Magazine Fall-2025 Issue

Who is “Wild Horse Annie”? The American mustang is descended from horses Spaniards brought to North America in the 1500’s. The terms “wild horse” and “mustang” are used inter- changeably. However, "wild horse” also includes horses whose bloodline has never been domesticated. to disappear from the face of America. Annie’s ranch life instilled in her a love and respect for animals. As a child, she often caught glimpses of mus- tang herds that roamed not far from her home. In 1950 Annie witnessed a blood trail coming out of a truck trailer crammed full of mustangs headed for the slaughterhouse. The blood was from a colt who had been trampled to death inside the trailer. Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act (P.L.92-1925) mandated the protec- tion of these animals as “a nation- al heritage species” and placed man- agement of mustang herds on public lands under the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM.) Management of wild horses under the BLM has been far less than ideal. The BLM continues to use helicopters Velma Bronn Johnston, born March 5, 1912, grew up on a ranch in Nevada at a time when mustangs living in the west- ern United States were on the verge

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for roundups, and some hors- es who were once free-roam- ing are forced to live in hold- ing pens for up to three years. Issues with herd managemen t , such as fertility control, desig- nation of suit- able protected reserves and private lands, adoption pro- grams, training programs — all present unmet challenges. But without

of extinction. Her nickname, “Wild Horse Annie,” is a tribute to her efforts to preserve this national trea- sure. What Annie did for the mustang was was extraor- dinary. But what is truly remarkable is that she trans- formed the narrative. She re-wrote the story of what the wild horse is all about!

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Annie realized that she could no longer stand idly by and watch such abuse take place. She believed the wild horse represented an invaluable aspect of the history of the American West. As a secretary for an insurance agency in Reno, Nevada, Annie had the skills to research legislation and existing laws. She pulled hard facts togeth- er and made presentations to various socio-economic organizations. During that time the nickname “Wild Horse Annie” was hurled at her, intend- ed as an insult by opponents of her cause. But she embraced the name as an honorary title. Annie set up a letter writing cam- paign to Congress, and she had the savvy to engage school children in the process.. The campaign fostered a new narrative, one that honored the horse’s contribution to the settling of the American West. In 1959, Congress passed the Wild Horse Annie Act (P.L. 85-234) which banned the used of motorized vehicles and the practice of poisoning water holes to capture or kill wild horses. Then in 1971, the United States Wild

The prevailing narrative is always the power behind the power. Narrative bestows “divinity” to the bloodline of kings. Narratives ignite wars. Narratives determines who becomes president, and what political policies are most desirable. The prevailing narrative in the first half of the 20th century was that mus- tangs were a nuisance. Their herds competed for pasture land which many people thought belonged to cattle and other domestic livestock. Wild hors- es were viewed as having nothing to contribute to the newly industrialized world, other than to be a source for pet food and meat for international markets. In the 1930’s the U.S. Government authorized removal of wild horses from public ranges. Massive round- ups were conducted using trucks and planes, inhumane methods that went unopposed. Such roundups, along with hunting and habitat loss, caused the numbers of wild horses and burros to dwindle from 2 million at the turn of the century to an estimated 25,000 in 1950! At this rate, wild horses were destined

Annie, the prevailing narrative would likely have led to the extinction of the wild horse. Thanks to Annie, the federal gov-

ernment put out this new narrative: “Congress finds and declares that wild free roam- ing horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer- ing spirit of

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the West … It is the policy of Congress that wild free roam- ing horses and burros shall be protected …” - Linda Boston Franke, editor

Velma Bronn Johnston Photo courtesy of Inter- national Society for the protection of Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB) from Karen A. Sussman, https://ispmb.org/

info@farwestrealestate.com • (775) 829-2122 www.farwestrealestate.com

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