Letter to the Editor: Let’s talk about the wild horses being destroyed, too

TO THE EDITOR:

(U.S. Rep.) Harriet Hageman loves to talk about everything that makes Wyoming special—and to be fair, there’s a lot to be proud of. She highlights our wide-open spaces, clear skies, incredible wildlife, and deep-rooted values. She paints a picture of Wyoming as rugged, independent, and free. But there’s something she leaves out of that picture—something just as wild, just as tough, and just as uniquely ours: the curly-haired mustangs.

These horses aren’t just part of the scenery—they’re part of Wyoming’s soul. You won’t find them anywhere else like you do here. They’ve weathered brutal winters, crossed windswept plains, and become living symbols of our grit and resilience. They’re not pests or problems. They’re living proof that wild things still have a place in this world.

That’s why the recent ruling to round them up and remove them from over two million acres of Wyoming land feels like a gut punch.

The BLM says it’s about sustainability, about keeping populations manageable. But let’s be honest—this kind of mass removal isn’t really about protecting ecosystems. It’s about making room for more grazing leases, more extractive development, and fewer wild elements that get in the way. It’s about shifting control of public lands away from the public—and toward private interests.

And that raises an important question: Are we okay with watching our open spaces be chipped away, piece by piece, until there’s nothing truly wild left? Are we comfortable trading in the very essence of Wyoming for short-term profit? Because if we let decisions like this go unchallenged, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We lose not just the curly mustangs, but a deeper part of our identity.

We should be talking about this. We should be asking questions, pushing for real solutions, and demanding that our elected officials show up and listen. But that’s hard to do when our representative—Harriet Hageman—won’t meet with us in person anymore.

We hear plenty about what she stands for, but it’s getting harder to hear directly from her. And with something as important as the future of Wyoming’s wildlife on the line, we deserve to know:

Is she fighting for our wildlife?

Does she even see the value in our majestic landscapes?

Does she believe in the spirit of Wyoming she’s always talking about ad nauseam?

Or is she more interested in grazing leases and development than she is in protecting the very things that make Wyoming great?

The curly mustangs aren’t a side issue — they’re a symbol. Of what’s still wild. Of what’s worth protecting, even when it’s inconvenient. And of the responsibility we all share to care for this land if we want Wyoming’s beauty to flourish.

We should be talking about them—not after they’re gone, but right now.

Sincerely,

John Clay,

Douglas