“The greatest threat to a historic wild horse herd isn’t always a single decision. Sometimes it’s the cumulative impact of years of decisions that no one questioned until it was too late.”

~ Christine Kman, Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates

Hello and Happy Monday!

If I am being honest, today’s topic doesn’t exactly make for a “Happy Monday.”

This isn’t going to be one of our more upbeat blogs.

But sometimes the most difficult conversations are the most important ones.

And today, we need to have one of those conversations.

Because what is happening to the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) should concern EVERYONE who cares about the future of this historic herd.

As many of you have probably already heard, we have another heartbreaking loss to share.

2013 Stallion Grady has passed away.

Yesterday, we shared some information about Grady on our Facebook page and promised to return today with a longer discussion.

But today’s blog isn’t just about Grady.

It’s about what his death represents.

As we said yesterday:

“Every horse in this herd has a story. Every horse has a history. And every loss matters.”

We wholeheartedly believe that.

These horses are individuals. They have families, relationships, and bloodlines connecting them to generations of wild horses that came before them.

And when one dies, we lose a piece of that history.

Unfortunately, we have lost far too many pieces of that history this year.

Nine Horses. ONE Year.

In 2026, we have confirmed the loss of SIX wild horses:

• 2013 Stallion Grady
• 2010 Stallion Half Moon
• 2005 Stallion Georgia’s Boy
• 2004 Mare Little Gray
• 2026 Filly Delta
• 2026 Filly Whisper

Additionally, THREE horses have not been seen all year, and we sadly presume they are also deceased:

• 2001 Mare Snip’s Gray
• 2007 Mare Autumn
• 2020 Mare Bluegrass

That is NINE horses either confirmed dead or presumed deceased in 2026.

And while they did not pass away this year, 2026 was also the year that the deaths of 2004 Stallion Cloud and Stallion Brutus were finally acknowledged.

That’s A LOT of loss to process in one short year.

And the year isn’t even over yet.

We understand that wild horses die. Injuries, illness, age, and competition are all part of life in the wild.

We aren’t suggesting that every death could have been prevented.

But there is a much bigger issue here.

What happens when a herd continues losing horses but isn’t producing enough new generations to replace them?

THAT is the conversation we need to be having.

Five Foals Born. Only Three Survived.

There were ONLY FIVE foals born to the TRNP herd in 2026.

FIVE.

Two of those precious babies, Delta and Whisper, have already passed away.

That leaves just THREE surviving foals from the entire 2026 birth year.

Now compare those numbers.

NINE horses lost or presumed deceased.

THREE surviving foals.

That represents a potential net loss of SIX horses in just ONE year to this herd.

Those numbers are concerning on their own. But they become even more troubling when we consider the current age structure of the herd — and the management decisions that helped create it.

For decades, the park routinely captured and sold nearly all of its young horses, some as young as four months old and others up to three years of age.

Instead of allowing younger generations to mature and become part of the breeding population, the park systematically removed many of the very horses that would have helped sustain the herd in the years ahead.

Stallion Grady is a perfect example of the long-term consequences of those decisions.

Grady was the ONLY horse born in 2013 who was not captured and sold from the park.

Now, with his passing, not a single horse born in 2013 remains in the TRNP herd. An entire birth year is gone.

And this is not simply about losing individual horses. It is about losing generations, potential breeding opportunities, and genetic contributions that cannot necessarily be recovered.

At the same time that young horses were being removed, the park was also administering fertility control to mares remaining in the herd, further limiting the number of new horses entering the population.

Think about the combined impact of those two management practices.

For years, young horses were removed from the herd while the birth of future generations was being restricted.

The result is what we are seeing today: an aging population, too few young horses coming up to replace older generations, and serious questions about the herd’s long-term reproductive sustainability and genetic viability.

These are not concerns that suddenly appeared in 2026.

We have been warning about the potential consequences of these management decisions for YEARS.

When the park abandoned its plans to eliminate the herd in April 2024, that was an important victory. But reversing the elimination decision did not reverse decades of management practices or their lasting effects on the herd.

And that is the critical distinction we believe needs to be understood.

Stopping the elimination of the herd was only the first step. Ensuring that the herd can sustain itself for generations to come must be the next.

Because keeping horses in the park is NOT the same thing as ensuring they have a sustainable future.

Now Imagine What Happens Next

Imagine what happens if we continue to lose EIGHT, NINE, or TEN horses every year.

Now imagine that only three or four foals survive each year.

What happens to this herd in five years?

What happens in ten?

If the herd continues to experience a net loss of six horses annually, that would mean:

30 fewer horses in FIVE years.

60 fewer horses in TEN years.

These are simple illustrations, not predictions. Births, deaths, and management practices can change.

But the point remains.

A herd cannot continue losing significantly more horses than it produces indefinitely.

And with an aging population, we may not have the luxury of waiting another five or ten years to address the problem.

Once important bloodlines disappear, we cannot simply bring them back.

We have already lost significant bloodlines from Stallions Circus, Wind Canyon and Cloud, who died with no offspring remaining in the park.

And many older mares have also passed away without leaving another generation behind.

Are we managing these horses to survive today, or are we managing them so that future generations will still exist tomorrow?

Because those are two very different things.

Let’s Talk About GonaCon

We know this is a topic some people would rather not discuss.

But ignoring it doesn’t make the concerns go away.

And we want to make something VERY clear:

CHWHA is NOT against the use of responsible fertility control.

The key word is RESPONSIBLE.

Fertility control should be guided by sound science, careful monitoring, and an understanding of the long-term consequences for the herd.

It should help maintain a healthy, genetically viable population — not potentially compromise the herd’s ability to sustain itself.

Based on what we are seeing in the TRNP herd today, we have serious concerns about whether that is happening.

The park has used GonaCon fertility control on mares in this herd for years, with some receiving repeated booster treatments.  The park has admitted that this was to halt the reproduction of this herd. 

In 2024, five mares were removed from the park’s GonaCon treatment schedule:

• Justice
• Eagle
• Belle
• Taylor
• Skipper

To date, none of these mares has produced another foal.

During a meeting with park officials, we were told that they did not know whether mares removed from GonaCon would return to fertility or how long that process might take.

Think about that.

We have a herd that needs younger generations, mares whose reproductive futures remain uncertain, and only THREE surviving foals born in 2026.

How is this a sustainable management strategy?

We encourage everyone to review the park’s publicly available GonaCon treatment records through 2024. https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/nature/horses.htm

We are still waiting for the park to release the 2025 and 2026 records.

We are not claiming that GonaCon caused the deaths of the horses we lost this year.

Our concern is that years of suppressing births, combined with the removal of young horses and an aging population, have created serious questions about the herd’s health and reproductive future.

Those questions deserve answers.

Twenty Bachelor Stallions. One Filly Born.

There is another issue that deserves attention.

We currently have approximately TWENTY bachelor stallions in the park. 

More than half are between five and seven years old.

These are young stallions entering their prime breeding years.

Yet in 2026, there was ONLY ONE filly born to the entire herd.

ONE.

We have young stallions competing for breeding opportunities, an aging population of mares, and almost no young females being born to the herd.

What does that mean for the herd’s future age and sex structure?

What does it mean for genetic viability?

Does this sound like the long-term health of this herd is guiding management decisions?

We believe these questions deserve serious attention.

Almost a Decade of Fighting — And We Are STILL Fighting

For almost a decade, we have been fighting to protect the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

We started by asking questions.

We researched the history of this herd, studied management practices, spoke with experts and offered suggestions.

Time after time, we were met with resistance.

Then came the park’s announcement in 2022 that it planned to eliminate the entire herd.

For years, we fought to stop that from happening.

And with the help of thousands of people across the country, we succeeded.

In April 2024, the park abandoned its elimination plans once again due to public outcry and local pressure.

That was a HUGE victory.

But it was not the end of the fight.

Because stopping the elimination of this herd did not correct decades of management problems or guarantee those problems would never happen again.

That is why we worked with North Dakota legislators to secure a unanimous resolution calling for federal protection.

That is why we traveled to Washington, DC, and met with congressional offices.

And that is why we continue fighting to strengthen S.1377, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horse Protection Act.

We did not fight for almost a decade to save these horses only to leave their future vulnerable to the same kinds of management decisions we fought against.

A Number Is NOT a Management Plan!

We have heard people say we should simply be happy that legislation has been introduced.

That we should accept the bill as it is.

That bad legislation is better than no legislation.

We disagree.

The current legislation would establish a minimum population of 150 horses.

But a minimum number does not guarantee that the herd will be genetically viable, able to reproduce sustainably, or managed using sound science.

The legislation does not directly address the management practices that have concerned us for years.

A number is NOT a management plan.

A minimum population is NOT the same thing as a genetically viable population.

And federal legislation that fails to address the management problems threatening this herd is NOT the protection these horses deserve.

This is why CHWHA has requested amendments to S.1377.

We are asking for:

• A population goal of 150–200 horses.
• Language that specifically protects this historic herd’s genetic viability.
• A formal wild horse working group that includes scientific expertise, historical knowledge, advocacy representation, and other stakeholders.
• A regularly updated management plan developed with appropriate environmental review and public involvement.
• Meaningful safeguards and oversight for fertility-control practices.

These are not unreasonable requests.

They are safeguards intended to prevent the mistakes of the past from being repeated.

What Happens When the Next Superintendent Arrives?

We have said this before, and we will keep saying it.

Federal protection should not depend on the personality, philosophy, or goodwill of whoever happens to be superintendent at any given time.

History has shown what happens when park management decides these horses no longer belong.

We have already spent years fighting to reverse those decisions.

And we have no desire to see another generation of advocates forced to fight those same battles.

Remember:

The real test of federal protection isn’t whether it works when park management agrees with us.

The real test is whether it continues to protect the horses when they DON’T!

THAT is the kind of legislation we are fighting for.

Because what good is federal protection if management practices that threaten the herd’s future can simply continue?

We have an opportunity RIGHT NOW to strengthen this legislation before it becomes law.

Why would we settle for less?

After Almost a Decade, We Still Need Your Help

Trust us, after almost a decade of fighting, there are days when we wish we could simply enjoy these horses without worrying about what the next management decision might mean for their future.

We would love to spend all our time in the park with the horses, sharing photos, telling their stories, and celebrating these amazing wild horses with all of you.

But we know what can happen when nobody is asking questions.

And that is why our work is NOT finished.

CHWHA is a small, grassroots nonprofit organization.

We don’t have a large staff or unlimited resources.

What we DO have is an unwavering commitment to these horses.

Our advocacy work requires research, public education, meetings with legislators, monitoring park management practices, and continued outreach.

All of that takes time and financial support.

If you believe these historic wild horses deserve a future, please consider making a tax deductible donation to CHWHA.

DONATE HERE: https://secure.everyaction.com/pIMNkwr21021HO0xWm0UOg2

DONATE THROUGH PAYPAL: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=XNYNCNVLTULGC

Every donation, no matter the amount, helps us continue working toward meaningful, lasting protection.

And there are other ways you can help!

Our November Auction Is Happening NOW!

Our final online merchandise auction of 2026 runs November 1–15!

We have OVER 150 items waiting for your bids!

It’s a wonderful opportunity to find unique gifts, get a head start on holiday shopping, and support our advocacy work.

Proceeds will also help us secure matching funds for Giving Hearts Day 2027.

Browse the auction and place your bids here:

https://chwha.betterworld.org/auctions/chwha-november-auction

Don’t Forget Our 2027 Advocacy Calendar!

Our beautiful 2027 Best Friends calendar celebrates the incredible friendships and bonds between the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

This special calendar directly supports CHWHA’s advocacy work and is a wonderful way to enjoy these amazing horses throughout the year.

We will begin shipping calendars later this month!

You can order yours here: https://chasinghorses.com/products/chwha-2027-13-month-calendar

And remember, even if you cannot make a financial contribution, you can still help by sharing our blogs, educating others, and contacting your members of Congress.

Every voice matters. Every action matters. And every person who stands with us makes a difference.

Their Future Is Worth Fighting For

As we mourn Grady and the other horses we have lost this year, we are reminded why this fight matters.

We cannot bring them back.

We cannot undo decades of management decisions.

But we CAN learn from those decisions.

We CAN demand better.

And we CAN continue fighting to make sure S.1377 is amended to provide the protections these horses actually need.

Imagine explaining to future generations that we knew these problems existed, had an opportunity to address them, and chose not to.

THAT is not a future we are willing to accept.

These horses have survived generations of change, roundups, removals, and multiple attempts to eliminate them from the only home they have ever known.

They deserve more than simply being allowed to exist.

They deserve the opportunity to THRIVE.

We did not fight for almost a decade just to win one battle.

We fought to give these horses a FUTURE.

And that is a fight we are not giving up on.

Thank you for your continued support.

And to Grady, Half Moon, Georgia’s Boy, Little Gray, Delta, Whisper, and all the other horses we have loved and lost:

Your lives mattered. Your stories mattered. And we will continue fighting for the herd you leave behind.

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