A recent evaluation by a National Research Council committee sheds light on the National Wild Horses and Burros Program.
A: There are approximately 45,000 horses currently residing in short-term and long-term holding facilities. Due to consistent removals to manage the population on the rangelands, the number of “free-roaming” horses in captivity now exceeds the number on the rangeland. The cost to maintain each horse in captivity for the remainder of its life is estimated to be around $16,110.