Wild horses

My dad just sent me an article from South Dakota Magazine about a woman who is the president of the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB). It was interesting reading not only for the insights into the hierarchy within bands of wild horses, but also for the details on the personal commitment of this woman, Karen Sussman, to the Society's goals. She first became involved in the early 1980s, and moved the site for the ISPMB from Arizona to South Dakota when she moved there in the late eighties.

According to the article, the ISPMB currently has 350 horses on 680 acres of land near tiny Landry, South Dakota. Some placement of horses outside the refuge does occur, but the ISPMB's main goal is to preserve the bloodlines and culture, and to research behavior to better understand the horses and their "communities." Sussman even uses some of the wild horses in therapy situations, bringing them into contact with adults in alcoholism programs. Kudos to her for her activism.

I couldn't find the article on the magazine's website and so could not include a link here; however, the ISPMB has a very informative website, and in addition to details about their efforts offers links to other press coverage plus everything from horse sponsorship to travel information to visit the refuge.