Ochoco Natl. Forest asks visitors: Don’t feed wild horses

The Ochoco National Forest is reminding visitors to the Lookout Mountain Ranger District near Prineville to please refrain from feeding wild horses they may encounter.

Stopping to watch the horses and taking photos is fine, but feeding or petting wild horses can change their behavior and ultimately bring harm to the animals, officials said Tuesday in a news release.

A member of the public recently reported to the Forest Service that someone has been placing hay along Forest Road 22 near Ochoco Ranger Station, and a number of horses have been congregating along the road.

“Feeding horses may change their normal behavior patterns, and the concentration of horses along a busy road is a safety concern for both the horses and the public,” said Tory Kurtz, wild horse program manager for the U.S. Forest Service.

She added that the Forest Service is unaware of any starving horses in the area, and winter forage opportunities continue opening up, despite the recent snowstorms.

“My concern is for both the well-being of the horses and for the people visiting the forest,” said Lookout Mountain District Ranger Slater Turner. “I don’t want the people coming here for winter recreation to have a bad experience with the horses.”

The horses are part of the congressionally-designated Big Summit Wild Horse Territory, which encompasses around 25,000 acres in the Lookout Mountain area, about 25 miles east of Prineville. The horses are defined as “wild” by the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, and therefore they are not managed the same as domestic animals.

According to the Forest Service and wild horse advocates, the horses’ “wild nature” helps them survive in the forest, and helps keep them safe by limiting their interactions with humans and domestic horses.

The Ochoco National Forest offers these tips for recreating around wild horses:

— Please drive slowly in wild horse areas. You never know when a horse may jump out in front of your vehicle.

— Do not feed the wild horses. Handing out table scraps, grain, apples, or even livestock salt, can cause the horse to lose the fear necessary for survival. Poultry feed containing wheat, large amounts of grain, small yard apples, and mineral blocks formulated for other livestock can all kill a horse.

— Do not touch or attempt to tame wild horses. Doing this causes the horse to lose its fear of people and can lead to the horse being permanently removed from its habitat because of public or wild horse safety concerns.

— Never let wild and domestic horses establish a relationship. Make certain your horse has not been exposed to equine disease and is current on vaccinations and de-worming. Camp away from known water holes and gathering places.

— Don’t tie horses unattended in wild horse country. Don’t expect flimsy portable panels to keep your horse safe. Use hotwire pens to leave a lasting impression on the wild ones.

— Do not harass, chase, or harm wild horses in any way. This is a federal crime and can lead to a hefty fine and even jail time.

— If you have any concerns about wild horses, call the Ochoco National Forest office at 541-416-6500.