Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, and Future of the Mustang by David Philipps

Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, and Future of the Mustang by David Philipps felt a bit like taking a horseback ride over ever-changing landscapes. One minute I was floating high on the beauty of the horses running wild. The next I was infuriated by the policies that seemingly have been poorly conceived and even more poorly implemented. I enjoyed the in-depth discussion of the history of the horse and the horse's evolution. Philipps goes to such lengths to explore the plight of the horses, the effect of the horses on the environment, the frustration of the ranchers regarding the horses, and the attempts of the Bureau of Land Management to manage the horses that at times it's hard to discern fact from opinion and reality from mythology. As a horse lover, an animal lover, it's hard for me to imagine and feel anything but annoyance with those who have such intense disdain toward wild horses. As Philipps highlights massive corruption and cruelty toward the horse that also results in wasting massive amounts of taxpayer dollars, it's hard to see human beings in a positive light. Wild Horse Country pulled me in every direction possible giving me intense feelings and making me think and re-think what I thought I knew about wild horses and horses in general, about the BLM, about the United States, about the people of the United States, about the history of the horse, and even about myself.

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