Appeals court rejects ranchers' bid to force quick removal of excess wild horses

On October 29, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a ruling favoring federal officials in a dispute over wild horses. Ranchers Colvin & Son, LLC and Stone Cabin Ranch had argued that the Bureau of Land Management's Gather Plans were deficient because they set no specific timetable for removals. The court found that the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act does not mandate a fixed deadline for such removals. As a result, the agency's current approach to managing excess horses was left in place.