This cowgirl is causing some serious controversy in Arizona. While most people associate cowgirls with horses, people are not a fan of this woman and her connection to them. That is because this woman is trying to tackle what many see as a wild horse problem in Arizona. However, what some see as an issue, others disagree with. Now, this woman has sparked controversy with her methods and attempts to lower the wild horse population in the state.
How A Cowgirl Sparked Controversy Over The Wild Horse Problem In Arizona
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Jackie Hughes and some of her fellow cowboys have sparked some controversy. They have been using bait traps to capture wild horses to tackle the wild horse problem in Arizona. Hughes works on a government contract to remove the horses. However, she never harms them. Instead, OutdoorLife shares that the animals are "required by law to be treated humanely." Additionally, once captured, they are "taken to auction or put up for adoption." You may be wondering why Hughes and her fellow cowboys capture these horses at all.
If left unchecked, these wild horse populations grow too rapidly. This leads to negative impacts on the surrounding environment. OutdoorLife shared that "wild horse and burro populations are nearly three times what is considered appropriate for Western rangelands to support." With unchecked populations, these herds of wild horses contribute to erosion and outcompete native wildlife species for forage. However, despite this data, many animal activists are still against the capture and removal of these wild horses in Arizona and across other states.
Animal Activists Strike Back
Outdoor Life shared the story of how some of Hughes' traps were stolen from the mountain top. While she doesn't know who did it, she is no stranger to people pushing against her actions. Wild horse advocates have been giving Hughes a run for her money for a long time, and it doesn't appear as if they are going to stop any time soon.
Not only do they steal or destroy her traps, but Hughes admits that she has received threats towards herself, her family, and her cowboys as well. When speaking with the outlet, she shared a memory of the time that nails and screws were left all over the place, so all the tires in her truck and trailer blew out. This controversy is not limited to Hughes and Arizona. All across the West, this debate rages on. Whether or not wild horses are an issue for the environment, and whether or not people and the federal government have a right to get involved.
Despite receiving death threats, Hughes continues with her work. While many may not understand why she continues her work despite receiving so much pushback, it's clear she sees a larger picture. In one meadow near Big Lake, Hughes and her crew removed 650 horses in 4 years. Now, "more than 100 elk pour out of the timber." Six months prior, that wouldn't have been a possibility because the meadow was cropped down to the dirt. So while her work may be thankless, Hughes thinks it is worth the struggle if she gets to help revitalize native populations and lands.
