First Things First

Now, right off the bat.

One of the biggest controversies that arise from the discussion of wild horses in Alberta is the the validity of the term "wild".

Alberta SRD (Sustainable Resource Development), Fish & Wildlife, and the other aspects of the government that are asked to comment or begrudgingly answer questions surrounding their origins, care and future will deny, deny, deny the horses heritage and historical significance. They simply pass them off as stray livestock who either escaped or was dumped off in the wilderness to fend for themselves.

What a sad comment on the province's lack of pride in their heritage and history.

First of all, take a look at this herd:

Do they look like a mixed group of breeds?

They are all the same size. They are all the same colour type.

They all have the same physical characteristics.

I can recognize a Mustang whether domesticated or wild as easily as any Arabian, Tennessee Walking Horse, Morgan or Clydesdale.

They are a specific BREED of horse because they have a uniform genetic type. Yes, they probably are descended from a mixture of multiple breeds, but over a period that spans hundreds of years just like other breeds of horses.

I contend that the process of breed development was probably the most thorough and efficient of any horse breed in existance, based simply on the premise that if a generation or individual was weak, unhealthy, or otherwise unfit, it wouldn't survive to breed and contribute to the genetic pool.

DNA testing of caught mustangs show a largely significant amount of Spanish Mustang blood, in the same capacity of those horses caught in the BLM Mustang Program in the USA. While it is true that many horses of different breeds may have some spanish mustang blood, they do not have the same amount and type as the mustangs caught in North America.

So if Mustangs aren't a Breed, Can somebody please tell me what Breed these horses are?