US judge in Nevada hands wild horse advocates rare victory in ruling on mustang management plans

Wild horse advocates in Nevada have scored a rare legal victory. A federal judge in Reno ruled Thursday that U.S. land managers failed to adopt a legal herd management plan or conduct the necessary environmental review before 31 mustangs died during the roundup of more than 2,000 animals in Nevada last summer. The judge ordered the Bureau of Land Management to complete a formal herd management plan for the Pancake complex in eastern Nevada by next March. Horse advocates said the ruling sets a precedent that will help provide more protection for mustangs roaming federal lands in the West going forward.