PHOENIX — The city of Scottsdale is considering a plan to relocate some wild horses from the Salt River to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

The plan, proposed by a group of concerned citizens who would like to rescue some of the horses, is under review as the Arizona Department of Agriculture looks to reduce the herd by about 60%, according to Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky.

“The Department of Agriculture wants to see the herd reduced from 260-280 horses, where it stands right now, to 100,” Borowsky said.

Future management of Salt River horses unclear

The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group was under contract with the Arizona Department of Agriculture to humanely manage the horse population through a birth control darting program.

The darting program was successful, resulting in only one to two foals born a year.

But that contract expired in May, and the new contract requires three adult horses to be removed for each foal born that year. The Department of Agriculture is accepting bids through Aug. 25.

Borowsky said her focus is the humanitarian effort to save the horses because it’s unclear what happens to them when they’re sold at auction.

The plan proposed by the ad hoc citizen committee recommends relocating 50-60 Salt River wild horses to a 600-acre enclosure on the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The horses would be secluded in the far northeast quadrant of the preserve.

Borowsky said the remoteness of the area wouldn’t disrupt the horses’ lifestyle significantly.

“(It’s) very similar, without the running river, to their existing habitat,” she said.

Lack of water, however, is an issue.

“Water would either have to be trucked in, or a system would have to be put in place for it to be piped in,” she added.

Borowsky said they’re exploring all options and plan to gather input from the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission at the Sept. 9 meeting.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission not thrilled

Chairman of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission Steve Coluccio said the city of Scottsdale has done an amazing job protecting the environment for the last 30 years.

“I was very, very concerned about it. Almost frankly in disbelief,” Coluccio said.

He’s worried the horses might damage the ecosystem, similar to what happened when Brown’s Ranch operated as a cattle ranch.

“The land is so compacted by the cattle that was there that even today it won’t grow any kind of grass or any kind of small vegetation,” Coluccio said.

He added hauling in water and feed on trucks will further damage the land.

The “Preserve Pioneer,” a woman who goes by the name of Carla, helped found the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission in 1992. She called the plan to relocate the horses to the preserve “the dumbest idea” she’s ever heard because it goes against everything the preserve has worked to protect.

She said it violates city code to bring in non-native or grazing animals to the preserve.

The entire preserve spans about 30,000 acres, but Carla noted that taxpayers would pay $31 million to protect the 600 acres designated for the horses. Additionally, she said the ramifications would be devastating.

“(It) strips the land of vegetation, compacts the soil, increases invasive weed and crowds out and harms native wildlife,” Carla said.

Scottsdale Mayor Borowsky supports relocation

While Borowsky expressed support for the proposal, she noted that it remains uncertain whether they can adequately care for the horses while preserving the natural state of the area.

She said Arizona has a rich history of equestrian activities and hopes it could be a tourism driver.

“This is an undertaking to do what we can to help save these beautiful horses and keep them in our communities,” Borowsky said.

Coluccio hopes the horses will remain near the Salt River or be relocated to a more suitable home than the current preserve.

In a statement, the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group said it is exploring additional land lease options to humanely relocate the horses if awarded the next contract.”

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