Last Updated on June 23, 2025 by adminahb
‘Spirit’, a beautiful 3-yr.-old Appi boy, who is still with his family band, greets Calstate Univ. student Ciera (foreground).
By: William E. Simpson II, Wild Horse Fire Brigade
The first 2-week session of our summer Wilderness Wild Horse Ecology-Ethology Field Study course was completed by our Calstate students! We’re currently putting together a short video interview with the students about their experiences here in the program.
We are now into our second year of this exciting, world’s first university program that is taught in the wilderness of the Cascade-Siskiyou mountains among a herd of 200 naturally-living free-roaming wild horses!
The students left here uplifted and with an understanding of wild horse ecology-ethology that can only be gained via living-among the wild Ones… and with empirical experience for which there is no substitute.
We call our study and teaching method the ‘Goodall Method’ in honor of Dr. Jane Goodall, who in 1960 pioneered this study method in Africa with chimpanzees, and 65 years later, we have proven that the ‘Goodall Method’ is still the Gold Standard for garnering high resolution observational data in the field of ethology and ecology.
Students at Wild Horse Fire Brigade’s ‘Wilderness Wild Horse Field Study Program‘ are taught the complex nuances of wild horse ethology and social engagement rules that dictate ‘if’, ‘when’, and ‘how’ it’s OK to approach a wild horse who indicates an interest in meeting a human. It has taken William 11 years of (full-time) living among the herd and its family bands in the wilderness to learn their ways. Now, after 5 years living in the wilderness with the herd full-time, William’s partner Michelle Gough has also mastered those skills as well and is a co-instructor with William.
Understanding the dire straits that American wild horses have come to at the hands of bad management by the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service, as well as the adverse genetic impacts inflicted by some ‘wild horse advocates’ and some nonprofits who are supporting and/or are using sterilizing chemicals (PZP – GonaCon), we are working on several strategically key initiatives that we have proven can save wild horses and maintain their evolutionary genetic vigor in a manner that is sustainable and avoids genetic erosion and future extinction.
We are seeking funding from people who are serious about the sustainable evolutionary-level conservation of American wild horses.
Funding supports these initiatives and more:
- Research and development of ground-breaking programs to address and remedy the plight of America’s remaining wild horses in off-range holding as well as wild horses being targeted for roundup, sterilization, and potentially slaughter; and,
- Ongoing ecological-ethological research with our native herd of heritage of 200 wild horses; and,
- Our university programs; expanding the opportunity for even more pre-qualified university science students to attend; and,
- Horse rescue and rewilding programs and pilot studies; and,
- Educational outreach to the general public via mailings, media, published research articles, interviews, and lectures; and,
- Litigation when warranted. We are currently gearing up for potential legal action in 2025.
As many wild horse advocates know, we are an all-volunteer IRS accredited 501-c-3 nonprofit public benefit corporation. So donations to our Org are very effective.
Michelle and I average 100 hours each week working on the many aspects of keeping our programs and momentum going.
And of course, we have hard operational costs that must be met, along with program costs. For instance, our Org has been funding the Calstate program, which are the next generation of wild horse advocate-scientists…. the future.
So with all that said, PLEASE consider helping us with a generous donation so we can continue helping the Wild Ones and securing their future on the American landscape.
Here is where you can donate online quickly and securely:
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=E5WT67QR5H6X8
Alternatively, you can send a check made out to:
Wild Horse Fire Brigade
404 South Main Street
Yreka, CA 96097
WHFB’s IRS tax identification number is 26-4567698.
Thank you!
Visit www.wildhorsefirebrigade.org for more information.