Wild horses are usually reffered to as ”feral” horses. These are horses with no human owner or caregiver.
Are there wild (feral) horses in Alberta?
Yes, there are wild horses in the province of Alberta.
Experts believe that many of these feral horses are the descendants of domesticated horses let loose in the early 1900s.
Where are there Wild Horses in Alberta?
The general region where you would find feral horses in Alberta would be along the Eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, stretching from North of the Sheep River to the Brazeau River area.
The highest known concentration of feral horses in Alberta is West of Sundre.
Are there Wild Horses in Banff National Park?
While there are wild horses in Alberta, there are no Wild Horses in Banff National Park.
While feral horses do roam free in that general region of Alberta, the provincial government has wildlife management programs in place.
These programs include rounding up feral horses as deemed necessary. Wild horses are occasionally captured and sold to the public through auction.
How Many Wild Horses are there in Alberta?
There are at least 1314 feral horses in Alberta. This is according to the most recent (February 2021) Feral Horse Minimum count.
Each year, since 2009, the Alberta government has conducted a minimum count of feral horses. This is a manual head count of horses and categorization of ages.
These counts are aerial, using a helicopter. Two people count the number of horses and they compare their results for accuracy.
The aerial head counts are conducted in regions that are broken up into “Equine Management Zones”. These zones are Brazeau, Clearwater, Elbow, Ghost River, Nordegg and Sundre.
As the name suggests, these are minimum counts. These are counts by people from the sky, and therefore the numbers are only the horses than can be seen.
The data should not be interpreted as being perfectly complete.
The main purpose of the minimum count is to provide a baseline number to compare changes year over year.
Alberta Feral Horse Minimum Counts (Since 2013)
- 2013: 980
- 2014: 880
- 2015: 709
- 2016: 854
- 2017: 1202
- 2018: 1712
- 2019: 1679
- 2021: 1314
There is a noticeable gradual increase.
Can You Hunt Wild Horses in Alberta?
No. It is illegal to shoot, hunt or snare wild horses in Alberta. They are protected under the Stray Animals Act.
While it is a crime to hunt or trap feral horses, the Alberta Government will round up a certain number of them for management purposes. These horses are often sold to the public.
In Summary
- There are feral horses in Alberta.
- They are mostly along the Eastern slopes, with the largest population near Sundre.
- The provincial government keeps track of the quantity of wild horses by counting them from a helicopter.
- It is illegal to shoot, hunt or snare wild horses in Alberta.
