Neighbors say almost 1,000 horses run wild near Alamo

The New Mexico State Land Office is evaluating a wild horse concern near Alamo on a state land property known as the Berry Ranch.

Neighbors to the ranch estimate that up to one thousand wild horses live on the unmaintained ranch, which has limited access to water and food.

Kim Nance, a veterinarian, is one of the neighbors who has noticed the wild horse population grow over the years, causing issues with bordering ranches. She said there is concern that the wild population could carry disease to ranchers’ domesticated herds. Over the years, the horses have been known to damage fencing, eat food meant for cattle, and even steal other horses.

Nance recalled once watching a stud round up some of their mares and take them off with them, “We were pretty lucky to be able to find them and get them right back.”

Nance said she is also concerned about the health of the wild horses.

“There are years when we have really bad drought and the horses have all their ribs showing. You see a lot of them limping, a lot of trauma, broken legs and nobody is there to take care of the animals when they’re suffering,” Nance said, “It’s hard to watch.”

According to Joey Keefe from the New Mexico State Land Office communications, the Berry Ranch was originally acquired by the state in an exchange with the Navajo Nation, who used it as a trade for a culturally significant parcel owned by the state.

“The way those exchanges work is that an entity that is wanting to do the exchange has to purchase a parcel of land or parcels of land, that are essentially equal value to what land they’re trying to get from the state land office. So it’s not necessarily the exact same acreage, but the same appraisal value.” Keefe said.

New Mexico land commissioner documents show the Berry Ranch was included in an exchange for 41,805 acres in 2018. The letter states that “the land will generate significantly more revenue for the beneficiaries, mainly common schools.”

Keefe said there have been previous conversations with the Navajo Nation showing interest in leasing the Berry Ranch back to them for agricultural use. Now, with the official report of the wild horses, he said the State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is setting up an appointment to speak with the leadership at the Navajo Nation and discuss that potential, “Those conversations are still open,” Keefe said, “but nothing has been finalized yet.”

Documents suggest that the ranch has been left unattended since 2018.

Keefe said that on May 8, they sent State Land Commission staff in their service division to assess the situation, but a report was unavailable before the EDC deadline.

He said they are taking the issue of the wild horses’ well-being and potential damage to surrounding ranches seriously. Their goal is with the evaluation they can develop a plan to take care of the situation.

“The issue of wild horses in New Mexico is throughout and it’s kind of a really big issue. And there haven’t been great solutions yet, to be honest with you.” Keefe said.

He said potential options include relocating them or having an adoption program.

The New Mexico State Land office manages nine million surface and 13 million mineral acres in the state to raise revenue by leasing it for oil, gas, minerals, agriculture, business, renewable energy projects and commercial operations. The state trust land was allocated to New Mexico by the federal government under the Ferguson Act of 1898; the mission is to use the revenue for New Mexico public schools, hospitals, colleges and other public institutions.

Ninety-five percent of the revenues go to public schools.

Each tract of land is tied to a specific beneficiary, and in the case of the Berry Ranch, revenue from it is 98.6% allocated for common schools, according to State Land Commission documents.