LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The wild horses up in Mt. Charleston are federally protected.
This means you are not allowed to touch, feed or go near them.
However, people don’t listen. In the latest dangerous encounter, an 11-year-old boy was kicked in the head by a wild horse up in the mountain.
“Horses are prey animals first off,” said Doug Lynch, who has a wild mustang rescue.
Lynch is surrounded by by the horses he rescued, and the ones that are still wild.
“Step out on the other side of the fence here these horses are behaving in a manner that is very defensively,” Lynch said.
It is unclear, what led to the wild horse who kicked the boy, but Lynch said he can only guess
“Most of the time if you approach a horse from behind, the horse will behave defensively that’s typically when that happens,” Lynch said.
Last month FOX5 reported a man seen on video getting dangerously close to a wild horse just to take a selfie.
Months before, a young girl was also kicked by a wild horse.
FOX5 asked Lynch, if residents are partly to blame for feeding and caring for the wild horses.
“I would say the blame falls on both parties, you know not having a good understanding of animal behavior of wild horse you cant fault a person especially a young person, at the same time a 1200 pound animal you need to respect at a distance,” said Lynch.
The USDA Forest Service responded to the scene of the child who got kicked.
“We understand how frightening and unfortunate this incident must be for the child and their family,” said the USDA Forest Service spokesperson. “This serves as a critical reminder that these horses are wild animals and can be unpredictable and dangerous when approached.”
They also suggest some safety points if you come across a wild horse, they shared :
- Do NOT approach, touch, or feed wild horses.
- Stay at least 40 feet away, which is around a “bus length,” but remember that may still be too close depending on the circumstances.
- If a wild horse approaches, back off and return to your vehicle.
- If a wild horse approaches a vehicle, roll all windows up.
- Do not open trunks or coolers if horses are nearby.
- Citations will be issued for feeding, petting, watering, or harassing horses, burros, or any other wildlife.
According to the USDA Forest Service, the boy who was kicked was released from the hospital.
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