Governor Katie Hobbs, Arizona Board of Regents Announce Genetic Viability Study For Salt River Horse Herd

Phoenix, AZ - Today, Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Board of Regents announced a $325,000 grant to fund a comprehensive genetic viability study of the Salt River Horse Herd, pairing state university researchers with natural resource managers to protect the herd's long-term health. The announcement comes after the Arizona Board of Regents voted unanimously in favor of funding the study as a part of their Regents' Grant program.

The study will be conducted jointly by genetics and horse researchers at Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona along with assistance from federal wild horse experts at the US Geological Survey. To ensure scientists can establish an accurate baseline, the Department of Agriculture has paused herd removals under the current management plan for 2026 and 2027 while research is underway.

Data gathered during the two-year study will provide the Arizona Department of Agriculture with science-based findings to assist in their herd management decisions.

"Arizona's Salt River horses are a beloved part of our state's heritage, and they deserve management that protects the herd for generations to come while preserving the natural ecosystem they rely on," said Governor Katie Hobbs . "Partnering with our world-class state universities will give us the independent data we need to make informed and responsible decisions."

"The Regents' Grant program puts the research expertise of Arizona's public university faculty to work on important challenges facing our state," said ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear . "Arizonans care deeply about the Salt River Horse Herd, and this research will give the Arizona Department of Agriculture sound, science-based data so that any decision about the herd's future is made carefully, transparently and grounded in evidence."

Read more about the study approved by ABOR here .

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