A long history of unregulated roundups and slaughter of the wild horses roaming the American Southwest inspired the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. This strong piece of legislation guaranteed protection and proper management of the horse and burro herds on public lands. This thesis discusses the aftermath of the protection act, including the successes and controversies surrounding wild horse management today. Time spent training formerly wild horses during the Summer of 2016 informs this multifaceted discussion.