Wild Horse Fever

Did you say Wild Horses are within a short drive from West Tennessee? The wild horses of Eminence, Missouri are amazing creatures. It is quite an adventure to find them, but it is definitely worth it as long as you are up for a little weekend road trip.  These horses are believed to be descendants of horses that were freed during the Great Depression years ago from farmers that couldn't care for them anymore. In 1991 these horses were considered feral, and they were almost removed from the land because the National Park Service was worried about them damaging the land. That’s when the Missouri Wild Horse League was formed in 1992 to try and prevent the removal of these horses. There was a court case that went to the State of Missouri and to the Supreme Court of the United States where numerous appeals were filed in order to try and keep these horses on the land. In 1993 the final appeal was denied and the National Park Service received the right to remove the horses at their discretion. Though there were numerous attempts to workout a compromise, all attempts were denied. In 1994 Congressman Bill Emerson sponsored a bill to help protect this small band of horses. The bill, which eventually became a law, was to make the herd of horses a permanent part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The bill was signed by former President Bill Clinton and became a law on October 3, 1996. In 1997 the Missouri Wild Horse League began cleaning and maintaining the fields that were set aside in the bill for these horses. 

To help maintain the population and to prevent overpopulation they will remove some of the stallions. They are gelded, de-wormed, and blood is drawn for a coggins test. Once they receive the results from the coggins test and all the paperwork is in order, the geldings are then adopted out.  According to an AP News story, in early November some of the horses were rounded up. They had been getting too up-close and personal with some of the tourists who were coming to look at them in the Echo Bluff State Park. Several cars received paint damage from wild horses in the lodge’s parking lot, said Carolyn Dyer, secretary of the Missouri Wild Horse League. One of the horses even seemed to figure out how to press the button to open the lodge’s front door with its nose. [I would have liked to see that!]

Dyer said the horses that were rounded up, including three that had caused the problems, were descendants of a wild appaloosa, a breed famous for spotted coats. She said it was the “best outcome” that all of them found new homes. Even after the roundup, about 30 wild horses in four or five herds still roam in Shannon County, where traffic signs caution motorists to watch for them.

We traveled to the Broadfoot Field to find the herd that frequently is seen in that area.  How do you get there? We went through the town of Eminence and turned right onto Illinois Avenue. Then we continued on that road until we went over the first bridge and saw the Shawnee Creek sign. Then we turned left down that road. We continued until we came to a fork in the road. We parked the car in that area. The horses should be out in that field but that's no guarantee. If you get lost you can always ask one of the locals and they should be happy to help you. The locals also say it's best to find them at this location in the morning. Don't be discouraged if you didn't find any horses there. There are other herds that roam in different locations, but it would be best to have someone who is more familiar with the area to take along with you. When we were on the hunt for these horses we also encountered a cow who was in the field with the horses. The horses were very curious and cautious of the cow and almost all of their attention was on it instead of all the people taking pictures of them. We think they may be getting used to being celebrities.If you go try to find these horses be sure not to get to close to them, and do not separate from the people who are already there or who you are with because it can cause the horses to get spooked and run off. It is truly majestic to see these beautiful creatures enjoying a wonderful life, right in the edge of the Ozark Mountains.

The Eminence and Van Buren areas also has many other things you can do. Shawnee Creek is a gorgeous area and is home to several horseback riding and hiking trails. At Van Buren you can relax and float down the Current River. If you float with The Landing you can rent a canoe, kayak, raft, or tube. You can also do overnight float trips where you can camp on the banks of the Current River. Big Springs is another place that is loads of adventure. This spring is one of the largest springs in the United States and on average it discharges around 276 million gallons of cool [cold!] spring water daily. There is also an awesome hiking trail that starts at the spring and you can see several small caves. A campground flanks the Current River at Big Springs as well as cabins that are currently under a National Parks restoration project that is set to be done in 2022.  We stayed in there the last year before the renovations. They were built in the 1930’s and were absolutely wonderful cabins. The deer are so plentiful in that area that it’s nothing to see them all around the cabins - along with a few racoons if you don’t get the lid back on that can locked before night approaches! The best part about the cabins - there wasn’t any internet. Peace, quiet, and lots of family time - kind of lets you all reconnect without the world interfering.

For more information on where to find the horses and the best times to see them, you can contact the Missouri Wild Horse League at (573)226-3492 or (573)226-3339.  They also have a facebook page for more information and a website about the area - visiteminence.com