Free-Roaming Arizona Horse Series: Episode 2 – Horses & Habitat in Crisis with Jackie Hughes on the Sitgreaves National Forest. Dive deep into the forest with us and discover the reality of the Heber horses, their habitat, and the delicate balance between herd health, wildlife, and the future of the land we locals call home.
Jackie Hughes, a federal contractor with Rail Lazy H, takes a step into the heart of the Heber horse herd, offering firsthand insight into both the condition of the horses and the land they depend on. She begins by sharing how her journey with horses started, building a lifetime of experience that led her to working directly with herd management, land stewardship, and federal contract work involving free-roaming horses across Arizona.
From body condition and herd size to water availability, forage, and long-term sustainability, Hughes discusses the health of the herd and how closely it is tied to the health of the forest itself.
Her firsthand experience allows her to explain not only the condition of the horses but also the difficult realities of managing them responsibly. She explains that horse preservation cannot be separated from habitat preservation.
As the Sitgreaves National Forest continues to face pressure from drought, overgrazing, wildfire impacts, and damaged water sources, both the horses and native wildlife are affected. Elk, deer, antelope, bears, and mountain lions all compete for the same limited resources, making balance essential for the survival of the entire ecosystem. As conditions across the Sitgreaves National Forest continue to decline, the conversation becomes less about emotion and more about responsibility.
Healthy horses require healthy land, and the Sitgreaves National Forest can no longer handle thousands of Free-Roaming Horses on the landscape.
With years of on-the-ground experience, Hughes breaks down the challenges, misconceptions, and difficult decisions that must be made to ensure both the horses and the forest have a future.
Looking to the Apache National Forest, where areas damaged by wildfire and overuse are slowly regenerating, Hughes points to a clear example of what restoration can look like when the land is given the opportunity to heal. Areas once heavily damaged are seeing vegetation return, wildlife reestablish, and the forest slowly recover its natural balance. The lesson is simple: if the forest is protected, recovery is possible—but if the land continues to fail, everything on it will suffer.
Watch Episode 2 below; you won’t want to miss it.
Free-Roaming Arizona Horse Series | Episode 2 | Horses & Habitat in Crisis
Be on the lookout for our upcoming episodes.
Heber Horses Episode 3: The Conservationist – Wildlife Balance and the Future of the Forest is currently in production, and the preview will be released soon.
Heber Horses Episode 4: The Horse Activist – What is their mission, and does their mission promote balance in the forest?
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