An episode of "Oregon Field Guide," slated to air Feb. 6 at 8:30 p.m. on OPB TV, will feature a half-hour special dedicated entirely to mustangs in that state. The program will be accompanied by a dynamic multimedia website launching Feb. 3 on OPB online. 

Oregon is home to nearly 7% of the nation’s wild horses, which are among the most photographed in the United States. In 1971, Congress declared wild horses “living symbols of the pioneer spirit” and passed a law to protect them from “capture, branding, harassment or death.”

In this special, “Mustangs of Oregon,” "Field Guide" examines why a large number of horses are removed from the wild to live out their lives in permanent holding.

“We first began this simply as a story about teenagers who train wild horses to make them more adoptable; the story ballooned, opening a door to a larger controversy with many facets,” said "Field Guide" producer Vince Patton. “The program presents audiences with a variety of perspectives on the treatment of these mustangs—from government horse managers, wild horse advocates, ranchers, and horse lovers