An appellate court has ruled that a horse herd in the mountain hamlet of Placitas could be considered wild, drawing praise from an advocacy group.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the New Mexico Court of Appeals recently ruled the herd couldn't be simply rounded up under state law and must go through DNA testing.
The ruling means a lawsuit filed by the Wild Horse Observers Association will go back to a lower court in a dispute that has entangled residents in the affluent community.
Advocates for the horses want the animals to continue roaming freely in Placitas. Other residents say the horses have damaged the land and are a safety hazard.
New Mexico Livestock Board executive Director William Bunch says the state will try to comply with the ruling.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.