Wild horse advocates fighting government roundups across the West are citing past rulings that shot down their own legal challenges in urging a U.S. judge to throw out a lawsuit by livestock interests seeking the gather of thousands of more mustangs.
The American Wild Horse Preservation filed a motion in Reno Thursday to dismiss the suit by the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation and Nevada Association of Counties.
The rural groups argue more roundups are needed to cull overpopulated herds competing with livestock for water and forage. They want the Bureau of Land Management to sell some excess mustangs for slaughter.
The horse group says ranchers should be held to the same standard judges have used in rejecting roundup challenges by concluding the courts lack authority to overrule the BLM's expertise.
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