Across the sagebrush basins and badlands of Wyoming, herds of wild horses still run free, their manes streaming as they gallop across country that seems made for them. Descended from animals that escaped or were released over generations, these mustangs are among the most romantic symbols of the American West.

Wyoming is home to some of the nation's most famous wild horse herds, including those of the McCullough Peaks and the vast Red Desert. Managed by the federal government on public land, they roam in bands led by a dominant stallion, living much as their ancestors did, subject to the harsh rhythms of the range.

The horses are also at the center of a bitter and long-running controversy. Their numbers can grow quickly, and land managers argue that too many horses damage the range and compete with wildlife and livestock for scarce forage and water. Roundups to reduce the herds draw fierce opposition from advocates who see the animals as a cherished heritage deserving protection.

There are no easy answers in the debate, which pits competing visions of how the public range should be used and cherished. Yet whatever their management, the mustangs endure as a powerful emblem of freedom, and the sight of a wild band running across the Wyoming desert stirs something deep in nearly everyone who witnesses it.