The word Brumby has a few origins of where it may have come from; the name Brumby may have originated from the Aboriginal word "baroomby" which means wild. The other possibility may be from a James Brumby, who is said to have released these horses into the wild in the 1800s. It also said that he simply abandoned them when he left his home and went to Tasmania. One of these actions is believed to be the true origin of the name of the horses.
Brumbies are typically found in large herds that are called mobs or bands. A mob or band of Brumbies is usually made up like a family, a leading stallion, a mare and younger colts. The lead stallion usually acts as a father. He is easy to point out because he will follow at the back of the group to watch over them and look out for danger. The mare acts as a mother, leading the younger ones to food and water.
The Brumby has some screen time to its name such as in the 1993 film "The Silver Brumby." It is an adaptation of the series of children's books written by Elyne Mitchelle; she began writing the books in 1955 and finished in 1999 with 13 books that go into the detailed life of the Silver Brumby horses. In 1998, an animated series was made into the likeness of "The Silver Brumby". It lasted only 39 episodes, and was said to have captured the essence of the book more than the movie.
In Australia in March of 2001, there was a slaughter of Brumbies which outraged animal lovers around the world. This horrible act was carried out by the Australian Government and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. To say the least it was handled in the poorest of fashions. Many Brumbies were taken out in a vicious aerial assault. Many did not die right away so they suffered for days before dying. In some cases after the assault was ceased, some were found weeks after alive and later put down. Needless to say the National Parks and Wildlife Service was sued, thus the formation of the Save the Brumbies Inc.
A documentary and awareness film was made in 1990 "Brumby Horse Run Wild" that went over the history as well as the current pros and cons to this flourishing breed of wild horse. They are a horse of beauty but yet still pose as a pest in the eyes of some of the Australian outback. They are sometimes referred to as a pest to the outback because their hooves are so tough that they destroy and make unwanted paths in certain areas. Their droppings also contain the ingredients for diseases that are harmful to other breeds of horse and just their numbers are something of concern. There is still a group of dedicated people that want to see the Brumby Horse live on and never again see a repeat of the aerial massacre that took the lives of so many Brumby Horses.
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