A reward offered for information leading to the shooter of wild horses in the Central Alberta foothills has increased from $500 to $3,000.

Bob Henderson, a spokesman for the Wild Horses of Alberta Society, said donations from concerned individuals and businesses has increased his organization's original reward offer.

Three wild horses were discovered shot on New Year's Day in the foothills west of Sundre.
(Courtesy Wild Horses of Alberta Society)

"We have a beautiful, wild, living symbol of our past running free in our hills," he said. "In my own heart, I don't know who would be so ruthless to do something like that."

Discovered on New Year's Day

Henderson was in the foothills west of Sundre with his wife Doreen on New Year's Day when they came across the carcasses of two foals and a mare that were already scavenged by wolves.

"My wife cried for a long time. We had recognized two of the foals lying dead. We had taken pictures of them in October and my wife named them. So it was really, really upsetting for us."

Bob Henderson of the Wild Horses of Alberta Society and his wife Doreen came across the carcasses of the three horses.
(CBC)

A total of 16 wild horses have been killed in the area since 2004, he said. Henderson, who suspects one shooter is behind the deaths, said the RCMP and provincial wildlife as well as forestry officials are investigating.

The horses are on Crown forest land, but cattle can graze in the area in the summer, he said.

"Some individuals think the horses eat all the grazing, others use them as wolf bait so they can lure in the wolves, so they can shoot the wolves."

Wild Horses of Alberta Society has been lobbying the government to pass legislation to better protect the horses.