ASHLAND, Ore. — Wild horses have always symbolized freedom and the frontier. But ranchers see them as competitors for grazing cattle across millions of acres of arid range. And like the cougars and bears that have been showing up in residential areas, they're also competing with humans for habitat.

Now, a law signed by President Bush will allow the slaughter and export of horse meat from thousands of wild horses. Horse lovers are urging reversal of the measure, which was slipped into a recent federal appropriations bill by Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont.

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