Chicks started thinking of them as pets.
One thing most people don't realize is that people in this country who once rode horseback as a primary means of transportation carried pistols in order to be able to kill the horse before it killed them.
Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.
When I wrote the article I came across something from the AVA site saying some people have to put horses down because they are dangerous to other animals and humans.
And a host of other reasons, some of which is to keep the animals from suffering.
I love elk meat, BTW.