Tonto National Forest Supervisor Neil Bosworth has postponed any action regarding the horses on the Salt River for at least 120 days.
Bosworth says he hopes to work with the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group and other interested parties and stakeholders to try to find a collaborative solution to address the horse issue.
Public outcry earlier this month halted a proposed roundup of about 100 free-roaming horses near the Salt River.
Burt some wilderness and wildlife experts say the plan should move ahead because the animals are destroying river habitat and harming native plants, birds and fish.
The Maricopa Audubon Society says the horses are not native to the area and their grazing habits along the river are causing devastating ecological issues.