Yee-Haw! Wild Horses and Burros for Adoption at Meadowood

BLM’s Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area hosted its first Wild Horse and Burro Adoption on Saturday, October 11, 2003. The successful adoption, which was the first held in the northern Virginia area in over five years, was the result of hard work by both Meadowood and Milwaukee BLM staff.

A pre-adoption was held the day before for the viewing of the 52 animals brought in from the public lands of the West. The animals which were available for adoption included yearling colts and fillies, older horses, and burro jennies with foals. Adopters and spectators all got an opportunity to admire the large selection of animals brought to the adoption.

On adoption day, the auctioneer arrived and the bidding began, starting at $125 per animal. The bidding was lively, and 23 horses and 8 burros were adopted to qualified bidders. Successful adopters at the event came from as far away as New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina, as well as Virginia. The adopters were thrilled to take their new animals home and be able to take care of them.

In addition to potential adopters, volunteers, and BLM staff, the U.S. Army Caisson Platoon from Arlington Cemetery also took part in the adoption by exhibiting two of their full-grown mustangs. These mustangs provided a glimpse of what the young horses and burros being adopted that day would one day grow into. Two out-of-state adopters, Tina Jones from Maryland and Cheryl Glasker from Pennsylvania, both brought their gentled mustangs to show the public. Additional past adopters, as well as the DelMarVa Chapter of the American Mustang and Burro Association, traveled from Delaware to support Meadowood’s first adoption..

The adoption also attracted many admirers who stopped by simply to admire the animals. Many of those who did not adopt this time left looking forward to hearing about the next time a Wild Horse and Burro Adoption will take place in Meadowood. Mike Nedd, State Director, and Gary Cooper, Lower Potomac Field Station Manager, received many compliments from the public about the quality of animals available for adoption as well as questions about when another wild horse and burro adoption will take place at Meadowood. Plans are currently underway to hold adoptions at Meadowood in 2004 on June 5-6 and September 11-12.