The Bureau of Land Management manages wild horses and burros on Western public rangelands in a manner consistent with its overall multiple-use mission, which takes into account all natural resources and authorized uses of the public lands.

 

As mandated by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, as amended, the BLM protects, manages, and controls wild horses and burros to ensure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands.

 

If an overpopulation of wild horses and burros exists on public lands, the BLM gathers excess animals and offers them to the general public for adoption. The BLM presents these animals at adoption events and at BLM facilities throughout the United States. For a current listing of the BLM’s adoption events, please visit our adoption schedule. 

 
In addition to placing wild horses and burros into good homes through the adoption program, the BLM directly sells animals that are more than 10 years old and those younger that have been passed over for adoption at least three times. These animals are located in the BLM’s long- and short-term holding facilities. If you are interested in buying older wild horses or burros and need more information, please visit our wild horse sales program.