About the Wild Horse and Burro Program
The public lands of the Western United States are diverse, ruggedly beautiful and majestic - as are the horses and burros that live there. These animals are born with the colors of the land upon them. The browns, blacks, reds, blues, dapple grays, and snowy whites all reflect nature's paint-brush.
As early as the 1600's, horses and burros were released by or escaped from Spanish explorers. As America's west was settled, additional horses and burros from American Indians, settlers, miners, ranchers and soldiers established the foundations of today's wild horse and burro herds. Wild herds like these symbolize our western heritage and pioneer spirit.
Today, America's wild horses and burros are found in 10 western states. It is the BLM's responsibility to preserve and protect healthy herds of wild, free-roaming horses and burros as components of the public lands. The Wild Horse Annie Act of 1959 and the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 gave wild horses and burros a legal right to live on public lands without harassment. The Adopt-A-Horse or Burro Program was initiated in 1973 to meet the challenges of balancing the health of public lands with the health of the wild horses and burros.
BLM invites you to adopt a living legend!
News
BLM Offers Trained Wild Horses For $125 Through Prison Partnership
Through a joint partnership with the Kansas Department of Corrections, Kansas Correctional Industries, and the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF), the BLM offers gentled wild horses for adoption at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility in Hutchinson, Kansas, for just $125 (the minimum fee set by law).
Mustang Magic Wows in Fort Worth
The top mustang trainers from the past year received invitations to compete at Mustang Magic at the 116th annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. The best-of-the-best competition did not disappoint.
Pauls Valley, OK, Boasts Region's Largest Wild Horse and Burro Facility
Adoptions Held Every Second Tuesday, 8 a.m. - noon
A mixed group of 50-plus animals is offered each month, often including burros and young horses.
Student Video About Mustangs Debuts on YouTube
"Free to Roam? The Mustang Debate" is a new YouTube video that describes the debate over wild horses and burros. While the debate has spawned many articles and videos, what's unusual about this video is that the producer is a 12-year-old student, Brigit Brown, of Moriarty, New Mexico.
U.S. Border Patrol Recently Added to Their Growing Stock of BLM Mustangs
The U.S. Border Patrol recently added to their growing stock of BLM mustangs pulling tough duty along our nation's borders. The agency recently adopted six mustangs from BLM at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF) in Hutchinson, Kan. The mustangs were gathered from BLM-administered public lands out west and transported to HCF to be trained by inmates in a special rehabilitation program there.
BLM Offers $500 Wild Horse Adoption Incentive
Adopters of selected adult horses can receive a $500 allowance to help offset the cost of keeping the animal. The program aims to increase placement of older horses into private ownership, greatly reducing BLM's holding costs, enabling more effective management of horses on the range.