How to Support Wild Horse Adoptions

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Protecting the Spirit of the West

Wild horses are an iconic symbol of the American West. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) protects and controls the thousands of wild horses and burros that run free across 10 Western states in the U.S. The BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program (WH&B) is dedicated to maintaining a balance between the wild horses and the rangeland resources. When the numbers exceed a level that can be maintained, the BLM holds adoption events open to the public. Individuals and organizations that are willing to provide humane and long-term care, can then adopt a wild horse or burro.

The adoption program has had much success over the years since its inception in 1971. More than 220,000 wild horses and burros have been adopted. If you are interested in the WH&B program, here are a few ways to become involved:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Love of horses
Commitment

Step 1

Decide whether you or your organization has the resources to care for one of these beautiful wild animals on a ranch or farm. Wild horses have been trained to service a variety of groups including the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard and a non-profit organization that works with the developmentally disabled.

If you do have the resources to be adopt one or more, contact your local state BLM office or their website to proceed with the adoption process. The first National Wild Horse Adoption Day will be held on September 26, 2009.
Step 2

Get involved as a volunteer with one of the many organizations that work with the BLM to promote adoptions. Groups involved include the Mustang Heritage Foundation, Wild Horses 4 Ever, the Humane Society and the American Horse Protection Association.
Step 3

Help promote the events by posting information or links on your website, blogs, or your Twitter, Facebook and MySpace pages. You can also sign up for newsletters from the BLM to stay informed. A link for the WH&B program is listed in the Resources section.

Tips & Warnings

Do your research. Before proceeding with an adoption, consider contacting others that have previously adopted and ask about their experiences, to be sure this is a program you can commit to for a long period of time.

Resources