Wild mustangs and burros are living legends of the Wild West. These animals are a part of America’s heritage and now you can make them a part of yours.
Because their populations are growing, some of them are being gathered so they won’t starve to death. They need your help.
The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management-Eastern States (BLM-ES) Wild Horse and Burro adoption program is coming to North Carolina July 18-19 at the Triad Livestock Arena in Archdale. By adopting a wild horse, you are not only helping one horse, but helping herds of wild horses by balancing their population with the resources available to sustain them.
“Decades of careful management and attention have gone into preserving these magnificent animals,” said BLM-ES State Director Juan Palma. “With the public’s help through these adoptions, we are able to place these animals in caring homes and provide them with useful lives as they become mounts for competitions, trail riding, and personal enjoyment.”
Wild horses that have been gentled do incredibly well at Western riding events, dressage and trail riding. They are noted for their endurance and intelligence and make great additions to your farm or ranch. Burros are sometimes used by farmers and ranchers to protect young stock and sheep from predators.
Approximately 75 wild horses and burros are looking for good homes. Adoptions are by a competitive bidding process with a minimum bid of $125 for animals less than 3 years of age and $25 for animals 3 and older. Adoption hours are Friday from 1- 5 p.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 8 a.m.- noon. “There will be exceptional animals from the West and you can adopt one for a minimal adoption fee,” said Palma. “These horses are living American legends and the fee to adopt is very reasonable.”
Prospective adopters must have sturdy corrals that are 20′ x 20′ (or larger), at least 6 feet high for horses, 5 feet high for a yearling horse or burro, and have a shelter directly attached to the corral. Adopters must provide a stock-type, step-up trailer (ramps or split two-horse type trailers are not allowed).
For more information on the application process, call 1-866-4MUSTANGS or visit www.blm.gov and click on the left navigation panel Programs, Wild Horses and Burros to download an application. Potential adopters are asked to call early to be pre-approved and avoid waiting in line. You can also visit www.es.blm.gov/whb/ to get requirement information and instructions to become a qualified adopter.
Address and directions:
Triad Livestock Arena, 6296 Cedar Square Road, Archdale, N.C. 27263, 1-336-431-5198. From I-85 take U.S. 311 to Glenola. Turn left on Cedar Square Road. The Triad Livestock Arena is on the left.
All animals available for adoption have been examined by a veterinarian and been vaccinated, de-wormed, and blood-tested. Since the Adopt-A-Wild Horse and Burro Program began in 1973, more than 219,000 animals have been adopted.
The BLM manages more land ó 258 million surface acres ó than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 western states, including Alaska. The bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate throughout the Nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development and energy production and by conserving natural, historical and cultural resources on the public lands.