BLM in Rock Springs to Offer Wild Horses for Adoption at Upcoming Event

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is preparing to adopt out around 50 of the approximately 1,250 wild horses it rounded up from western Wyoming rangelands last year. This marks the first such adoption event in the state since September.

The horses range from weanlings to untrained geldings and mares up to 5 years old. They're among 700 or so rounded-up wild horses being kept at corrals near Rock Springs.

The federal agency plans to reopen the corral facility to the public on Monday. People interested in adopting a horse can stop by during the adoption event on February 27 and 28. A horse specialist from the agency will be available to answer questions.

The fee to adopt a horse is $125. Although this will be the first adoption event in several months, anyone serious about adopting a wild horse can make private arrangements to view and adopt horses anytime the corrals are open.

"Most of the time, we can work people in if they're serious about adopting," Bureau of Land Management wild horse and burro specialist Jay D'Ewart said.

Last year, the agency adopted out 30 horses from the facility and 97 statewide. Other horses rounded up in Wyoming are sent to live on wild horse sanctuaries on ranches federally contracted to provide for the animals.

Many horses destined for adoption go through the Wyoming Honor Farm minimum-security corrections facility near Riverton for gentling, or training, to begin to tame the horses. The Mantle Ranch near Wheatland also provides gentling services for the Bureau of Land Management.

The last wild horse adoption event by the federal agency took place at the Honor Farm in September. The most recent wild horse roundup in Wyoming occurred in the checkerboard area of interspersed private and federal land outside Rock Springs in late September and early October.

Last year, the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation) and others filed a federal lawsuit claiming the Bureau of Land Management failed to follow environmental laws in approving the roundups. The state of Wyoming, meanwhile, filed a federal lawsuit last year seeking to reduce the number of wild horses roaming the state.

No additional wild-horse roundups are currently scheduled in Wyoming.

Originally Posted By Associated Press