Adopting a Wild Horse
As we get closer and closer to our trip, we’re currently in the works of finding our horses (which is BEYOND exciting!). I thought it would be a good time to talk about how to adopt a mustang because there are TONS of options. I think there is often hesitation in adopting untrained mustangs for a lot of people because of the amount of work and time that needs to go into training. However, adopting a completely green wild horse is definitely not your only option! That’s why I’d like to share the various routes available to anyone looking to adopt a wild horse.
BLM Adoption
Alright, let’s start with the most obvious route: adopting an untrained horse directly from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM hosts a series of adoption events every year across many states. Gentled horses cost $125, though may cost more if bought through competitive bidding. Additionally, the Adoption Incentive Program provides qualified adopters up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained mustang. The BLM has placed over 240,000 wild horses into care since the program started in 1971.
A wild horse at the Wheatland Off-Range Corral in Wheatland, Wyoming
A Trainer showcases his Mustang at an Extreme Mustang Makeover event.
TIP Trainers
The Trainer Incentive Program (TIP), started by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, supports hundreds of trainers who work with wild horses and find them homes. The program has helped find homes for over 14,000 wild horses and burros and supports a network of 1,175 approved trainers in 47 states. The Mustang Heritage foundation provides a great map on their website to help find TIP trainers near you.
Extreme Mustang Makeover
It’s only right that we would talk about this program next, as it was also started by the Mustang Heritage Foundation. The Extreme Mustang Makeover is a competition created for trainers to transform their horses “from wild to mild” over approximately 100 days of training. The trainers eventually compete for various prizes at events across the country, which also helps showcase the trainability of American Mustangs. Ultimately, these events also promote the adoption of more horses: some of the participating “Makeover” Mustangs are auctioned off at the end of the competition to private buyers. Over the past 14 years, over 3,940 wild horses have been taken into private care through Extreme Mustang Makeover events. Check out their website to see a schedule of upcoming events.
Wild Horse Inmate Programs
This is a really innovative concept: putting wild horses in the hands of inmates at correctional facilities to facilitate healing and gentling of both the human and the horse. Programs like this exist in many correctional facilities but one that we are specifically looking into is the Wyoming Honor Farm, located in Riverton, WY. The individuals participating in the program get to bond with a horse as they go through the motions of “gentling” the Mustang to prepare it for training. At the end of the program, the participants showcase their animals at an event where attendees can bid on the horse they’d like to take home. To apply to adopt through this (and any) program, you must be able to prove you have sufficient means to transport and house your horse. You can find more information about the application process here. The New York Times had a phenomenal article from 2017 on the Northern Nevada Correctional Center’s Wild Horse Program; be sure to give it a read as well, and check out the gorgeous photos included in the piece.
Wild Horse Rescues
In addition to all of these programs, there are tons of rescue organizations that have Mustangs up for adoption. A quick Google search will bring up lists of local rescues in your area. Some rescues operate simply as “sanctuaries” for wild horses while some operate just like a regular animal rescue, where the horses they save from various situations are adopted out to the right homes.
Above: Participants in the Extreme Mustang Makeover
A participant in the WY Honor Farm program showcases his gentled Mustang.
We hope you learned a bit about the numerous ways to go about adopting your very own Mustang - whether you’re choosing a horse fresh off the range or one who’s been gentled, or even one who’s trained enough to jump through a freakin’ flaming hoop!
As for adoptions for our project, we’re somewhat limited due to Covid restrictions so our plans have been slightly adapted to the current situation. We will be doing a combination of adopting gentled horses from the Wyoming Honor Farm online auction as well as getting some from TIP trainers, and then rounding out the herd by leasing some from generous members of our incredible WiW community! The leased horses will be perfect for the less horse-savvy members of our filming crew ;)
xoxo,
the Wild Women