Adopt A Horse Program - BLM

In 1971, Congress passed "The Wild-Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. This protected the Mustangs, Wild Horses, and Burros. Under this protection the Mustang population quickly grew.

The Secretary of the Interior began removing animals from the range to achieve appropriate management levels.

The Adopt-A-Horse Program was begun in 1973 in the mountains of Montana. It was a humane way to distribute the excess animals.

The Mustangs require experienced handlers usually to make fine riding animals out of them. The Spanish blood has been diluted but many of the Mustangs today still exhibit Spanish characteristics. There has been a firm held belief for several decades that there were no "pure" Spanish type horses remaining in the wild but, in recent years a few small herds have been found in very isolated areas. They have been found through blood testing to be strong descendants of Spanish breeds.

The words "band", "harem", and "herd" are used to describe grouping of horses but they fail to relay the intensity of the family bond. The stallion guards over the young, old, fillies, colts, and mares, as his family.

Mustangs need to have enough space to run freely and to live with other horses, as nature intended. Currently there is only an estimated 42,000 Mustangs free roaming on public lands. They roam in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Wyoming, and in Utah.

Horses have brought us from humble caves and huts to Palaces of Kings. They have helped till the land, carry produce to market, endure our weight riding them home. Tamed Mustangs have filled our hearts as we raced over mountains or across the plains for the sheer joy of the wind blowing through our hair.

For information on how to adopt wild Burros or horses contact:
The National Wild Horse and Burro Foundation
or The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Reno, Nevada

More information about Wildlife Laws - Wildlife Laws

• The Dominguez-Escalante Expeditions Journal:

Through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico in 1776

• I Walked to Zion:
- Young Pioneers on the Mormon Trail

• The Gathering of Zion:
- The Story of the Mormon Trail

• National Geographic's Guide to:
- Lewis and Clark Trail

• Hiking Historic Trails
- Utah's Favorite Hiking Trails

• Scenic Driving - Travel guides
- Scenic Driving in Utah

• Historical reading
- The Old Spanish Trail

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