January 23-25: Wild horse adoption event in Gainesville, Georgia

FLOWOOD, Miss. — The Bureau of Land Management will host a wild horse and burro placement event, offering a limited number of excess animals gathered from western rangelands, January 23-25, 2025, at the Chicopee Woods Ag Center in Gainesville, Georgia.

“The BLM has placed over 300,000 wild horses and burros into private care since 1971,” said Southeastern States Acting District Manager Shayne Banks. “This is an opportunity to provide a good home to one of America’s Living Legends.”

Around 140 animals, including online corral pick-ups and adoptable animals, are expected to be at the event, which will be open to the public January 23-24 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and January 25 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.  BLM staff will be onsite to provide more information and assist with the adoption application process.

To qualify to adopt a wild horse:

• Applicants must be at least 18 years old with no record of animal abuse.
• Homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water, and shelter.

• Corral fence must meet height requirements:
  • Adult horses - 6 feet
  • Yearlings - 5 feet
  • Burros – 4.5 feet
• Trailers must be stock type, covered, with swing gates and sturdy walls/floors.

The BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program allows adopters to receive $1,000 when they receive title to their animals after successfully caring for the horse for one year. To learn more about BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro program, visit https://www.blm.gov/whb.

Note** It is unlikely burros will be offered at this event. Burros can experience serious health issues including death from transport and/or relocation in the winter months due to extreme temperature and climatic change.

For all press inquiries, please contact Hunter Paffrath at (769) 366-4821 or hpaffrath@blm.gov