BLM and Wyoming Honor Farm celebrate 30 years of training and adopting wild horses and burros
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RIVERTON, Wyo. – The Wyoming Honor Farm will celebrate three decades of training and adopting wild horses and burros for the Bureau of Land Management on May 19 in Riverton. For 30 years, the Honor Farm has shared the BLM’s commitment to place excess wild horses and burros into private care in order to maintain healthy animals on healthy, productive public rangelands. This shared commitment has resulted in the adoption of approximately 4,000 horses.
“Working collaboratively with the BLM to adopt wild horses and burros is a win-win situation for all involved,” says Farm Supervisor Joe Crofts, who has been with the Honor Farm for 32 years. “Inmates who are released after working in this program have a greater chance to succeed in the outside world; adoptions help the BLM manage wild horse populations on public lands; and finally, adopters find good horses and horses find good homes.”
To commemorate this special occasion, more than 80 trained horses and burros will be offered for adoption. Photos of many of the available animals can be seen by following BLMWyoming on Facebook or Twitter. The horses to be offered were all gathered from Wyoming public lands.
“This is one of the best showcases of animals we’ve ever offered,” said Scott Fluer, BLM program specialist for the Wyoming Honor Farm. “If you need a gentled wild horse or burro, this is a special event not to miss.”
On May 19, a silent-bid adoption for halter-trained, yearling horses and burros begins at 8 a.m. At 10 a.m., a competitive-bid adoption for saddle-started horses and burros begins. Horses and burros are current on their vaccinations, de-worming and Coggins testing.
Preview the horses in advance from 12-4 p.m. on May 18, including a training demonstration by the Honor Farm at 1 p.m. Both days’ events are free and open to anyone interested in wild horses, the Honor Farm gentling process and the BLM wild horse and burro adoption program.
The BLM will provide applications and information about how to adopt on both May 18 and 19. Only covered stock or slant load style trailers are authorized for loading. Two-horse trailers are not allowed unless they are a stock or slant type, with no internal dividers.
Lunch concessions will be available at the adoption. The Wyoming Honor Farm is located one mile north of Riverton. Take U.S. Highway 26 to Honor Farm Road.
Please remember that firearms, alcohol, drugs and dogs are not allowed onsite at any time. Cell phones, smart watches, cameras, video equipment and tobacco products must be kept locked in one's vehicle while onsite. In order to maintain a positive environment for visitors, a reasonable clothing standard must be adhered to. Shorts and form-fitting clothing are prohibited.
To learn more about the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program and adopting a Wyoming wild horse, visit www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro or contact the national information center at 866-468-7826 or wildhorse@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.