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BOISE, Idaho – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host a wild horse trail challenge on Sunday, March 24.  Youths representing seven different 4-H Clubs will compete with wild horse weanlings in a trail challenge that includes navigating an obstacle course and loading and unloading from a stock trailer. The event will take place at 10 a.m. at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals, located off South Pleasant Valley Road in southeast Boise. The 4-H members will then showcase the weanlings and offer them for adoption during the Idaho Horse Expo, April 12-14, at Ford Idaho Horse Park in Nampa.

Since February, these youths have been teaching their wild horses how to lead, pick up their feet and load into a horse trailer, all of which are essential attributes to becoming a solid equine partner for a new adopter.  In all, 35 4-H members will have had the opportunity to handle a young horse and hone their horsemanship skills.

“For ten years now, this partnership has generated such excitement around our wild horse and burro program,” said Boise Wild Horse and Burro Specialist Raul Trevino. “It’s very gratifying to see the 4-H members grow and develop their skills while also helping us place horses into new homes.”

Since 2009, over 300 wild horses have been adopted into good homes, over 500 4-H members have developed wild horse handling skills and more than $43,000 has been raised for Idaho 4-H Clubs. 

“There is nothing more amazing than watching a youth touch a mustang for the first time, or more empowering than watching the same youth teach that horse to trust them as they begin the training process,” said Tina Reay, 4-H leader.

The 4-H Clubs that will compete are as follows: Critters of Gold (Canyon County), Denim and Dust (Ada County), Desperados (Ada County), Vallivue (Canyon County), Purple Sage Riders (Gem County), Ribbons and Wranglers (Payette County) and Snake River Livestock (Owyhee County).

-BLM-