BLM offering Cold Creek wild horses for public adoption and sale
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RIDGECREST, Calif. – Wild horses from southern Nevada public rangelands will be offered for adoption and sale Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Bureau of Land Management’s Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, 3647 Randsburg Wash Road, Ridgecrest.
The BLM plans to offer 57 geldings ranging in age from 2 to 20 years old, and 25 fillies and geldings under 2 years old. The mustangs are from the Cold Creek area of the Wheeler Pass Joint Management Area near Las Vegas.
Event gates open at 7 a.m. and a live auction gets underway at 8 a.m. Horses not taken during bidding will be available on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The adoption fee is $125. The sale fee is $25.
The BLM and the U.S. Forest Service gathered the animals from the Cold Creek area to maintain wild herd populations at levels that can be sustained with available forage and water.
To qualify, adopters must be at least 18 years old and have no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals. BLM staff members will interview all prospective adopters to be sure they meet the BLM adoption requirements. Newly adopted horses must be kept in corrals with at least 400 square feet of space per animal (20 feet by 20 feet), surrounded by a six-foot fence built of pipe or boards. Adopters can keep horses under 18 months old in corrals with five-foot fences. Adopters must provide a shelter to provide protection from extreme weather.
Title to adopted wild horses and burros remains with the federal government for one year. After providing a year of good care, adopters can receive the title. Those who buy animals, receive title to their animals immediately. Buyers must sign an affidavit stating they have no intention of giving away or selling the animal for use in commercial products.
Wild horses and burros are protected by the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act, a federal law. The law recognizes the animals as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the west,” and requires the BLM and U.S. Forest Service to manage wild-herd populations.
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.