Young wild horses handled by 4-H members available for adoption
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BOISE, Idaho – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) invites the public to a wild horse adoption event this weekend at the Idaho Horse Expo in Nampa. Since February, members from 4-H Clubs from around the Treasure Valley have trained their mustangs to lead, load in a horse trailer and pick up their feet. Each of these young wild horses will be available for adoption on Sunday, April 14, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. at the Ford Idaho Horse Park located at 16200 Idaho Center Blvd. in Nampa.
Horses available for adoption can be viewed in the Expo barns on the north end of the facility or at the BLM booth. On Saturday in the Main Arena, from 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., the 4-H members will present their horses in a trail challenge. On Sunday, April 14, the horses can be viewed from 9 a.m. until the final adoption preview and silent bidding process in the round pen from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Since the beginning of the partnership between the BLM and the University of Idaho’s 4-H Extension program in 2009, over 300 wild horses have been trained and adopted. Additionally, over 500 4-H members have developed wild horse handling skills and more than $43,000 has been raised for Idaho 4-H Clubs.
This year’s participating 4-H Clubs are: 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) 4-H Clubs.
To adopt a wild horse or burro, you must be 18 years of age, never have been convicted of animal abuse or cruelty, and have the proper facilities and transportation. No animal will be loaded in an unsafe trailer. All individuals must be pre-approved before they can bid on a horse. Applications may be filled out at the Idaho Horse Expo BLM booth and approved onsite.
For more information about BLM’s wild horse program, please visit: www.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.