BOISE, Idaho — The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for managing wild horses and burros on nearly 27 million acres of public land.
If left unattended, wild horse herds can double in four to five years according to the BLM. This would cause a strain on the animals and the environment.
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So depending on the numbers, the BLM will round up horses and put them in corrals. They will also release wild horses back on the range if the numbers allow it.
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In 2019, the BLM told us they had 50,000 wild horses in corrals around the country. To feed and take care of these horses totaled around $60 million which ended up being close to three-quarters of their overall budget.
So the BLM has programs to find homes for wild horses and burros. One of those is the Mustang Mania Training Incentive Program, and we were there when trainers came to pick up their horses.
The Mustang Mania Training Incentive Program has been going on for seven years here in Idaho. This year set a new record arranging adoptions for 170 horses and burros.
"This is going to reduce the cost with 170 animals adopted," said Chris Robbins of the Bureau of Land Management in Idaho. "That is a big deal to us. That is a lot of animals we won’t have to feed for the rest of the year and these horses go to a forever home."
The program also provides a unique opportunity for trainers to adopt a horse, train their new friend and then show off what they've accomplished together at a showcase in Nampa at the end of June.
"It is definitely an emotional rollercoaster. You are going to have some ups and you are going to have some downs," said Kacey Widick, who is participating in the program for the third year. "Wild horses bring out the best in us and they bring out the worst in us. They train us as much as we train them, and in the end you walk away with a better partnership and a better horse."
Mustang Mania is one of several adoption programs the BLM features, and the BLM vets these trainers to make sure they have the proper facilities.
"This is a big part of our adoption program in Idaho, but there are other opportunities to adopt animals, especially around the Boise area, or even if you are not in the Boise area," said Robbins.
Kacey Widick picked up a palomino pinto from the Saylor Creek Herd and plans to let her children name the family's new horse.
"These horses are nice," said Widick. "They turn out to be hunter jumpers, they turn out to be dressage, western riding mountain horses. And it is kind of great for people with small budgets to find yourself a gem."
The Bureau of Land Management here in Idaho has scheduled walk-in adoption opportunities for everybody. The next event happens on March 24 (1:00p-6:00p) and March 25 (10:00a-2:00p). They are hoping to have these events about once a month in the future.
