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BLM Hosts Adoption Event for Wild Mustangs and Burros

by KREX News Room
by Courtney Griffin

Story Created: Sep 22, 2012 at 8:23 PM MDT

Story Updated: Sep 22, 2012 at 9:32 PM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- Several people were bidding for wild mustangs and burros Saturday at the Friends of the Mustangs' fifth annual open house.

A total of 22 wild mustangs and burros were up for adoption; most of the animals were under 2 years old.

The Bureau of Land Management can have around 100 horses on its lands before it gets overcrowded.

Once that happens, there is a lack of food; as a result, the BLM gathers the animals and sends them to holding centers.

Later, they are sent to a satellite adoption center.

"The excess horses are removed from the range. We try to find them the best homes that we can with the public who are interested in adopting wild horses and burros," said Jerome Fox, wild horse and bureau specialist with the BLM.

"It's a cheap price right now, but the care that goes into taking care of these animals does take a lot of extra care and money," said Beckie Diehl, activities director for the Friends of the Mustangs.

Friends of the Mustangs volunteers say wild mustangs are more difficult to train, and folks need to make sure they can handle the responsibility that comes along with adopting a wild horse.

If the horses aren't adopted, they get sent to a holding center to await another satellite adoption open house.

The starting price Saturday was $125.

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