BLM wild horse and burro auction Jan. 5

DAVENPORT – While online livestock and horse sales aren't anything new, many people are not aware that wild horse and burro adoptions are also offered online. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has their first auction of 2021 coming up on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

BLM Outreach Specialist Paul McGuire said the online horses help provide an extra venue for people to consider adopting one of these iconic animals.

"BLM has been conducting online adoptions for approximately 20 years, holding 7 to 8 events per year. Since 2010, we have placed over 5,300 animals through Internet events," McGuire shared.

Over 200 horses and burros are being featured at the Jan. 5 auction, ranging from young colts to geldings and mares under 5 years old. Older horses from 6 to 10 years old are also available. Wild, free-roaming wild horses can be found on public lands across 10 western states, according to the BLM. Wild burros roam rangeland in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Oregon. Pursuant to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the BLM and U.S. Forest Service manage wild horses on subsets of public lands where the animals were found upon passage of the Act in 1971. These areas are known as Herd Management Areas.

The horses and burros are unbroken and pass through a veterinary check before being sold. McGuire said the reason people choose to adopt one of these animals varies.

"People adopt or purchase horses and burros from BLM for many different reasons. Some do so for the pure pride and joy of owning a living symbol of the American West. People train and use the animals for work, recreation or show," McGuire shared. "Some people acquire them simply as companion animals or, in the case of burros, to help guard livestock. The most common age of animals offered for adoption/sale is 3 to 5 years old."

In order to be eligible to adopt a wild horse or burro, buyers must complete and sign an application describing the adequacy of their facilities. Facilities must provide 400 sq. feet of corral space per animal with a corral built of pipe panels, wood post, planks (min. 1.5" thick), horse fence ( V Mesh or 2" X 4" square). A standard corral height of 5 feet high for yearling or gentled horse of any age 6 feet high for an ungentled horse two years or older and 4.5 feet high for a burro of any age. Shelter against inclement weather and freezing temperatures must also be provided. To ensure buyers are meeting the care requirements, McGuire said the BLM does compliance checks.

"As with all animals adopted from BLM, animals adopted through the Online Corral are subject to periodic compliance checks by BLM personnel to ensure the wellbeing of the animals," he said.

In addition, the BLM asks buyers to sign a legal declaration that the horses are not going to slaughter. Horse slaughter was banned in the U.S. in 2005. A further step to prevent these horses from going to slaughter includes limiting a buyer to only four horses in a 12 month period.

"As with all adoptions and sales through BLM, adopters/buyers must sign a declaration that they will not re-sell or transfer the animals to anyone whose intent is to process the animals into commercial products," McGuire noted.

Incentive program

To encourage more adopters to give a wild horse or burro a good home, the Adoption Incentive Program provides up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained wild horse or burro from the BLM. The Adoption Incentive Program allows qualified adopters to receive up to $1,000 when adopting an eligible wild horse or burro on or after March 12, 2019.

"The goal of the program is to reduce BLM's recurring costs to care for unadopted and untrained wild horses and burros while helping to enable the BLM to confront a growing over-population of wild horses and burros on fragile public rangelands," according to the BLM website.

To date, there are 177 herd management areas across 26.9 million acres of public lands. Most wild horses and burros living today are descendants of animals that were released or escaped from Spanish explorers, ranchers, miners, the U.S. Cavalry and Native Americans.

Wild horses and burros are diverse in their coloring, ranging from solid brown and black to colorful pintos and palominos. Most wild horses stand 13 to 15 hands high (52-60 inches) and weigh from 700 to 1,000 pounds. Wild burros average 11 hands high (44 inches) and weigh about 500 pounds.

Photos and descriptions of the animals available at the Jan. 5 online auction can be found on the BLM website under the Wild Horse and Burro Program.