They're starting to like people.

Just outside of Ridgecrest, California lies a quiet compound that consists of many large connected corrals with animal shelters and fields with enormous stacks – some of them three stories high – of baled hay. Some of the corrals had horses and burros and mules in them and they all had a big stack of food in there, too.

It was the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Compound. There were full grown and baby animals and some that looked just grown.

It’s the BLM’s responsibility to manage the wild range-lands and the animals those lands support. In this case it’s wild horses and burros, of which there are over 37,000 roaming ten of the western states. By federal definition a wild horse or burro is an unbranded, unclaimed, free-roaming burro or horse that lives on public lands without any interference from humans.

It is thought that these horses and burros are descendants of those that either escaped or were released by early American Tribes, Spanish explorers or the US Cavalry.

The BLM was granted authority to protect, manage and control the animals on public lands by The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. They made it their job to ensure healthy herds and healthy range-lands, as well.

The land they occupy is prime for their habitat and there are no natural predators, plus they’re protected now, so the herds enjoy good growth every year. The only problem comes when there’s too many animals for the land to support. Both land and animals would suffer. So the BLM collects some of them and keeps them in good care until they can be adopted by someone. That way, some of the horses and burros get good homes and the wild ones are assured good survival.

At the Ridgecrest, California compound all the animals are divided among the adequate number of corrals, and the animals live and interact with each other like the would naturally. Mothers and foals stay together, etc. They stay there until they’re offered up and adopted. Whoever adopts them has the responsibility to retrieve their horse or burro at their own cost and method.

Want to Know How to Adopt a Horse or Burro?

To adopt a horse, a person must be a minimum of 18 years old, have no previous animal charges, have access to enough feed, water and supplies to care properly for the animals, and they must be able to provide a permanent home for the adopted animal that’s inside the US.

It’s really cheap to adopt a wild horse or burro at $125 per animal, and $250 for a mother and baby. Each adopter can have a maximum of four animal adoptions in a calendar year. If someone wants more than that and can prove they have the means and ways, then they can take it up with the BLM prior to the sale and possibly make other arrangements.

The Wild Animals Are Provided Veterinary Care

Specially contracted veterinarians come to the compound and vaccinate, de-worm and freeze-mark them when they come in. Freeze marking is a way of identifying an animal that’s unalterable and is usually found on the left side of the horse or burro’s neck.

The adopter doesn’t actually own the horse or burro outright until a year has gone by and some authority like a veterinarian signs a statement that the animals have had good care and a good home. The statement is called a Certificate of Title and is received soon after the final investigation is done. As soon as that certification is received, the horse or burro is the adopters for good.

Many states now have wild horse and burro compounds and there are several in each of those states. The BLM has plenty of horses and burros while managing the wild range-lands.

It’s Worth Waiting to Own a Horse or Burro

Many people report having wonderful relationships with the 217,000 animals that have been adopted and tamed since 1974.

To adopt a horse, burro or mule, or to find out more, simply call the Bureau of Land Management staff at 866-4MUSTANGS. They have offices in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and some Eastern states, as well.