COLUMBIA, MO. -- On February 26 - 27, 2010, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer approximately 40 wild horses ranging from yearling to 5 years old to potential adopters at the Boone County Fairgrounds, in Columbia. You can adopt your very own wild horse in Missouri for a minimal fee.

“The BLM manages the nation’s public lands for multiple uses, in accordance with the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act,” said BLM-Eastern States Director, Juan Palma. “BLM manages wild horses and burros as part of this multiple-use mandate.”

“While the adoption process is simple and straightforward, anyone considering adoption of a wild horse should remember that the animals are wild and require gentling and training,” Palma said.

Prospective adopters must have sturdy corrals that are 20’ x 20’ (or larger), at least 6 feet high for an adult horse and at least 5 feet high for burros and horses younger than 18 months, and have a shelter directly attached to the corral. Adopters must provide a stock-type, step up trailer (ramps and side-by-side two-horse type trailers are not allowed).


The Saturday adoption will be on a first come first served basis. The animals can be previewed on Friday, February 26, from 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Adoption hours are Saturday, February 27, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A minimal adoption fee of $125 for animals less than three years of age and $25 for animals three and older is required for adoption. In addition, you can take home a buddy animal for only $25 when you adopt any animal at the full fee of $125. Applications to adopt will be reviewed starting on Friday and may be submitted until Saturday. For more information, call 1-866-4MUSTANGS (1-866-468-7826) or visit the BLM web site at www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.

Directions for the Wild Horse Adoption: To get to the fairgrounds, take I-70 to Hwy 63 North and follow the signs to the fairgrounds.

All animals available for adoption have been examined by a veterinarian, vaccinated, de-wormed, and blood-tested. Since 1971, the BLM has adopted out more than 220,000 horses and burros. To date, approximately 6,247 animals have found loving homes throughout Missouri.

The BLM manages more land - - 253 million acres - - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.