News.bytes Extra, issue 433

Horses, burros find new homes at Oakdale adoption event

Another adoption event coming up June 19 in San Martin

Thirteen mustangs and eight burros found new homes at the BLM wild horse and burro adoption in Oakdale May 22 and 23. Adopters came from as far away as the San Francisco Bay Area to have a look at the living legends. (text continues below)

Colton Shields works with a mustang to show gentling techniques.

Young equestrians from the San Jose area halter gentled young mustangs for an earlier adoption in San Jose and are working with more mustangs for a June adoption.

Seven halter-trained mustangs will be offered at an adoption June 19 at Sonrisa Stables, 11750 Murphy Ave., San Martin.

Riding instructor Karen Topping said three of the riders who are receiving lessons – Nicole Callinan, Lindsay Ravel and Ashley Vargas – suggested training mustangs. They picked the horses up at the Litchfield corrals two months before the San Jose adoption, but only had about five weeks to work with the horses due to wet weather. Topping developed a list of 32 tasks for the mustangs including walking on a ramp, walking on a tarp and loading and unloading from a trailer.

For additional information on the adoption event or wild horse management, contact the BLM toll free at 1-866-4MUSTANGS or the Litchfield Corrals at (530) 254-6575.   Information is also available online at www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.

Horses waiting for adoption relax in the sun:

- David Christy, BLM Central California District, 5/24/10

BLM-California News.bytes, issue 433