Wild Horses AVAILABLE for adoption IN Connecticut's Heritage River Valley on August 11-12, 2007

Springfield, VA - The Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management–Eastern States (BLM-ES) will hold a special wild horse and burro adoption at the Horsebarn Hill Arena at the University of Connecticut, on August 11 and 12, 2007.

“A wonderful selection of animals will be available to good homes for an adoption fee starting at $125” said BLM-ES Director Mike Nedd.  There will be about 60 horses and a few burros at this adoption including geldings, mares, and yearling horses. “This is your chance to get that unique wild horse or burro from western rangelands that you have always wanted,” he said.

Gentled wild horses in the eastern United States are being used for trail riding, dressage, western events, and other disciplines.  They are noted for their endurance, sure-footedness and intelligence.  Burros are great companion animals and are sometimes used by farmers for predator control.

Some of these animals can trace their roots back to the beginning of the earliest European exploration of what are now the western regions of the United States.

 “Be part of America’s romantic past and imagine yourself on the back of one of these magnificent historic animals as you ride the trails or show your young, healthy horse or burro to your friends,” said Nedd.  “And you’ll help save the horses left on the range from over competition for limited food and water.” All this, while helping to preserve America’s past through the “Living Legend” of the American wild horse or burro.

The wild horse and burro adoption will be from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturday, August 11, 2007.  Remaining animals will be available for adoption Sunday, August 12, 2007, from 8 A.M. until Noon.  Animals can be viewed by the public between 1 P.M. and 5 P.M. on Friday, August 10, 2007.  The arena is located just off I-84, is easy to get to, and is open to the public with no admission charge.

Call 1-800-293-1781 for information and applications for the Storrs adoption.  Potential adopters are asked to call early to be pre-approved to avoid waiting in line. You can also visit http://www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/adoption or http://www.es.blm.gov/whb/ to get requirement information and download an application and instructions to become a qualified adopter.

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

Since the Adopt-A-Wild Horse & Burro Program began in 1973, over 214,000 animals have been adopted nationwide. Of those, there were 1,838 adopted in the region with 184 adopted in Connecticut, 250 adopted in Massachusetts, 1,361 adopted in New York and 43 adopted in Rhode Island.                                          

Directions:  From I-84 take Exit 68 in Tolland.  Travel South on Connecticut Route 195 about 6 miles to the University. You will cross Route 44 (known as Mansfield Four Corners).  Stay on Route 195 for one more mile to the Storrs Campus.  After going down the big hill where it says "campus area ahead", turn left at the 2nd traffic light onto Horsebarn Hill Road.  The road will split right away, take the left split which keeps you on Horsebarn Hill Rd.  The large red arena will be on your left.

The BLM manages more land – 258 million surface acres – than any other Federal agency.  Most of this public land is located in 12 Western States, including Alaska.  The Bureau, with a budget of about $1.8 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, and cultural resources on the public lands.

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