Adopt a 4-H trained wild horse yearling from Saylor Creek Herd Management Area next weekend
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BOISE, Idaho – On Saturday, April 17, youths representing eight different 4-H Clubs based in the Treasure Valley will compete in a trail challenge with wild horse yearlings gathered from the Saylor Creek Wild Horse Herd Management Area south of Glenns Ferry. The trail challenge includes navigating an obstacle course and loading and unloading from a stock trailer. The event will be livestreamed via the University of Idaho 4-H and BLM Wild Horse Training Program Facebook page from 9:30 a.m. to noon. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, attendance to the trail challenge will be limited to 4-H members and staff, and masks will be required.
Since February, these youths have poured countless hours into teaching their wild horses how to lead, pick up their feet and load into a horse trailer, all essential attributes to becoming a solid equine partner for a new adopter. When all is said and done, 35 4-H members will have had the opportunity to handle a young horse and hone their horsemanship skills.
“Despite challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic this past year, these 4-H members have shown an unwavering commitment to improving their horsemanship through working with a wild horse yearling,” said Raul Trevino, BLM Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at the Boise District. “It’s very gratifying to see the 4-H members grow and improve their skills while also helping us place horses into new homes.”
Beginning at 1 p.m., the yearlings will be offered for adoption for one hour. Those interested in viewing and bidding on the horses at the Boise Wild Horse Corral will need to have an adoption application submitted and approved prior to visiting the corral. The application is located here: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/wildhorse_howtoadopt_doc1.pdf. Once completed, please email it to Raul Trevino at rtrevino@blm.gov. Phone or text bids can also be submitted through 2 p.m. by contacting 208-830-4522. Adopted wild horses will be loaded from 2:30-5 p.m. that same day.
“There is nothing more amazing than watching a youth touch a mustang for the first time, or more empowering than watching the same youth teach that horse to trust them as they begin the training process,” said Tina Reay, 4-H program coordinator.
The 4-H Clubs that will compete are: Boots & Bullseyes (Ada County), Snake River Livestock (Owyhee County), Oasis Riders (Ada County), Painted Pony (Canyon County), Denim & Dust (Ada County), 2C 4-H (Canyon County), Desperados (Ada County) and Willow Creek Riders (Canyon County).
Information about each of these horses is available on the University of Idaho 4-H and BLM Wild Horse Training Program Facebook page. For more information and adoption qualifications, call the BLM at 1-866-4MUSTANGS (1-866-468-7826) or visit www.blm.gov/whb.
Since 2009, over 350 wild horses have been adopted into good homes, nearly 600 4-H members have developed wild horse handling skills, and more than $61,000 has been raised for Idaho 4-H Clubs.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which was passed unanimously by Congress and signed into law on Dec. 15, 1971. To mark this anniversary, the BLM is holding a series of events around the country highlighting the value of wild horses and burros as enduring symbols of our national heritage. Learn more at blm.gov/whb/50years.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.