Eastern Idaho 4-H Club Members to Partner and Train Wild Horse Yearlings
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REXBURG, ID. – On Thursday June 9, University of Idaho 4-H members from around eastern Idaho will arrive at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Rexburg to pick up wild horse yearlings (aged 12 - 18 months) that they will then train in preparation for the Eastern Idaho Fair in Blackfoot September 3 – 10, 2016. The yearlings, gathered from Idaho’s rangelands following last year’s Soda Fire, will be showcased during the Fair, and then offered to the public for adoption.
The pairing of yearling with a 4-H club trainer will take place through a random drawing. Viewing of the wild horse yearlings will begin at 4:30 p.m., with the drawing taking place at 5:00 p.m. Additionally, horse trainer Mario Johnson of Georgetown, Idaho will work with a wild horse and offer gentling tips to those interested in training a mustang. “I think this is the greatest program there is for kids,” said Bingham County 4-H Leader Jane Mickelsen. “They learn responsibility, they learn patience; and I feel like in learning to deal with animals, you learn to deal with people better.”
The partnership has been a shining example of success. Since the program’s inception, every young wild horse that has been trained has been adopted – that’s over 250 wild horses that have found good homes in Idaho or surrounding states. The 4-H groups have raised over $15,000 to support their programs—a true win-win for all involved.
“Potential adopters see a great benefit if a wild horse has been handled and experienced good ground work training methods,” said Kevin Lloyd, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist.
For questions about the wild horse yearling pick up, please contact Kevin Lloyd at (208) 879-6209. You may also contact Raul Trevino, Boise District Wild Horse Specialist at (208) 896-5915 for any additional questions about adopting a wild horse from the Boise BLM Wild Horse Corrals.
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.