(Seguin) — You are invited to not only care for, but also own a part of America’s heritage. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a two-day wild horse and burro event in Seguin this Friday and Saturday at the Seguin Events Center.
Since 1971, the BLM has been directed by Congress to maintain the country’s healthy wild horse and burro herds that roam on public lands throughout the nation’s 10 western states.
Since that time, nearly 290,000 wild horses and burros have been adopted into private care and have been described as “excellent pleasure, show or work horses.”
Crystal Cowan, of the BLM, says the adoption event this weekend will feature 120 wild horses and burros.
“They are wild animals. They are considered feral horses or burros on our public lands. If we did nothing, these animals would have babies every single year. So, if we did nothing, they would double in herd numbers every four years and triple in herd numbers every six years. The horses will be ages yearling to adult horses. Again, these animals are untouched. So, they are used to being worked like cattle in shoots for vaccinations, and deworming’s but they have not been worked on individually. And we also have burros available. A lot of times, people will use the burros to put with their livestock, with their cattle, sheep or goats to warn off or chase off coyotes or a neighbor’s dog,” said Cowan.
Cowan says the adoption begins at 10 a.m. this Friday. She says those interested will be required to be fully prepared to take the animal home.
“We do have an application because we want to make sure that folks have a good corral to put these animals in. They are wild. They will jump over a regular fence. So, we need them to have a minimum of a six-foot-tall corral with access to shelter and food and water. That corral only has to be around 20×20 which is just 400 square feet. It’s not very big. Once, the adopter has the animal gentle, they can then put the animal in whatever pasture they feel comfortable,” said Cowan.
Cowan says the adoption process includes a nominal fee. She says the process will continue through Saturday or until animals are no longer available.
“We will have a competitive bid at noon. So, if two or more people want the same animal, they can simply bid against each other. If no one bids, the animal is $125. Pay with a check or credit card or cash and take the animals home on Friday. After the competitive bids, it’s first come, first serve on Friday and then again on Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon. We will have photos on our Facebook page on Thursday late evening of the animals we have available. The event is free and open to the public and if someone is not quite ready but if they want to learn more information, they are welcome to come out. We will have several people there on staff to help answer questions,” said Cowan.
As part of its efforts to find every horse and burro a good home, Cowan says the BLM now offers up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained animal. She says this adoption incentive will be offered for every animal in Seguin.
“The adoption incentive program is fantastic. So the folks who adopt the animal on Friday or Saturday, they’ll pay whatever adoption fee they have bid the animal up to or if it’s first come first serve, $125 and then a year from now, folks who have adopted will need a veterinarian to check on their animals, fill out a form, send in that form that the veterinarian signs for us and then they’ll receive $1,000 in their checking account. So, they’ll get the $1,000 no matter what their adoption fee was,” said Cowan.
Again, the event begins at 10 a.m. on Friday. Adoptions will be held that day from noon to 6 p.m. and from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday.
Photos of the animals will become available on the BLM website beginning on Thursday. To view the photos visit www.blm.gov. The Seguin Events Complex is located at 950 S. Austin St.