Wild Horse and Burro | Bureau of Land Management
Skip to main navigation
Official websites use .gov
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
lock
) or
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Flickr
Wild Horse and Burro Program
The Bureau of Land Management manages and protects wild horses and burros on 25.5 million acres of public lands across 10 Western states as part of its mission to administer public lands for a variety of uses. The Wild Horse and Burro Program's goal is to manage healthy wild horses and burros on healthy public rangelands.
About the Wild Horse and Burro Program
The Bureau of Land Management created the Wild Horse and Burro Program to implement the
Wild-Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act
(.pdf), passed by Congress in 1971. Broadly, the law declares wild horses and burros to be “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and stipulates that the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service have the responsibility to manage and protect herds in their respective jurisdictions within areas where wild horses and burros were found roaming in 1971.
Read more >>
Learn more about the Wild Horse and Burro Program:
About wild horses and burros
Program history
Educational resources
Myths and facts
Common questions from the public
Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program
Wild Horse and Burro Program data and statistics
Look up a freeze mark or microchip number
Wild Horse and Burro Blog
The Tales from the Trails blog pulls together wild horse and burro stories from across the Bureau of Land Management. These are stories about our work to manage and protect wild horse and burro herds on public lands, how animals are cared for in our off-range holding facilities and where they end up after they've been adopted to a good home.
Read more >>
Read some recent featured stories:
“Where did my horse come from?” BLM launches a new way for adopters, trainers and others to learn about their wild horses and burros
Ever wondered what a wild horse adoption event really looks like?
Successful adoptions and community engagement at Upper Yellowstone WHB Event
BLM and Wyoming Honor Farm place 45 gentled animals
Inmate-trained wild horse serves New York City police
On-Range Herd Management
The BLM manages free-roaming wild horses and burros on public lands as part of its multiple-use mission, with the goal of supporting healthy wild horses and burros on healthy public rangelands.  The BLM is responsible for determining and maintaining appropriate management levels (AML) for each herd and works to achieve that population target through a variety of management processes, including limiting reproduction in some herds through the use of birth control and gathers that remove excess animals from the range.
Read more >>
Learn more about:
Maintaining range and herd health
Wild horse and burro herd management areas
Gather, removal and fertility control actions
Science and research
Maps
Off-Range Adoptions and Sales
The BLM works to place excess animals into private care through its Adoption and Sales Programs as well as
successful partnerships
with organizations across the nation.  Many have found it personally challenging and rewarding to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro.  It is a chance to care for, and then own, a part of America’s heritage.
Read more >>
Learn more about:
Adoption Program
Sale Program
How to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro
Adoption Incentive Program
Wild horse and burro adoption and sale events
Freeze Marks
Off-range corral adoption and purchase locations
Visiting and adopting or purchasing from a public off-range pasture
Frequently asked questions
Get Involved
Managing, protecting, and finding homes for America’s wild horses and burro is challenging as it is rewarding. There are many opportunities to get involved in the management and protection of America’s wild horses and burros. The BLM relies on the hard work and determination of thousands of volunteers, partners, donors and contractors.
Read more >>
Learn more about:
Wild Horse and Burro Week
Partnerships that support wild horses and burros
Funding opportunities for off-range facilities and more
Participate in annual hearing on the use of motorized vehicles
Volunteer Service Program
Other volunteering opportunities
Advisory Board
The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board provides advice and recommendations to the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service as the agencies work to carry out their missions to manage and protect wild horses and burros on public lands.
Read more >>
Contact Us and Request Information
Do you have questions about the Wild Horse and Burro Program, or would you like to request program data?
We recommend first checking our data page
, which provides decades of population, adoption, removal and other historical data, as well as our
Frequently Asked Questions page
For additional questions or data requests, please contact the National Information Center prior to submitting a request under the Freedom of Information Act. We strive to provide substantive responses as quickly as possible and reduce the need to submit FOIA requests. FOIA requests undergo a legal process that can be time intensive and costly, which consumes agency resources and funding that otherwise can be used to help fulfill our mission of managing healthy wild horses and burros on healthy public lands.
Finally, please report any suspected inhumane treatment of wild horses and burros to the National Information Center.
Wild Horse and Burro National Information Center
866-4MUSTANGS (866-468-7826)
[email protected]
Contact information for off-range corral facilities can be found on each
facility webpage.
Contact your local BLM state, district or field office
for specific questions regarding submitting an adoption application, obtaining title and more.
To submit a FOIA request, please visit
the BLM's FOIA website
Photo credit: John Wheland
BLM to highlight wild horse Freedom and wild burro Liberty during road show for America’s 250th anniversary
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the Bureau of Land Management is hitting the road with two iconic symbols of the American West. Freedom, a wild horse, and Liberty, a wild burro, are traveling the nation to celebrate the landscapes, history, and ideals that continue to shape our country.
Read more >>
Recent Wild Horse and Burro News
BLM highlights individual and group sales of wild horses and burros
“Where did my horse come from?” BLM launches a new way for adopters, trainers and others to learn about their wild horses and burros
Ever wondered what a wild horse adoption event really looks like?
Successful adoptions and community engagement at Upper Yellowstone WHB Event
BLM and Wyoming Honor Farm place 45 gentled animals
Inmate-trained wild horse serves New York City police
How to Bring Home a Wild Horse or Burro
Visit our adoption and sales pages
Educational Resources
Find educational resources
about wild horses and burros and their management, provided by the Bureau of Land Management.
Inhumane Treatment and Illegal Sale
The BLM
provides information
to equine sale and auction facilities regarding the illegal sale of untitled wild horses and burros. If you observe or have factual information that a federally protected (untitled) wild horse or wild burro has been treated inhumanely or illegally sold to slaughter, please contact the BLM at
[email protected]
or at 866-468-7826 with your name, contact information, and specific information about what you saw or know. If possible, please include the freeze mark and/or photos.
Ongoing Gathers
Antelope/Triple B Complex Wild Horse Bait and Water Gather
Bullfrog Wild Burro Bait Trap Gather
Black Mountain HMA Wild Burro Gather
Caliente Complex Wild Horse Bait and Water Gather
Lake Pleasant Wild Burro Bait Trap Gather
Pancake Complex Bait and Water Trap Wild Horse Gather
Spring Mountains Complex Wild Horse and Burro Bait and Water Gather
Popular Links
Follow Freedom and Liberty
Look up a freeze mark or microchip number
Read a Freeze Mark
Drought management
Common Questions from the Public
BLM Library
Freedom of Information Act Request
Important Documents
Application to Adopt and Purchase
Sample Private Maintenance and Care Agreement
Sample Bill of Sale
Adoption and Sale Brochure
Adoption Requirements
Care and Feed Guide
Adoption and Sale Facilities
Federal Law Warning for Sale Facilities
Documentos Importantes
Solicitud de Adopción y Venta
Muestra de Acuerdo Privado de Manteniemiento y Cuidado
Folleto de Adopción y Venta
Requisitos de Adopción
Guía de Cuidado y Alimentacion
*Disclaimer: English is the official language and authoritative version of all federal information.