Oregon State Fairgrounds Hosting BLM Wild Horse Adoptions This Weekend

There will be two wild horse demonstrations on Saturday.

Photo courtesy: BLM

(SALEM) - Nearly 40 wild horses will be offered for adoption this weekend in Salem, giving anyone interested the opportunity to get out and see wild horses up close, learn about their history and U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Adopt-a-Horse Program, and maybe even bring one home.

Animal viewing and adopter registration runs from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, at the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center, 2330 17th Street Northeast.

Animals available come from a variety of Herd Management Areas in Oregon and include 10 geldings 2-4 years old; 8 yearling geldings; 10 mares and 2 fillies 2-4 years old; 8 yearling fillies; and a 3-year-old Warm Springs Dun Appaloosa with ground training completed and saddle training started.

On Saturday, viewing and registration opens at 7:00 AM.

Adopters should arrive early and get registered. Only registered adopters can participate in the silent bidding process for the animal or animals they want to take home.

Bidding opens at 11:00 AM and closes promptly at noon.

Animals not adopted during this process will remain available for the minimum fee of $125 on first come, first serve basis.

Event goers should also check out two animal demonstrations on Saturday.

Jim Johnson, Vale District BLM Wild Horse Program Specialist, will lead a “Basic Groundwork” session in the morning, while Sue Rosen with the Adaptive Riding Institute will showcase “Mustangs for Equine Assisted Therapy” in the afternoon.

Previous years’ adopters will also be onsite with their mustangs throughout the day to answer questions and showcase successful training.

To close out the event, the Fair and Expo Center will be open from 7:00 to 9:00 AM on Sunday, for last minute adopters.

Sunday will be the last opportunity to take a horse home from Salem.

Additional adoptions this month include April 22nd at the High Desert Museum in Bend, for one saddle-trained mustang and April 27th-29th in Medford, with 26 horses, mostly yearlings, and 20 burros available.

All horse enthusiasts are encouraged to consider becoming adopters so these wild horses can be placed in good, safe homes.

With their stamina, hardiness, and quick intelligence, Oregon's wild horses make excellent partners for any discipline.

For photos of the horses available at the Salem event visit us on the Web www.blm.gov/or/resources/whb.

For more information, call the Salem District Office at (503) 375-5646 or the Burns District Office at (541) 573-4400.