June 2025 BLM and NNCC saddle-started wild horse adoption a success

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nevada Department of Corrections – Silver State Industries conducted a saddle-started wild horse adoption event at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center on June 21, 2025. Forty-one qualified bidders including successful adopters from all over the United States attended the event.

Sixteen saddle-started wild horses and one saddle trained burro from herd management areas located on BLM California, Nevada, and Oregon public lands, trained for approximately four months by inmates, were adopted.

"It was great to see the wonderful turn-out and support from the public for this event, said Ruth Thompson, BLM Nevada, Wild Horse and Burro Lead. “To see what the inmates and the animals accomplished ensures that the horses are going to good homes where they will be able to use their training for any job they are asked to do.”

Successful bidders paid a combined total of $67,700 for the animals. With bids starting at $150, the event’s saddle-trained wild horse averaged $3, 982 each with a top bid of $8,000 for “Big Baby” a 4-year-old, 15 hand Sorrel from the Antelope Valley herd management area located in Eureka County, Nevada.

The successful bidders officially adopted their horses. After properly caring for their adopted animals for one year, the adopters are eligible to receive title, or ownership, from the Federal government. The BLM uses its adoption program as a primary tool to place these iconic animals into private care. The animals available for adoption typically come from overpopulated herds on public lands where available vegetation and water can become scarce as populations grow. There are no natural predators that can effectively control wild horse and burro population growth on public lands.

The BLM has placed over 320,000 wild horses and burros into private care since 1971. Many of those animals have become excellent pleasure, show, work, or companion animals.

The next saddle-trained wild horse adoption and competitive-bid auction at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center is scheduled for October 25, 2025. Additional information on this partnership, including past and current event catalogs, is posted online.

For more information about these special adoption or sale events and how to adopt or purchase your own wild horse or burro visit BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program webpage at https://www.blm.gov/whb.