03/04/2022
Today I’ll be heading down to Florence for the first adoption event for the Sand Wash Basin Mustangs following the most recent large-scale gather. I’d like to share my thoughts for anyone considering adoption or just following along at home.
The Sand Wash Basin herd is one of the most well known HMAs in the country and thus this adoption event will surely attract emotional decisions and desperation.
The most important thing we can do to take care of these horses is to consider every aspect of adoption VERY THOROUGHLY before hitching up the trailer and heading to an auction.
I spent nearly 5 years managing a Mustang training center that adopted out over 120 Mustang every year. During this time, my success was measured by the number of horses moved into private homes. I’m going to tell you right now that I do not applaud those adoption rates. Because while I did my best to find quality homes for every horse, there were many factors out of my control. And at a BLM Adoption Event, the qualifications to adopt a WILD ANIMAL fit onto one page. It only discusses your facility and your previous convictions. It has never been the BLM’s policy to do home checks PRIOR to adoption, so many folks will flub the numbers on their paperwork thinking that maybe their 5’6” round pen will be fine… it’s only 6 inches after all. There are no questions of training skills, financial preparedness, or a plan of action during extenuating circumstances. It is incredibly easy to adopt a full-grown wild Mustang, perhaps even gelded within the last 30 days. And cheap too! Heck, they pay YOU to adopt them nowadays.
So I’m here to ask you those tough questions if you’re considering adopting a Mustang because I’ve seen what happens when things don’t work out… even for kind, well-intended individuals.
#1. Why do you want to adopt a wild Mustang?
If your answer involves anything that resembles a Disney film plot, please talk with some experienced Mustang trainers to learn about the reality.
#2. Do you have a game plan for the horse’s training?
Day 1 and your horse unloads out of the trailer scared, pacing the fence, running into the walls every time you enter the round pen… what will you do? What will you do if one month goes by with no noticeable progress? Two months? Three?
If your answer includes “ask for advice on a Mustang Training page”, please instead get connected with real-life qualified Mustang trainers in your area who can help you in person.
#3. If you plan to hire a trainer, are you financially prepared to pay $800+ per month for HOW EVER LONG IT TAKES? 6 months? 1 year? 2 years?
If you are starting with a training budget thinking that 3 months of training ought to be sufficient to turn this wild horse into a safe, reliable partner for a novice rider, please talk with an experienced Mustang trainer about setting realistic goals.
#4. Do you have a backup plan for unforeseen circumstances? Divorce? Job loss? Injury to self or horse?
I’ve handled countless relinquishments from folks who meant well, loved their horses, but fell victim to “unforeseen circumstances”. I’ve seen Mustangs end up in kill pens and trucks across the border because when faced with said unforeseen circumstances, they rehomed the horse to someone who really seemed to be a great fit during those few interactions.
If your answer to any unforeseen circumstance involves donating the horse to a sanctuary, please do not adopt the horse. Sanctuaries across the country are constantly at capacity. There is not enough land and not enough financial resources for sanctuaries to care for everyone’s horses when “life happens”.
#5. What will you do if the horse you adopt has physical issues that deem them unrideable?
Mustangs do not undergo pre-purchase exams or any vet examination other than if they “appear healthy”. Adrenaline of the adoption events can mask injuries and lameness.
#6. Did you read this entire post?
You may have the patience to train a Mustang if you’ve made it this far!
My goal with this post is not to discourage anyone from adoption, but to encourage everyone to fully consider the implications of taking responsibility for the life of a wild animal.
I’ve spent a lot of time promoting the adoptability, trainability, and magic of the Mustangs. They can absolutely change your lives if you open your hearts to them. But coming from the rescue/sanctuary world, I’ve battled on the frontlines of the never ending fight for the Mustangs who were deemed “untrainable” by folks who didn’t have the expertise needed to train them or the money to hire a trainer… the Mustangs who passed from hand to hand before finally landing in a kill pen… the Mustangs who “just didn’t work out”… and the Mustangs who people loved dearly, but lacked a backup plan for when “life happened”.
And (unpopular opinion here…) I would rather see Mustangs live out their days in BLM holding facilities than be subject to inhumane training practices at the end of someone’s patience, or hunt them down at auctions to prevent them from being shipped to Mexico, or see the lifelessness in their eyes after they pass into yet another home.
Please do not take Mustang adoption lightly... but for those who are prepared for all of the above, good luck and happy bidding!
