Mustangs on the Move
Since 2001, residents at Hutchinson Correctional Facility have aided the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in alleviating the over-population of wild horses on federal lands in the western United States. Left unchecked, the horses can multiply to the extent that the land would not sustain their numbers, resulting in starvation and other problems for these animals.
Through a cooperative agreement between the BLM and Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI), a self-supporting unit under the direction of the Kansas Department of Corrections, a dozen minimum-custody residents care and train the wild horses with the goal of making them suitable for adoption. The program also provides resident work opportunities that help residents reintegrate back into the community. With the ability to house up to 499 horses, KCI uses donated materials to train horses rounded up by the BLM. KCI also receives a per diem for housing and care of the horses. Each spring, KCI holds a horse auction with the sales benefitting the BLM to continue the program’s funding. Horses not adopted are transferred to long-term holding locations where they live out their lives. The BLM estimates approximately 14,000 wild horses will need to be relocated and held until the current crisis abates.
For more information about the program,
visit the Bureau of Land Management’s web site at:
www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The potential owner must attain an approved application through the BLM. Upon approval, please contact Kansas Correctional Industries at (620) 625-7515, Monday through Friday, for more information.
How much does it cost to adopt an untrained wild horse?
Persons adopting untrained wild horses from Kansas Correctional Industries are charged a $125 fee that is forwarded to the BLM to cover administrative costs.
Can a person purchase a horse that is saddle trained?
Yes. Selected horses that have been saddle trained are available for purchase.
What is the cost of a saddle trained horse?
The current price for a saddle-trained mare or stud horse is $125.
What is considered to be a successful trained horse?
- Easy mounting and dismounting
- Knows the commands for walk, trot, lope and keeps its head and body collected
- Can turn either direction, stop and back up on command
- Can pick up all four feet
- Can load and unload in a four-horse trailer
Where do I get more information about how to adopt a trained or untrained horse from Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI)?
For more information, please contact:
Kansas Correctional Industries
(620) 625-7515
OR
Bureau of Land Management
(866) 4MUSTANGS
When are horses available for adoption?
Horses are available for adoption through Kansas Correctional Industries Monday through Friday by appointment.
Kansas Correctional Industries | Hutchinson Correctional Facility
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