HAMILTON — Wild, wild horses, come and take them away!
The BLM of Montana/Dakotas will be hosting a wild horse adoption event this weekend, giving people the opportunity to not only adopt the horses but also attend a training clinic.
“You just got to put in the time and there's a good horse in every one of these horses,” said Matt Bischof.
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Bischof, the owner of the Hamilton Training Facility for the Wild Horse and Burro Program, has been working with the Bureau of Land Management for years, helping them manage wild horse populations by offering training and a space for people to come and adopt some of the wild horses the BLM wrangles.
It's something that Melissa Foster, BLM state lead for the Montana/Dakotas wild horse and burro program, says is vital.
“Wild horse herds and burrow herds are very productive. The populations grow very quickly. They can double in as little as four years. And so that's a lot of miles on the landscape to feed. And so gathering these excess horses and offering up for private care adoption helps to keep populations at a number that's sustainable on the landscape, keeping the herds healthier and the rangelands healthier that they depend on,” explained Foster.
The public will have the opportunity to come and adopt the wild horses from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
While wild horses, sometimes also known as mustangs, may seem intimidating to tame, Bischof says that with proper training, it’s not hard to rein them in.
“In some people's eyes, maybe difficult to train because they're a little bit more wild. However, I think, I mean, he was a completely wild horse,” said Bischof as he pointed to his once wild horse standing next to him. “Once you earn their trust and respect, they come around pretty fast,” said Bischof.
Wild horses also offer some advantages compared to bred horses, according to Bischof.
“They are very durable. You do have a natural selection with the wild horses. So with domesticated horses, you're gonna have a lot more, I feel like health issues sometimes because these guys have to survive out there. And so they're very trainable, though. They're very great horses,” said Bischof.
The public is invited to come and adopt the horses. You can find the training facility at 736 Alvista Loop in Hamilton.
