Wild Horses and Burros

The Legacy

Wild horses that once roamed the prehistoric landscapes of what is now North America are extinct. Fossils dating back 15-55 million years document their long, evolutionary history, which ended at the close of the Ice Age, according to paleontologists.

The free-roaming horses and burros seen today on the American West landscape are not native to North America. Rather, they are a diverse mix of horses and burros largely used as work animals and brought to what is now the U.S. by Spanish explorers and Europeans beginning in the late 1400s and continuing through the 1900s. Many of those horses and burros were traded, escaped confinement, or deliberately released into the wild, gradually forming herds of free-roaming horses. The result are herds of wild or feral horses that are of mix breeds brought into this country for centuries.

Federal protection today

The concern for these wild animals, no matter their heritage or genetic makeup, prompted public outcry about dwindling wild horse populations and mistreatment of the herds. That concern led to passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which prohibited the capture, branding, harassment or killing of these animals, and recognized them as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.”

The image many people have of wild horses generally derives from television or film -- purebred mustangs running free across the West, manes blowing in the wind. However, those equine “actors” are often mixed breed horses chosen for their looks, just like their human counterparts. 

Wild horses are sometimes called mustangs, which derives from the Spanish word “mesteño,” or meaning wild or untamed. Some people simply refer to them as feral or wild horses.

The Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management collectively manage 229 wild horse and burro territories, or herd management areas, across 26.6 million acres of public lands. How the two agencies are charged with managing these wild animals can be found within federal regulations.

The Forest Service's 34 active wild horse and burro territories are in seven Western states: Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah. The Bureau of Land Management manages the largest collection of wild horses through 177 herd management areas in 10 Western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. Some of the territories and herd areas are adjacent to or jointly managed by both agencies.

Wild horse and burro management

The areas where wild horses and burros roam can cover millions of acres of rugged public land. However, they are not fenced in and sometimes are found on non-federal lands, sometimes causing a nuisance. Like other wild animals, wild horses and burros move across rangelands to find food and water. While their health and well-being are of concern, the focus is to manage the land where they roam.

Like other wild animals, the agency does not provide supplemental forage or water to wild horses and burros. In rare cases, the agency may provide water. However, the focus is to ensure the landscape provides an ecological balance, supporting herd health while ensuring the land can continue to serve multiple purposes, such as wildlife habitat, livestock grazing and even recreation.

Wild horses and burros do not have natural predators, which keeps most wild animal populations relatively in check. Wild horse and burro herds can grow rapidly on western rangelands, often doubling in size within just a few years. Those growing populations can lead to severe overgrazing, degrading the landscape and disrupting water sources for all wildlife. Without food and water, they venture further and can interfere with domestic herds.

To maintain a population balance, the Forest Service uses a combination of approaches—including carefully planned gathers to reduce herd population and the use of scientifically supported fertility control vaccines to slow population growth while preserving natural herd behaviors.

Rangeland and herd management is a shared effort. The Forest Service works with a wide network of partners—local communities, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, tribal nations, scientific institutions, and wildlife specialists—to support long-term stewardship. This collaboration helps to strengthen herd monitoring efforts, expand adoption and placement opportunities, and target landscape restoration in areas of herd overuse.

Wild Horse and Burro Adoption

One method to to control wild horse herds is through adoptions to qualified people who can prove they will provide long-term care for the animals. Adopting a wild horse or burro is a structured process designed to ensure the adopter’s readiness to take on a wild horse or burro, and, above all, guarantee the animal’s safety and well being. 

Below are the core requirements and rules you must meet to be able to adopt a wild horse or burro:

Basic eligibility requirements

• You must be at least 18 years old.

• You must have no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals or violations of the Wild Free Roaming Horses & Burros Act.

• The adopted animal must remain in the U.S. until titled, which occurs one year after adoption if all requirements are met.

Facility requirements:

You must provide a safe, appropriate facility with access to feed, water and shelter. “Facility” refers to an enclosed area such as a corral, barn or stall.

Minimum space and fencing standards are:

• 400 sq. ft. per animal for untrained horses (e.g., a 20' × 20' corral).

• 144 sq. ft. per animal for trained animals exercised daily (e.g., 12' × 12' stall).

• Fence height requirements:

  • 5 ft. for yearlings or gentled horses

  • 6 ft. for ungentled horses age 2+

  • 4.5 ft. for burros

Acceptable materials

• Pipe panels.

• Wood posts and planks (minimum 1.5" thick).

• Horse-safe mesh fencing (V-mesh or 2" × 4" square).

Adoption vs. purchase

• Most animals are available for adoption.

• Horses 10 years or older, or those offered for adoption three times without being chosen, may be made available for purchase.

• There are limits on the number of animals a person can adopt each year.

You can adopt through:

• In-person events.

• Off-range corrals.

• Authorized herd adoption centers.

• Online adoption notices.

• Care and title transfer.

After adoption:

• You are provided an animal for one full year to ensure you are able provide care. 

• After the year and a successful compliance check and application for title, the forest will issue a title, transferring full ownership to you.

Wild Horse and Burro Corrals

Wild horse and burro adoption events include in-person, off-range corrals, authorized adoption centers, and online adoption notices. The Forest Service has three corrals that are used for adoptions:

• Double Devil Corrals, Modoc National Forest, California.

• Bloomfield Corrals, Carson National Forest, New Mexico.

• Enterprise Corrals, Fish Lake National Forest, Utah.

The Bureau of Land Management also works to place excess animals in private care through its adoption and sales program.

Forest Service Wild Horse and Burro Territories