Every year the state of Wyoming holds a round up of Mustangs and wild burros. Wyoming maintains the largest population of these animals in the country. The round up is designed to keep herd numbers within the carrying capacity of the land that has been set aside for them. After the round up, most of the animals are put up for adoption.
Driving the highways of Wyoming, one can catch a glimpse of the not-so-distant past and a living symbol of the historic Old West—the Mustang. Wyoming is home to more than 3,500 mustangs, the most of any state, and is preserving a living piece of history many have forgotten.
Since the Wild and Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act was signed into law in 1971, these animals have been protected by the government to preserve a vital piece of American heritage and maintain ranges for these animals to thrive upon. The Bureau of Land Management is the guardians of these animals and works to maintain a thriving horse herd and a healthy range by keeping a balance between the two.
Periodic roundups are used to keep the numbers within the land’s carrying capacity,and many horses retrieved from these areas are available to the public for adoption by competitive bid. The BLM has adopted out more than 230,000 horses and burros since 1971, according to the Wild Horse and Burro website.
These animals are also very versatile creatures, used for ranch work, pleasure rides, and are even used as the mounts of the northern border patrol because of their innate hypersensitivity and surefootedness.
Dr. Doug Zalesky, director of the Laramie Research and Extension Center, adopted a mustang in August.
“I was first interested in mustangs after watching Mustang Days at State Fair,” Zalesky said. “It was impressive to see all of the kids on the mustangs and everything those horses could do. I also like the idea of having a part of the history of the West.”
Zalesky has had his mustang, Whiskers, for three months and is thrilled with him. “He has never offered to give us any problems and has been a true joy to work with. It has been fun to watch him progress and to watch Ryan progress at the same time with him. We have all learned from him as much as he has learned from us.”
Mustang round-ups concluded Nov. 15, but information about the gather, the program or mustang adoption can be found on the BLM website.
