(Cheyenne, WY) – The Bureau of Land Management’s State Office initiated a 30-day public scoping period on Monday before it prepares an environmental assessment regarding the wild horse gentling and adoption partnership between BLM Wyoming and the Wyoming Department of Corrections.
The National Environmental Policy Act analysis is a required part of the contract renewal process, the BLM said in a press release Monday.
“The environmental assessment will analyze the possible contract renewal with the current contracted partner as well as other alternatives,” the press release states.
The current partnership involves the Wyoming Honor Farm north of Riverton, which is classified as a minimum custody facility and is part of the Wyoming Department of Corrections.
The BLM says it has worked cooperatively with the Honor Farm since 1988 to train and adopt wild horses gathered primarily from Wyoming’s public lands.
“Trainers and wild horses make positive strides together by learning to respect and trust each other, and men are transitioned in a positive way back into society,” the BLM said.
Two adoptions are held at the Honor Farm each year and are accompanied by gentling clinics, during which inmate trainers demonstrate the techniques they use to train wild horses, including catching a horse, advance and retreat, picking up feet, and beginning to ride, the BLM said.
In general, approximately 35 halter and saddle-started horses, as well as some halter-started wild burros, are available at each adoption, according to the press release.
For more information about the current program, click here.
The BLM says the scoping period for this process will conclude at 4 p.m. Oct. 23.
Click here for the full scoping notice and to provide feedback.
For more information contact BLM Wyoming State Office Public Affairs at BLM_WY_912@blm.gov.