North Texans adopt mustangs, burros from BLM event

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

Cutline: Two young mustangs drink from a water trough at the recent Bureau of Land Mangement adoption event in Greenville. The horses seem to pay little mind to (from left) Drew Smith, Robert Clark, Karrie Smith, and Lexie Smith. Clark has already adopted, and trained, some wild horses from BLM. He says the ones that appear gentle during the adoption events are often easier to train. -- Staff photo by Cope -Staff photo by Cope

April 29, 2004 -- Horseman Robert Clark carefully studied the shaggy, lithe horses that were penned in the Southwest Horseman's Club arena on April 17. He was watching for signs of temperament, and for those which wouldn't shy away at his movements.

Clark was just one of many horse enthusiasts who came to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) event in Greenville for the opportunity to adopt a wild horse or burro.

"I don't need another one, so I left my trailer at home," Clark said. "But I live just about 30 minutes away."

Clark, of McKinney, already has two horses which he has adopted from BLM -- one for himself and the other for his daughter, Rachel.

When he adopted the horses several years ago, Clark said he selected horses that exhibited "mellow dispositions. I looked for those that would come to the front of the pen."

On April 17 in Greenville, Clark was patiently surveying the horses, even though he said he wasn't there to buy another. He also shared some of his knowledge with others who were considering buying one of the adoptees, including Drew and Karrie Smith of Royse City. As they stood at one pen, two weanlings came up to the fenced-attached water trough, paying little mind to the talking people and 18-month-old Lexie Smith as she climbed on the fence. Maybe those young horses would soon find homes.

Two horses that did find a new home were adopted by Dustie and Ashley Jeffcoat of Alba. The sisters had come the day before with their stepdad, Gary Raper, who selected two 8-month-old fillies -- one sorrel and one bay. They were back on April 17, with mom Donna Raper and "horse-lover Aunt" Wanda Yarborough of Emory to load them up.

Before the horses can be loaded up, BLM officials make sure the adopters meet the qualifications, including a covered trailer to transport the adoptees to their new home, and back at the ranch, proper structures and fencing.

"We already have horses, so we had all this," Donna explained. Dustie, 12, is gearing up for her first playday to compete in barrels; and Ashley, 19, is working to pay off some medical bills incurred from a "not the horse's fault" accident. The sisters, along with their stepdad, plan to train the young fillies to be quality riding horses. Dustie and Ashley will utilize their horsemanship skills, but also will rely on their stepdad's experience to train the young horses.

BLM offers informational workshops for new owners. The next one is scheduled for Oct. 12-13 at the BLM center in Pauls Valley, Okla. Also, Susan Calhoun's "Wild Horse Foundation" offers informational training sessions the first Saturday of every month in Franklin. "We offer education so your $125 horse doesn't turn into a million-dollar headache," Calhoun said. (Wild Horse Foundation, 866-943-6863 or www.wildhorsefoundation.org.)

Having horse training experience is a plus, but not a necessity. But why even buy one of the "living legends" mustangs when so many domesticated horses are available? Clark explained he likes the wild horses because they come with "no bad habits and no issues." With the sole responsibility of training the horse, Clark can train it to be as he wants them.

The horses adopted a few years ago by Clark have done well in their new life. He has trained the horses to compete in events such as halter, western pleasure, trail, and more. For the past three years, Clark said, he has taken the horses to the BLM show competitions, as well as some open shows. Last year, one of the horses earned a High Point title.

Clark explained he uses a pressure-and-release method for training. "I make the thing I want (them to do) easy, and what I don't want them to do, hard," Clark said. "Then I reward them when they do something right."

Clark said it is important to spend time, every day, with a newly-adopted horse. "About an hour a day, for a few months, you need to just be around the horse," he detailed. "Consistency is important. ... You should try to make a little progress every day."

Ten-year-old Stacie Stroud and her sister-in-law Amy Stroud, of the Leonard area, plan to use plenty of patience as they work with the bay, yearling stud they adopted on April 17 in Greenville. "We're just going to get him ready to ride," Amy said. Stacie noted she is taking riding lessons, in both English and Western disciplines, and plans to help train the newly-adopted colt.

The horses presented for adoption in Greenville were captured about five or six months ago in Wyoming, explained BLM's Pat Hofmann. Of the 70 head of horses, over 50 were adopted by the end of the day-and-a-half event. Also, 17 burros, captured from the wild in California, were brought to the adoption, and all but a few were taken to new Texas homes.

Cody Bedford of Decatur, another BLM staff member, said after the horses and burros are captured, they are vaccinated, checked for health problems, and maybe get their hooves trimmed. The animals brought to the adoptions are "all in good health," and the staff works to ensure the horses and burros are kept safe so they can go to new homes "with no bumps or bruises."

Throughout the year, BLM staff members take wild horses and burros to various cities for adoption events. In Texas, the next adoption will be May 21-22 at the Cowboy Corral in DeKalb. In June, an adoption will be in Amarillo. The adoption event usually begins with a viewing, then an auction, on the first day. At the event in Greenville, the highest selling horse was a 2-year-old roan stud, which brought $250. After the auction, the remaining horses and burros can be adopted for the flat fee of $125 and $75, respectively.

"Anything not adopted goes back to Pauls Valley," Hofmann explained. "They are turned out for a month or two and then they are taken to another adoption event."

Pauls Valley, Okla., is one of BLM's regional adoption and caretaking sites. An adoption event is conducted there the second Thursday of each month. (800-237-3642, or www.adoptahorse.blm.gov.)

Several of the BLM staff travel with the horses and burros to the adoption events to provide information about the challenges, and rewards, of adopting a wild horse or burro. "These people are very nice and they explained everything to us," concluded Raper as they were pulling out with her daughters' two newly-adopted horses. "It was a good experience."