# BLM Mustangs



## ALittleBitOfSaint (Dec 22, 2011)

I am considering adopting a mustang from the BLM, and I was just wondering to all of those who have adopted; once they trust you, do they have good attitudes? and are there any main things I should know about the breed before adopting?


----------



## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

all I can say is do your research


----------



## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Anecdotal evidence, but the few I've known (after breaking and training) were indistinguishable from any other domestic horse.


----------



## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

They can be great horses, but just like any breed there are good and bad ones.

Make sure you have the facilities to halter break and train your Mustang. But once you gain their trust they are very willing. I have had them for ranch and rope horses and been pleased with them and I have had few...well...I wasn't pleased with...

If you go to the BLM to pick one out, being able to read horses will work to your advantage since obviously you can't ride them. So watching them in the pens may give you insight to their personality and what will be a good fit for you.

Good luck!


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Every horse is different. A lot of the mustangs turn out to be fantastic horses that you could trust without inhibition. Others will always be a little more edgy. It's a personality thing... every horse has a different personality. Some are hot-headed, others are cool as a cucumber and everything in between.

I can tell you that it's an amazing experience, adopting, gentling and training a mustang. I just adopted a mustang this last October, and I'm loving every minute of working with him. He's still a little unsure about some things, but I think he's got a great mind and when all is said and done and he's a finished saddle horse, I think he'll be more reliable than my domestic horses so far!

I would highly suggest finding someone with experience working with mustangs and getting them to help you with the process of choosing and training a mustang. There are things you can look for that will offer a clue as to whether a certain mustang has the personality you're looking for. I can help you break into the mustang community and make some connections (there's a huge Facebook group focused on mustangs) if you're interested.

One more thing about mustangs that I have heard and so far has proved to be true in my experience: mustangs tend to think things through. A lot of domestic horses will go into a blind panic when they see something strange or something unexpected happens. Mustangs will usually assess the situation and decide how best to respond, meaning that they usually don't end up hurting themselves. I witnessed this with my mustang colt. He had found the courage to squeeze in past the wheelbarrow and come into his stall with me while I was mucking out. When I asked him to move his hindquarters however, he became uncomfortable and made a bolt for the door. The wheelbarrow was blocking his way however. I was just waiting for him to blast through, overturn the wheelbarrow, get his legs caught up in the handles, etc etc. None of this happened though. He stopped, stared hard at it and snorted quite a bit, but when I remained quiet and cooed 'eaasy', he figured there wasn't really anything to be worried about and settled right down! I have other examples of similar instances, but I won't bore you with the details... ^_^


----------



## rocelynwalker (Oct 27, 2010)

every horse is different indeed, however if you put the time patience and love into them they indeed will become a fabulous horse. i grew up riding a mustang my mom broke staight from the plains in nevada. He never had a thing done with him until age 7 and he is the best horse we ever had. once we had his trust he gave everything to us and we even taught him to pull a cart and a sleigh  we could put any small child on him and trust him to take care of him, and he was always very cautious of where he put his feet. In my opinion a great option when looking for a horse!!


----------



## Tabbi Kat (Nov 30, 2010)

I have two BLM mustangs! My adoption experience has been AMAZING!!! I highly suggest going to the pens to chose your horse. Where do you live what location are you considering adopting from? I'm a volunteer and can help you. If you would like to see videos of my horse from day one out of the pens go to my channel. Thus video is of my little herd that I took today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqdVgmaKIqs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Here is Sam Elliott on his first day out of the pens. I adopted him from the pens in Litchfield California.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpJDtr8KOlc&feature=youtube_gdata_player


----------



## McGregor Ranch (May 7, 2009)

I have three BLM's right now and have had several BLM's in the past. Since BLM horses are a mix of many different breeds what HMA they come from can have a huge difference. I would suggest if it's your first time getting a yearling instead of grown horse. I have owned BLM's that could pass for draft horses to a BLM mare that looked so much like a purebred morgan (her mane fell over the brand on her neck) that I had numerous morgan people ask me her pedigree.


----------



## mustang man (Dec 21, 2011)

*Strawberry*

Here is the mustang we adopted Feb 2011. She is now a 6 y/o mare I have to agree with Eolith on the way they seem to think things through. she may have shied a little but I have never had her buck or bolt on me. Everybody around here is amazed with where she is at now compared to when we unloaded her from the BLM pens...LOL.


----------



## Nevreme (Feb 23, 2012)

The Mustangs I have worked with and around have been some of the smartest, sweetest, and most reliable horses I have ever met.

We had a five year old gelding at my old barn who had been on the range until he was two, and then trained by a prison program. This horse was the first one to greet you at the gate, always had his head out of his stall in hopes of petting, and was our babysitter for the trails. He was a little intimidating due to his size; a massive 16 hands, and drafty to boot. But if you could sit on a horse you could trail ride him.

He also did walk/trot lessons for an autistic girl in our therapeutic riding program. I mean, he was really just an unbelievable horse.

Oh, and the best part; he never needed any emergency medical care or anything other than regular trims. This is something I have known the be the case for every Mustang I have met or heard of.

I myself have been considering adoption for a long time, but I have never started a horse under saddle much less gentled a wild thing. So have been leaning toward adopting an already broke horse from one of the prison programs that Tank (the awesome Mustang) came from. If you aren't 100% sure on gentling/training I would do some research on that.


----------



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

When good registered horses were going for $1500 for an unbroke two year old I could see why a mustang might look good to someone but now with horses so low why would anyone want to pay $125 for an inbred half starved horse when you can buy a halter broke gentle colt with papers for the same money? And the advantage to buying a non-feral horse is that youactually own the horse and are not subject to government inspection or restrictions.


----------



## prairiewindlady (Sep 20, 2011)

Why? Because once you earn the trust of a mustang, they will bond with you like no other. 

These are my "inbred half starved horses"...


----------



## Nevreme (Feb 23, 2012)

"inbred half starved"? Have you ever even seen a Mustang?

Not only are these horses that can usually keep a perfect weight on only hay and pasture, due to their hardy nature, but they are far less inbred than at least 60% of the expensive show horses you're talking about. In fact, many horses are over-priced for the sole reason of being 'line-bred' (aka, 'lightly inbred'), or having double of certain famous studs in their pedigree.

Personally I would feel safer buying a BLM Mustang than a horse with papers, at least in terms of health and genetics. Mustangs are a perfect example of 'survival of the fittest' and Mother Nature weeding out the bad genes.

Oh, and prairiewindlady; your horses are gorgeous. Is the one in the first two pictures a silver bay? He/she is simply stunning.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Nevreme said:


> I myself have been considering adoption for a long time, but I have never started a horse under saddle much less gentled a wild thing. So have been leaning toward adopting an already broke horse from one of the prison programs that Tank (the awesome Mustang) came from. If you aren't 100% sure on gentling/training I would do some research on that.


You should look into the Trainer Incentive Program (aka TIP) run by the Mustang Heritage Foundation. Also, the Extreme Mustang Makeover. Through both of these programs, you can get a gentled and often saddle broke mustang. Just something to look into and consider!

Mustang Heritage Foundation


----------



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I've seen many mustangs before the BLM has a chance to get them fed up. They are seasonally starved. The BLM prohibits the introduction of any outside horses into herds and has for the last 60 years. That's pretty inbred. Mustangs show many conformation flaws that appear when horses have been inbred with no artificial selection. Every horse I own is registered and every one has good feet and gets along on just hay or pasture. If you like mustangs then fine I hope you have good luck with them but they certainly are no bargain.

In fact they should be given away instead of sold since 70% of the BLM budget goes to supporting these horses. I think it's pretty pathetic that the government is spenting hundreds of millions of dollars to save the equine equivelent of stray dogs. None of the mustangs with the exception of the Kiger mustangs in Oregon can be traced back to anything but american stock from the early 1900's.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

kevinshorses said:


> None of the mustangs with the exception of the Kiger mustangs in Oregon can be traced back to anything but american stock from the early 1900's.


This is an incorrect statement. DNA studies have been done on several of the herds and there is one herd in particular (Murderer's Creek HMA) that has *more* and *stronger* Spanish markers than do the Kigers... which actually indicates that they may have even more in common with the conquistador horses that people are so infatuated with in relation to the Kigers.

The Kiger horses were actually selected from among the horses from the Beaty's Butte HMA in the 60's or so, which means that many of the horses running in that herd can also trace their heritage father back than the 1900's.

Also, the BLM regularly does genetic variability DNA tests to ensure that there is not a dangerous level of inbreeding taking place. The Oregon division of BLM mustang management keeps a close track on the horses and how they are interrelated. They frequently switch the horses up from one HMA to another to improve genetic variability, and I know for a fact that they intentionally leave the most conformationally ideal stock on the range to improve adoptability of the young horses brought in.

All said, the horses aren't really as inbred as you might like to think. At least the ones from Oregon.


----------



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

Eolith said:


> This is an incorrect statement. DNA studies have been done on several of the herds and there is one herd in particular (Murderer's Creek HMA) that has *more* and *stronger* Spanish markers than do the Kigers... which actually indicates that they may have even more in common with the conquistador horses that people are so infatuated with in relation to the Kigers.
> 
> The Kiger horses were actually selected from among the horses from the Beaty's Butte HMA in the 60's or so, which means that many of the horses running in that herd can also trace their heritage father back than the 1900's.
> 
> ...


i just have to stop and say that i agree with all of this and seeing as i live down the road from the one of the largest BLM holding facilities (at least on this side of the country if not in total), the BLM does a lot more for and about these horses than i'm willing to bet most people think.


----------



## heymckate (Nov 23, 2010)

I don't own one, but I leased a BLM Mustang for a year and a half. What a wonderful, amazing horse that I hope to someday have the privilege to own.

The one thing I noticed about him and the other Mustang I spent a deal of time around is that they were always a little unsure outside when not with a "herd." The more people and horses that were in the area, the more comfortable they were in the outside arena or on trail rides. There was also a dog at the barn that from a distance looked like a coyote--the one I leased constantly mistook her for one and was on edge... until he realized it was just the dog.

But what loyal, loving horses! And they are so stinkin' smart it amazes me.


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

You're absolutely right, they're super smart!

I put a saddle on my mustang the first time yesterday. I introduced the saddle pad, the girth, and the saddle separately. He was wary, but willing to let me put them on him and rub him with them. Then I tacked him up. He started to walk off a little when I pulled the girth up under him, but I told him 'easy' and he soon stopped and allowed me to continue girthing up. It's pretty impressive that he's essentially learned the my verbal command 'easy' means that nothing is wrong, he just needs to slow down and pay attention to the cues I'm giving him.


----------



## mustang man (Dec 21, 2011)

kevinshorses said:


> When good registered horses were going for $1500 for an unbroke two year old I could see why a mustang might look good to someone but now with horses so low why would anyone want to pay $125 for an inbred half starved horse when you can buy a halter broke gentle colt with papers for the same money? And the advantage to buying a non-feral horse is that youactually own the horse and are not subject to government inspection or restrictions.


I had BLM come out once to check on the well being of our horse in the first year. Now i am waiting for the paperwork that i take to the vet to get his signature saying she is in good health and once i send that back i get "title" and she is mine. Nothing too taxing or anything different then my other horses exept for the visit and a little paperwork being involved. Plus I have a wonderful horse


----------



## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes, the BLM is by no means breathing down your neck. I kept my colt in an approved pen for the gentling process, but I moved him to a more formal boarding facility once he was halter broke. I just sent the BLM an email saying hey he's gentled and I'm moving him to this address and they emailed back essentially saying "cool thanks"! No biggie.

I call all the shots. The only things I can't do is sell my mustang to slaughter or use him for rodeo stock... neither of which I have even the smallest amount of interest in.


----------



## Nevreme (Feb 23, 2012)

There is a trainer involved with TIP about five minutes down the road from me, Eolith  I worked with her for a couple months last summer. Her Mustangs are AWESOME and she has her own brand of natural horsemanship that I really like. If I do adopt I'm definitely going there.

At the moment I don't have the funds to support my own horse (not to mention I'm starting college!) so I've been trying to talk my instructor into adopting one as a barn project. We already have a two year old Welsh cross gelding that will be starting his training this summer and adding another gelding wouldn't be too hard. We just need a Mustang that's a thinker and very people oriented, because it's a lesson barn and there are kids everywhere.


----------

