BLM Wild Horse and Adoption Requirements
Here’s a summary of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Requirements:
Who can adopt: Applicants must be 18 or older with no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals or violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses & Burros Act. Adopted animals must remain in the United States until title transfers, which occurs one year after adoption.
Facility requirements: Adopters need an enclosed corral, barn, or stall, not open pasture, with access to feed, water, and shelter. Untrained animals need at least 400 sq. ft. of corral space (20’×20′); trained animals exercised daily need at least 144 sq. ft. (12’×12′). Acceptable fencing materials include pipe panels, wood planks (min. 1.5″ thick), and V-mesh or 2″×4″ horse fence. Fence height requirements vary: 5′ for yearlings or gentled horses, 6′ for ungentled horses two years or older, and 4.5′ for burros of any age.
Trailer requirements: A stock or horse trailer with a rear swing gate and covered top is required. Slant trailers are acceptable with dividers removed. Two-horse trailers are approved case-by-case; one-horse trailers are not permitted.
Shelter by region: Requirements scale with climate severity: southern states need shade only, western Plains states need a windbreak, coastal California and western Oregon/Washington require a two-sided shelter with roof, and most northern and eastern states require a three-sided shelter with a roof. Alaska additionally requires a heated water source.