Saturday is the last wild horse auction of the year at Warm Springs Correctional Facility. The auction begins at 10 a.m., but a preview of the 15 horses, both mustangs and estrays, starts at 9 .m. Absolutely no blue clothing, blue jeans, tank tops or shorts can be worn by the public. Here is a know-before-you-go list:
Why can't I wear blue jeans to the Warm Springs Correctional Facility?
This is a security issue and for the public's personal safety. Prison inmates wear blue jeans that allow security guards to readily distinguish between inmates and the public.
Can we preview the horses available for adoption before the sale date?
No, since this is a prison, horses cannot be viewed until the morning of the adoption.
Do I have to be present to adopt a wild horse? Can I send my friend?
You must be present to adopt a wild horse. You cannot send a family member or a friend.
What is the average sale price of horses trained by prison inmates?
Prices vary widely. The starting bid for any wild horse is $150, and the bid can go as high as $4,000. However, the average price is about $800 to $1,000 per animal.
It really depends on how many people are interested in one particular animal and what they are looking for.
How much training do the horses actually have?
These horses are green-broke, which means they have received 120 days training by the prison inmates.
The horses will continue to need daily training to reinforce the basics they have learned.
What are my requirements for adoption?
Even though the horses are green broke, each horse should be kept in a pen no larger than 20 by 20 feet until the animal gets used to its new surroundings and to you.
The corral should be at least 5 feet high and of heavy-duty construction using poles, pipes or planks with at least 11Ú2-inch thickness and without dangerous protrusions.
Barbed wire and large mesh-woven, stranded and electric materials are unacceptable for fencing.
You must also provide shelter from inclement weather and temperature extremes for your adopted wild horse. The shelter must have, at a minimum, two sides with a roof, good drainage, adequate ventilation and access for the animal. Tarps are not acceptable.
Do I have to pick up the horse I adopt the day of the adoption?
The Bureau of Land Management prefers you take the horse home that day, but special arrangements can be made with the prison to pick up the animal in a couple of days.
- Source: Warm Springs
Correctional Facility
