The Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) continues to build upon its success of American Mustang adoption through innovative gentling and training programs each year. The nonprofit organization based in Georgetown, Texas is celebrating the placement of over 1,226 gentled mustangs for the fiscal year of 2016, breaking the Foundation’s previous record of 943 horses in 2015.
The Bureau of Land Management estimates 47,000 mustangs and burros have been gathered from the range and placed in off-range corrals and pastures. Care and feed costs for the animals have reached nearly $49 million per year. Through a partnership with the BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program, MHF strives to showcase the skills and trainability of the excess mustangs in hopes of increasing the adoption of the legendary horses through a number of training and adoption programs.
Extreme Mustang Makeover
MHF created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event in order to recognize and highlight the value of mustangs through a national training competition. These events give the public a unique opportunity to see the results of wild horses becoming trained mounts in 100 days of training.
Since its creation in 2007, MHF has taken over 70 Extreme Mustang Makeovers to 30 cities in 22 states, promoting the many talents and trainability of America’s Mustangs in hopes of increasing the adoption of these majestic horses. The Foundation recently celebrated 10 years of the wild-horse training event that placed over 300 mustangs into adoptive homes in 2016.
“What an incredible adventure it has been!” said Kali Sublett, MHF Executive Director. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff we truly do appreciate all that have been involved in this program and look forward to its continued success.”
The 2017 Extreme Mustang Makeover schedule is now posted at www.extrememustangmakeover.com.
Trainer Incentive Program
The Trainer Incentive Program, which is better known as TIP, was designed to bridge the gap between potential adopters and mustangs and burros housed in BLM off-range corrals. A national network of over 400 horsemen and women, who utilize natural horsemanship techniques, select mustangs and burros in holding to gentle and train and give basic skills to the animals, including haltering and leading, loading and unloading from a trailer, and picking up hooves for farrier work. Once the gentling requirements are reached, the TIP trainer solicits an adopter for the animal. The adoption fee remains $125 to BLM-approved adopters. The TIP program placed over 900 animals into adoptive care in 2016 and continues to grow.
“The success of the Trainer Incentive Program continues to amaze us. It takes great partnerships for this program to work and this includes the top-notch trainers we have across the United States who dedicate time and talent to preparing America’s wild horses and burros for adoption. As well as the adopters who are eagerly seeking out these trainer to find their perfect mustang or burro,” said Sublett.
As the need for adoption increases for America’s Mustangs, the Foundation hopes to continue the growth and success of its adoption programs. If you are interested in training, adopting or supporting MHF please visit www.mustangheritagefoundation.org to learn more.
