How to adopt a mustang from MYWY
Send your completed BLM Application to cpresley@blm.gov. Identify your app with “MYWY application” in the subject line. You must be pre-approved by the BLM to bid on and adopt one of our horses. There will be a BLM booth at the final event where you can complete this process if needed. However, this short timeline makes approval uncertain so it is best to turn in your application a few weeks ahead of time.
Want to Buy It Now? Make arrangements with the competitor to meet up with them and the horse in which you are interested. If a purchase agreement is made, provide the competitor with a copy of the email indicating you are an approved adopter and put down a non-refundable deposit. You must attend the event in Enumclaw, WA on Saturday August 3rd, 2024 to pick up your horse and consummate the sale.
At this time, there will be no online bidding but we do allow phone bids. With phone bids there is no internet delay and no interruptions. It is just like attending in person with a disinterested third party acting as your surrogate. Our past phone bidders have become successful adopters. Please send an email to theboard.mywy@gmail.com to make these arrangements along with a copy of your BLM pre-approval. We are currently investigating ways to make online bidding a possibility in the future.
Horses need to be removed from the fairgrounds by noon on Sunday, August 4th, 2024. All stalls need to be cleaned before departure or an additional fee of $25 will be assessed.
Adopter FAQ
I am interested in adopting a MYWY animal. What steps should I take?
During the summer a list of animals that will be available at the auction will be listed here on the website and shared in the Facebook group. If possible, reach out directly to the trainer of the animal and arrange a visit to get to know the animal and the trainer better. Then see our How To Adopt Page for all the details.
How can I qualify to adopt a wild horse or burro?
To adopt a wild horse or burro, you must:
be at least 18 years of age (Parents or guardians may adopt a wild horse or burro and allow younger family members to care for the animal.);
have no prior conviction for inhumane treatment of animals or for violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act;
demonstrate that you have adequate feed, water, and facilities to provide humane care for the number of animals requested; and,
show that you can provide a home for the adopted animal in the United States. See detailed adoption requirements here.
What facilities must I have to adopt a wild horse or burro?
You must provide a minimum of 400 square feet (20 feet x 20 feet) for each animal adopted. Horses less than 18 months of age should be kept in corrals with fences 5 feet high. Fences must be at least 4.5 feet high for ungentled burros and 6 feet high for ungentled horses more than 18 months of age. You should not release an ungentled animal into a large open area, such as a pasture, since you may not be able to recapture the animal for training or to provide veterinary care. However, once the animal is gentled, you may release it into a pasture or similar area.
The acceptable corral must be sturdy and constructed out of poles, pipes, or planks (minimum 1.5 inch thickness) without dangerous protrusions. Barbed wire, large-mesh woven, stranded and electric materials are unacceptable for fencing.
Posts should be a minimum of 6 inches in diameter and spaced no farther than 8 feet apart. Horizontal rails should be 3-inch minimum diameter poles or planks at least 2 feet x 8 feet. If you use poles, there should be a minimum of five horizontal rails, and when you use 2" x 8" planks, there should be at least four rails. No space between rails should exceed 12". You should fasten all rails to the inside of the post with either heavy nails or lag screws.
You must provide shelter from inclement weather and temperature extremes for your adopted wild horse or burro. Shelters must be a two-sided structure with a roof, well-drained, adequately ventilated, and accessible to the animal(s). The two sides need to block the prevailing winds and need to protect the major part of the bodies of the horse or burro. Tarps are not acceptable. Contact your administering BLM office for shelter requirements in your area.
Do I need to attend the final event in order to bid on an animal?
While we encourage you to attend in person, some horses are available through the Buy It Now Program. In addition, phone-in bids are allowed during the auction.
How much do the animals typically sell for?
There is no easy way to answer this question, as sales prices can vary dramatically based on the amount of interest in a given animal, current economy and various personal reasons. Through the years, prices have varied from the minimum bid to $10,000. We can never predict what someone is willing to pay for an animal with which they have fallen in love. We are not comfortable quoting prices due to the unpredictability of the market in any given year.
How do I pay for my animal?
You will be directed to a payment table to finish signing the necessary BLM paperwork and will pay MYWY with cash, check, money order or a credit card. All credit card transactions will be assessed a 4% handling/processing fee at the time of payment. This fee will be on the total amount of the sale plus the stall fee.
How do I retrieve my animal if I am awarded the bid?
Come prepared. Bring your truck and trailer to the event in Cle Elum ready to take your new animal home. This is especially true if you live a distance from the Horse Park. The competitor may have prior commitments and may not be able to bring the horse/burro to you. If you do not own a horse trailer, please make arrangements before arriving ~ just in case. It is now your responsibility to care for and transport the animal as the new adopter. It is also a good idea to have a water bucket and hay available as well for a potential overnight stay.
Can I leave my animal at the event facility for a few days to go get my truck and trailer?
Unfortunately you cannot. The facility is a busy place with events coming in one right after another. All of the MYWY animals must be removed with stalls stripped and cleaned by NOON on the day following the auction. These arrangements must be made ahead of time with the competitor that was training the animal.
Why do I have to pay for the stall?
As soon as you are awarded the winning bid on the horse or burro, you are now the person responsible for all of the care and payment of any incurred fees such as the overnight stall (typically this is Saturday night to Sunday morning). This fee will be collected at the same time payment is made for your horse or burro.
What if I am late in removing my animal and do not return before noon?
It is a huge inconvenience for the MYWY Board and volunteers that stay behind to make sure all animals are being fed, watered and are retrieved by their rightful adopters. It has been a long week for all of these people and they just want to get home to their families and decompress. Being respectful and honoring their time is greatly appreciated by all.
Where do the horses come from?
All horses in our program come from the short term holding facility in Hines/Burns, Oregon. They have been gathered from several wild horse herds in the south eastern Oregon area.
Will I know the herd my horse came from?
Yes, all competitors will be given documentation of the herds from which their horse was gathered and a map showing where the herd is located in the state of Oregon.
How do you get titled?
After a year’s time, a BLM representative or volunteer will come and do a site inspection of the horse and make sure all is well. At the end of that inspection, they will sign off on your horse. You will mail the paperwork back to the BLM. You will receive title by mail a short time after they receive the papers from you.