HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Correctional Facility (HCF), along with the Kansas Correctional Industries (KCI) and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host a Wild Horse Open House June 6-7 at the HCF Wild Horse facility located at 1101 E. Ave. G in Hutchinson. Gates will be open on Friday, June 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at 8 a.m, until 3 p.m., on Saturday, June 7.
Due to strong demand for Hutchinson-trained horses, there is a growing waiting list to adopt, but a limited number of trained horses will be offered at this event by competitive bid, Saturday at 11 a.m.
Hundreds of untrained horses that are held at the facility will also be available for adoption during the Open House. BLM staff will be on hand to process applications. These are animals that once roamed free on public lands in the West where they are protected by Federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range in order to ensure herd health and to maintain ecological balance. The adoption program is essential for achieving these important management goals.
The training program at HCF helps the inmates develop important life skills while working with the horses that are then adopted out to the general public. The success of this program can be seen by the waiting list of those wanting to adopt a horse from the HCF program and that the U.S. Border Patrol has come to rely on HCF, KCI and the BLM to supply many of the mustangs it uses to help secure the United States borders.
For more information call BLM toll free at 866-4-Mustangs (866-468-7826), or HCF directly at 620-729-3296, or visit www.blm.gov/nm.