More than 300 wild horses have been gathered by the Bureau of Land Management in western Colorado.

BLM Seeks To Reduce Wild Horse Herd

The BLM's White River Field Office began the second stage of a wild horse gathering on July 15 with the goal of getting the herd size below 235. Bait and water trap operations were conducted in June while drive-trap operations using horseback riders and helicopters began a few days ago. On Monday, 81 animals were shipped to the Axtell Wild Horse and Burro Facility.

The BLM hopes to keep wild horse populations at a manageable level, remove wild horses from private property, and "address impacts to sensitive plant and animal species including greater sage grouse."

CBS Colorado via YouTube
CBS Colorado via YouTube
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Wild Horses Available For Adoption

A total of 386 horses have been gathered and will be made available for adoption. The Adoption Incentive Program provides up to $1,000 to adopt untrained wild horses or burros from the BLM. You can see a gallery of wild horses available for adoption for a fee of $125 each.

CBS Colorado via YouTube
CBS Colorado via YouTube
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Two Wild Horse Deaths Reported

According to the BLM, only two horses have died during this gathering, both reportedly having pre-existing or chronic conditions. Emotions run high on the BLM Facebook page with comments from the public like "horse murderers",  "poor horses being sent to prison," and "animal abuse."

The public was actually invited to watch the round-up with meet-ups at two locations - one in Meeker and one at Rio Blanco Lake on an RSVP basis.

CBS Colorado via YouTube
CBS Colorado via YouTube
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Public Comments and Complaints Are Welcome

The BLM says it recognizes the public holds strong views concerning wild horse and burro gathers and says the public comment period during the NEPA process is the best place to share views and opinions. Complaints, criticisms, and suggestions can be directed to the Wild Horse and Burro National Information center at wildhorse@blm.gov or by calling 866-468-7826.

Amazing Pictures of Wild Horses of Sand Wash Basin in Colorado

Look at these amazing pictures of the wild horses of Sand Wash Basin in Colorado. There are 900 horses that live on the 160,000 acres of the Sand Wash Basin.

Stunning Pictures of the Wild Horses of Sand Wash Basin

The Sand Wash Basin HMA (Herd Management Area) is located in the northwest corner of Colorado, about 50 miles west of Craig, Colorado, and is home to over 800 wild horses. Scott Wilson is a Colorado photographer who was recently able to capture some amazing pictures of the herd.

Grand Junction Horses of Yesteryear - Robert Grant Photos

Please enjoy a number of Bob Grant photos from the Grand Valley's past. These came from a box labeled "Horse." Yep, that's it, the box was called "Horses." These were selected at random, covering a number of decades.

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