Jul 3, 2008 6:09 pm US/Eastern
Mustang Adoptions Show Horse Lovers The Wild Side
TIMONIUM, Md. (WJZ) ―
Maryland is known for its love of horses, but you might not know that Maryland has more horses per square mile than Kentucky.
Mike Schuh reports the federal government is trying to raise that figure even higher.
In western states, 30,000 mustangs run free on government lands. They're largely without predators so their numbers increase 20 percent each year.
Rave, a mustang shown on Eyewitness News Morning Edition, came in from the wild in January. Now fully gentled, he is being put on display.
"But when I got my mustang, I was really shocked at how nice he is, how trainable he is, how athletic he is, and it would be really nice if the rest of the country knew that. A lot of the horse world does not give Mustangs any credit," said Danee Rudy.
The Federal Bureau of Land Management is herding some of their horses to an arena on the Maryland line next weekend. They hope to adopt out 70 western wild mustangs.
"They're eating themselves out of house and home, and there just isn't enough water and food for these animals. And that's why the bureau comes in and helps to adopt them out," said Holly Fowler, Bureau of Land Management.
At $125 per horse, you have to have a corral and a trailer to take home your new adoptee.
There is no admission charge to get into the Red Man Ranch and Arena. Everyone is welcome whether you intend to buy a horse or not.
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