Finding Pets For Your Kids

Most people who have ever dreamed of owning a horse are often intimidated by the purchase price. What many of them may not know is that they can buy or adopt a wild American horse instead of paying tends of thousands for a farm-raised animal. The wild horses available for these programs are the famous Mustangs of the Great Plains states, and the Chincoteague ponies of Virginia. The Bureau of Land Management regulates the sales and adoptions of these horses and ponies, which is why they expect the following from you if you go to adopt or buy.

A New or Near-New Horse Trailer

Because these horses are wild, the Bureau of Land Management, or the BLM, will expect you to have a new or near-new horse trailer for transport. These animals will be very wary of a trailer, and it is important that nothing on these trailers is broken. The horses might kick, or pull on things while in the trailer, and the BLM does not want anything broken or out of place to be the cause of injury to your new pet. You can find new horse trailers for sale online at a company like Lakota of Ohio, at farm auctions, or with horse ranches that have recently purchased one or two trailers for their own use and for the horse owners who board their horses at these horse ranches.

An Acceptable Paddock

The BLM is very strict about this requirement. They are so strict, in fact, that they want to see drawings/sketches and photos of the paddock where you intend to keep your Mustang or Chincoteague pony.  If you do not provide these pictures or drawings at the time you file your adoption paperwork for your Mustang or win your auction for your pony, the BLM will not allow you to take your horse or pony home with you.

A Large Enough Stall for Cold Weather

If your pony or Mustang is headed for a home in the northern states, you must also provide proof of board for your animal. This typically includes pictures of the barn and the stall in which your new pet will reside, as well as documentation that you have paid at least one to three months' board in advance. If you are boarding your new horsey friend on your own property, then you need to provide photos showing where the barn is in relevance to your home, and the address where you and your horse or pony are/will be living.