Have questions about wild mustangs or our TIP program? This is the page to look through! We get lots of questions, so we have tried to compile the most common ones here!

Where do the horses come from?

According to the BLM, "American wild horses are descended from domestic horses, some of which were brought over by European explorers in the late 15th and 16th centuries, plus others that were released or escaped captivity in modern times. Over this 500-year period, these horses (and burros) have adapted successfully to the Western range. Regardless of the debate over whether these animals are native or non-native, the BLM manages horses and burros on public lands according to the provisions of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which describes the animals as "wild" rather than feral."

What do you mean by "wild" ?

A wild horse is much like any other wild animal...for the most part, it should be considered untouched (at least voluntarily) by human hands. Because horses are prey animals, humans are basically considered predators, so they tend to be terrified at first. Loud noises, confined spaces, or fast movements can cause them to react quickly, and even violently if they feel trapped or threatened. However, with proper handling, exposure, and training, wild horses gentle very well, and adapt to domestic life with few issues. After it has been trained, you won't be able to tell whether that nice trail riding companion or show-ring competitor was born domestic or wild, except for the neck freeze-brand!

What does "BLM" stand for?

Bureau of Land Management

Does the BLM manage all wild horses in the U.S.?

No. There are estimated to be well over 100,000 wild horses roaming free across the United States. Some of these are on reservation lands, while others live on state lands managed by the forest service. Most however, estimated at around 70,000 horses and 15,000 burros (according to a 2020 count), live on BLM lands. This breaks down to 29.6 million acres of land in 10 states, which contain roughly 177 herd management areas (HMA's). In addition, there are another roughly 40,000 maintained in holding facilities awaiting adoption or residing in permanent pastures. You can tell whether a mustang was born, managed, and/or caught on BLM lands by its unique neck brand.

Why can't the horses just stay out on the range and live freely?

Although this is a romantic notion at best, reality is not as nice. I have personally witnessed herds of wild horses, underweight, and I have seen skeletons of horses that have passed away during times of western drought. Life on the range is rough, and truly only the toughest survive. Furthermore, horses share these lands with more native animals such as bison, elk, mule deer, and even cattle, all of which consume a tremendous amount of vegetation. There must be a balance, but there are few predators that can balance the numbers of large animals like bison and horses. Overpopulation and overgrazing cause immense destruction to the lands, the vegetation, and causes great suffering to the animals themselves. As a result, the BLM works to manage the population of the non-native animals such as the horses and burros, in an effort to help the balance of all entities that share the land.

What does "TIP" stand for?

Trainer Incentive Program.

How do you become a TIP trainer?

To become a trainer, you first need to be familiar with horse training in general, and better yet, have experience training a wild horse or two. You must have proper facilities for housing wild horses, according to BLM requirements. Then, you apply through the Mustang Heritage Foundation. Additional details can be found here: https://mustangheritagefoundation.org/tip-trainers-current-applicants/

How do you select horses for your TIP program?

TIP trainers usually drive to their nearest BLM holding facility, or a BLM-authorized "storefront" (private contract holding facility). Each trainer has their own method for selecting the horses, but it is usually based on the demand in their local area. In our area, we find potential adopters are USUALLY new to training mustangs, so they want younger, easier-to-train, calmer horses. Of course, there are always exceptions, but once the trainer gets a feel for what potential adopters are looking for, they try to find horses that will meet that criteria.

If mustangs are so great, why are they so inexpensive?

Mustangs make wondeful horses! However, there is a lot of work involved, and some risk. Unlike purchasing a domestic horse, when you adopt a wild horse, you don't get the luxury of riding it, watching it lunge nicely, or pre-purchase examinations. You must base your decision on quick glimpses or photos of the horse in a holding facility. Once you get home, you have to train them from the beginning. All that requires more time, knowledge, risk, and effort--and sometimes money--than when purchasing a domestic horse. The pricetag, however, has no reflection on the future potential of the horse, so don't be scared of by the low number!

I've heared mustangs are really hardy. If I adopt a mustang, does it have a chance of health problems like my domestic horses?

Certainly there is always a chance you could wind up with a health issue. I have seen horses that have some joint problems or deformities when rounded up, but this is extremely rare, since such horses seldom survive long in the wild. You are more likely to experience temporary, stress-related issues if you get a horse from a holding facility. A huge advantage of adopting a horse from a TIP trainer is that the trainer has had the opportunity to evaluate the horse in greater detail, and get a feel for its health and temperament. On rare occasion, I have had horses come in with ring worm, thrush, or shipping fever, but even those are not common and are usually cleared up prior to leaving our farm. We have only had one case where an adopted horse was determined to have a congenital health issue, and the adopter chose to return it. The most common issue we encounter is their hooves being overgrown and needing a good, balanced trim as soon as possible. Most horses arrive healthy and ready to train. That said, once a mustang enters domestic life, he is managed like any other domestic horse, and thus can potentially suffer from any issues that affect domestic horses. Poor feed can cause colic, poor trimming jobs can cause hoof issues, etc. These issues are usually preventable with good management, though. The most common issue I see is well-intentioned owners who adopt these horses and try to put them them on a diet full of sweet, rich feeds. This causes more issues than anything! Remember, these are horses that have survived on range forage and natural minerals for generations. Sweet feed and over feeding with lack of exercise has the potential to cause many health problems in these otherwise low-maintenance horses.

If I adopt a horse from the BLM, can you train it for me?

We get this request a lot, and unfortunately, at this time, we do not offer that service. We have limited facilities and limited time. Our goal is to help horses in holding find good homes, and we cannot do that if our pens are full of privately owned/adopted horses. We do, however, occasionally offer training demonstration clinics, and we also welcome you to watch us work with a horse you are considering adopting. Feel free to ask! As a side note, we are considering expanding our facilities to offer this service in the future, so stay tuned!

If I adopt one of your TIP horses, how trained will it be?

That depends. A TIP horse is considered "gentled" by BLM definition. This means, at a minimum, it meets 3 specific criteria--it can be approached/haltered/led around. It will pick up its feet when asked and allow them to be cleaned, and it will load/unload into a trailer. That said, the horse has often only been with us for about 10-14 days in many cases, so there is still much to do! In our program here at Red Gate Farm, LLC, we also try to set a solid foundation, based on natural horsemanship methods. We teach the horse to give to pressure, respect personal space, stand for grooming, we do a lot of desensitizing to a variety of stimuli, and much more. Depending on the horse, available time, and other factors, we may take them as far as saddling or even riding! Adopters should still consider the horse VERY green, though, with a tendency toward flight initially. It will take many months of consistent work to help the horse "forget" its naturally wild tendencies, and adjust to domestic life and human presence.

What are the physical characteristics of TIP Mustangs?

This varies a bit by region, but here in central IL, the average horse we are able to bring into the program is roughly 14 hands tall, usually bay or sorrel, and between 3-7 years of age. We are sometimes able to get others, though, based on availability and BLM surplus animals made available to us. Take a look at our "Available TIP Horses" page to get an idea of the horses we have offered in the past!

I want to adopt, but I am looking for something very specific. Can you find that for me?

You are always welcome to let us know what your "perfect" horse looks like, however, we always prioritize temperament and health (as best we can tell) when making our selections. Plus, the simple fact is, natural selection determines the characteristics of these horses. Roughly 80% of wild horses will be bay, sorrel, or black. Colorful and flashy horses such as pintos, grullas, and roans just aren't as available to us--especially here in our region.