WILD HORSES, BURROS AVAILABLE SATURDAY

JACKSON, Mo. -- Wild horses couldn't keep Tiffiney Smith away from this weekend's Bureau of Land Management adoption day in Jackson.

It was wild horses that attracted her three years ago when the bureau had its first adoption day at Flickerwood Arena. She trotted off with two mares, Willow and Miss Chip, and has adopted six other wild horses and a burro since.

The Adopt A Wild Horse & Burro Program began in 1973, two years after Congress outlawed killing the creatures in 10 western states. With federal protection, herds grew too fast for food and water sources to keep up, so each year the Bureau of Land Management ships thousands east to new homes.

To adopt one, potential owners need at least $125 -- that's where the bidding begins -- a 400-square-foot corral with a 6-foot-high fence for horses or 5-foot-high fence for burros.

But most of all, adoptive owners need patience to tame the animals. Smith, 27, said it can take a month of work to touch a wild horse.

"The most rewarding thing is to see where these guys have come from, and then with time, patience and love, they trust you and let you ride them," said Smith, a special education teacher at South Elementary in Jackson. "The first time you get them in a pen and they let you touch them, the feeling is indescribable."

Randy Anderson, a wild horse and burro specialist with the Bureau Land Management in Milwaukee, Wis., said 12 burros and 30 horses will be available for adoption from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Specialists brought 30 horses and 10 burros last year, and most of the animals were adopted.

More than 48,000 wild horses and burros roam wild in the western states.

Bureau of Land Management specialists check on people who adopt wild horses and burros for the first year after the adoption. If the animals are well fed and cared for, the caretakers can apply to the federal government for permanent ownership.

Anderson said the sturdy animals are ideal for trail rides and as companions for other animals.

"They remember what you teach them," he said. "When you think about it, they run in the wild. There's natural selection. Only the most intelligent animals survive."

Smith said she will be at the adoption event to answer questions, but she won't be adopting any animals herself. Her family farm between Cape Girardeau and Jackson is full.

"I have been told that, if I come home with any more horses, I'll have to find a new address," she said.

Want to go?

What: Adopt A Wild Horse and Burro event

Where: Flickerwood Arena, Jackson, Mo.

When: Viewing and application is 1-5 p.m. Friday with adoption 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday

How much: $125 is minimum bid to adopt

Details: 1-800-293-1781