| Once upon a time there were millions of wild mustang | | | | Sadly up to 25% of these mustangs never find homes |
| horses roaming the Western plains. Today there are | | | | and are put in government sanctuaries in Kansas and |
| fewer than 50,000 wild horses roaming. Despite | | | | Oklahoma. Only after not being adopted through five |
| government regulations designed to protect them, due | | | | rounds of auctions, they are put in government |
| to limited resources, their numbers continue to decline. | | | | sanctuaries. These government sanctuaries are full of |
| In 1971 the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burro | | | | older horses and are often overcrowded due to limited |
| Act was passed by Congress to preserve wild | | | | resources. |
| mustangs, but it has had little effect. Despite the fact | | | | Fortunately there is at least one private sanctuary that |
| that these horses have survived through hundreds of | | | | is capable of caring for surplus horses. It is located in |
| years of harsh winter, having a very high birth rate, and | | | | Hot Springs, South Dakota, and called Black Hills Wild |
| few natural predators, their numbers continue to | | | | Horse Sanctuary. It is now home to over 400 wild |
| decline. | | | | horses. |
| Unfortunately, the numbers grew too fast for the land | | | | It is very expensive running this private sanctuary |
| to support them. There is only so much government | | | | every year. Some money is brought in by tourists, |
| land to support these horses and that is why, at | | | | numbering 11,000 every year. Another way they keep |
| certain times surplus animals are rounded up and | | | | the costs low is with the help of dozens of volunteers, |
| adopted. The cost to adopt a wild mustang horse is | | | | and the sales of colts. |
| $125 at a government auction. | | | | |