BOISE, ID - Thanks to the success of the program that was offered in August, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is once again partnering with several Idaho 4-H groups to gentle wild horses gathered from the Four Mile Herd Management Area (HMA) north of Emmett and the Sands Basin HMA southwest of Marsing.

Ten 4-H groups from southwestern Idaho in Gem, Boise, Ada, Canyon and Payette counties will assist BLM to work with young wild horse weanlings, ages 4 to 8 months, starting this Friday, October 30.  Each 4-H Club member, ages 12 and up, will have until December to get the weanlings used to being around people, broke to lead and able to load in a trailer.  The weanlings will then be available for adoption at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals on December 5 and 6.  4-H members will also participate during an In-Hand Trail competition with the weanlings at the adoption site on December 4 at 4:30 p.m.

On Friday, members of the public and media will be invited to view the wild

horses at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.   At

10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 4-H members will place their names into a drawing to determine the order for which horses will be chosen.  There will be 37 weanlings to choose from, all ranging in color from bay, black, sorrel, pinto and palomino.

The media is invited to meet the 4-H members when they pick up the weanlings on Saturday, October 31.  There may be opportunities to view the 4-H members working with the horses at later dates, once they have the horses at their respective training locations throughout the Treasure Valley.  Please contact Jessica Gardetto or MJ Byrne with questions, or if you plan on attending the 4-H horse pick up.  Following are the details for the 4-H horse pick up:

What:    4-H members meet wild horses to be trained.

When:    10:00 a.m. October 31, 2009

Where:   BLM Wild Horse Corrals.

Directions:  From I-84 - Exit on Orchard St. (Exit 52) and go south for

         approximately 1.7 miles, which turns into W. Gowen Rd.  Continue

         for 0.5 mile, turn right (So.) on Pleasant Valley Rd. and go

         approximately 4 miles.  Turn right at the Wild Horse Corrals.