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This is a non-commercial, independent website, owned and written by Nancy Kerson, for the benefit of actual and potential adopters of BLM Mustangs and Burros and similar animals.
Mustang T-Shirt Sizes & Style |
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US Forest Service Wild Horse Territories
Click here for Nevada BLM'S "MUSTANG COUNTRY" booklet - chock full of info for mustang buffs, including wild horse history, visitor tips and camping info. It takes a while to download but is well worth the wait!
Special Photo Pages for:
The Winnemucca BLM Field Office includes the following Herd Management Areas: (HMA's numbered 200's plus 311 - listed in numerical order:)
| Click on the one you want to see: NV200 Little Owyhee The BLUE WINGS COMPLEX:
| CALICO COMPLEX: |
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NV200 Little OwyheeAML 298
| Darlene Stevenson's Lakota    Darlene writes, "I went with a friend to an auction - she was looking for a trailer. This man pulls in with a cattle trailer, so my daughter asked what he had his reply was "just a mustang". What do I do -----Nextel Sandra who happened to be at an adoption, run his brand (which happened to be extremely easy to read), the BLM said "not titled," you can submit an application for reassignment. So I told the guy we would take him. Well to make a long story short I now have his title. He was originally adopted as a yearling and is from the Little Owyhee HMA. Lakota was 13 at the time I got him from the auction. So he was "lost" in the system for 11 years. And not to brag or anything but he is AWESOME of course! I have to share him with my daughter, Ashley. But here are some photos of him on the web site." http://www.sfmustangs.com/junior-jump.htm- Darlene
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NV201 Snowstorm MountainsAML 140 | A few years back, a local rancher in the Snowstorm Mountains area imported a top Thoroughbred stallion from Europe. The stress of the trip took its toll, and the stallion's first breeding season resulted in no foals. The rancher had no use for a sterile stud horse, so he released him into the wild. Surprise! The stallion recuperated fully, his fertility was restored, and he has left a very strong mark on the wild horses of the Snowstorm Mountains area.  At left, Rocky, a Snowstorm Mountains mustang re-adopt, being trained by Mark & Skip Lang |
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NV202 Osgood (zeroed) | NV205 Slumbering Hills (zeroed) |
NV206 Krum Hills (zeroed) | NV203 Hot Springs (zeroed) |
NV204 Bloody Runs (zeroed) | NV207 Eugene Mtns (zeroed) |
NV 208 Jackson Mtns |  Internet Adoption horses from Jackson Mountains  |
 |  Jackson Mtns Internet Adoption mares from 2006 |
 "Nevada" from Jackson Mtns |  "Nevada" from Jackson Mtns |
 #2686 from BLM Internet Adoption, before he became Koda |  #2686 Now Koda, Today! |
Hi. My name is Rachel Derby. I was looking on your web site and I believe that I now own one of the horses that you have pictured. He is in the Jackson Mnt #208 section. His brand number is 582686, “Koda”. I was just wondering if you could confirm this and if you have anymore pictures and information about him. I am just curious. I bought him about a month and a half ago in Indiana. He is adorable and I am crazy about him and I have found myself wanting to know every possible detail I can about him. If you have any info I would greatly appreciate knowing it. Thank you, Rachel | |
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 |  February, 2006, Internet Adoption horses |
 Cache from Jackson Mtns, adopted by Misty Carney |  |
 Harlee from Jackson Mtns, adopted by Bunny Lincoln |  |
 Trigger from Jackson Mtns, adopted by Desiree Morrison |  Trigger having fun with a friend |
Hi. My name is Tammy Melvin of Decatur, IL. I just had the most wonderful experience! I adopted two mustang fillies from the Ewing, IL holding facility a few months ago. They were both captured in Jackson Mountain, NV. Both coming two year olds. And I am in love with both of them. They gentled super easy and within a few days, they were catching and leading too. (I removed their halters so they would have a fair deal the day we got them home). Within a few weeks they were allowed out of their corrals and into my pastures. They both have had successful hoof trims, with NO trouble whatsoever, have gotten their bridle paths clipped with no resistance and have gotten alot of their groundwork complete. Including saddling, and long lining with halters as well as playing the seven games of Parelli. They never even offered to buck or bolt with the saddle. Acted as if they were born with it on! Im super impressed with how much they give to you once you earn their trust and am planning on adopting my next two mustangs very soon! Mustang is definitely the breed for my family and I! PS. I LOVE your site, and have it bookmarked. I reference it often. Thanks Tammy | 
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NV 209 Black Rock EastAML 50 Horses roam freely between Black Rock East and West. | The Black Rock horses are large and sturdy. The US Cavalry Remount program has left a strong mark on them. Black Rock East youngster |
 Levi from Black Rock East |  |
Tally-Ho, adopted and trained by Julia King Tally has been winning ribbons and championships all over the place lately. She is also a calm and reliable trail horse. At well over 16 hands tall, she definitely has "presence!" |  Jean Turner & Julia King on their large Black Rock horses at the Western States Wild Horse & Burro Expo. Jean takes her horse all over the US on the Fox-Hunting circuit. |
 Stephanie Padgett's "Bella" from Black Rock East | |
NV 210 McGee CreekAML 41 burros This burros-only HMA adjoins the Sheldon USFWS Preserve, and the area is noted for its exceptiohnally good -looking, sturdy and large burros. Burros in this area often have "eye makeup" with "teardrop" or "mascara" effects. |  Paco, adopted by Erica Williamson |
NV 211 Antelope Range(zeroed) | |
| NV212 Selenite (zeroed out as an HMA in August 1998 but obviously the burros did not agree...)  | |
NV213 Truckee Range | |
| NV 214 Kamma Mtns
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NV 215 Lava BedsAML 119 horses | 
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 Before: blue roan gelding at Palomino Valley |  After: Trained by Rick & Kittty Lauman, andnow owned by Pat Tuck |
| This wonderful mustang is Mellow. He is from the Lava Beds HMA in Nevada. Our other mustangs had all been bought privately prior to him, he is the first one we adopted ourselves. He was rounded up in December of 2005 and we adopted him June 9, 2006. We were petting and leading him the first night home and he has been like a puppy ever since. The most calm and curious horse we ever could have asked for! This picture was taken after only 8 days here. He is awesome! ~Michelle Rasmussen |  |
| NV 216 Seven Troughs AML 124 horses |  Seven Troughs Burros for adoption at Palomino Valley Spring 2006 |
Special Photo Pages for: |  |
NV 217 Blue Wing MtnsAML 29 horses |
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 Blue Wings HMA, showing 2003 capture site |  The Blue Wings horses show strong Spanish characteristics. Their colors include primarily the basic red, black and bay, with lots of roan and sabino. |
 |  The Blue WIngs horses from the 2003 gather were thin, stressed, and primarily older horses - or older horses and their new foals. Above, a Maximum WHite Sabino foal. |
 Thin foals |  Landscape n the Blue Wings - not much to eat! |
 |  I often regretted not having adopted this nice strawberry roan yearling |
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Blue Wings Burros | |
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 |  Blue Wings burros at capture site (left) and at Palomino Valley (above) |
 Blue Wings Guinness, adopted by Amy Dumas as a newly-adopted youngster (above) and at maturity (right) |  |
 Sonar (now deceased), adopted by Bea Wade |  This white burro was adopted by Brad Pribyl and named "Honky Tonk" |
 Michael Kerson and his two Blue Wings burros, Dawn and Bert  |  Babies Bert and Dawn |
NV218 ShawaveHMA 52
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 Koda from Shawave, captured on 1/18/95 purchased from a prior adopter in 2005 by Bernice Lawson |  |
| OUR SHAWAVE LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN: My daughter saved money to buy a horse. We were at a livestock sale in WV when she found a horse she had to have , a little dark bay mare which had been abused. There were bad cuts on her legs and face and a lot of scars. She was very nervous but seemed to like Sara. I tried to talk her into buying something else but she bought Sally for $325. When we got her home I found the mustang brand under her mane. I decoded it and called the BLM. She is from the Shawave Mtn. herd in the Winnemucca district. She was captured in 1998 and went to Palomino Valley. From there she went to Jackson, MS. She was then adopted by a man in Virginia. He got her title in 2000. I don't know where all she was since but she was treated very badly. All of her cuts are healed now and she is getting more trusting but she is still afraid of men. We can pick up her feet and do her hooves and she saddles real easy but it will be a while before we can ride her. We have found one very unique thing about her: she has decided that it's her job to guard our livestock. She rounds up all the sheep and goats every evening and circles them. We have not lost anything to coyotes. Our neighbors lost 75 goats. As far as we're concerned, Sally is worth her weight in gold even if she never makes a riding horse! Her guard instinct is priceless. -Aggie Ross New Milton West Virginia | |
NV 219 Nightingale |  Nightingale Chipmunk, adopted by Georgia Moss |
NV 220 Buffalo Hills |  As of February 3, 2006, this Buffalo Hills mare is available for adoption over the Internet. Call Mike Meyers at Palomino Valley for information: 775-223-9046 |
NV 221 Granite Range |  |
 This Granite Range horse is a show champion owned by Katrina Henigan
|  Appaloosas from the Granite Range are believed to be the descendants of circus horses who escaped a train break-down
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  |  Ginny Freeman's Lark from Granite Range at Palomino Valley (above) and at home (below) 
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"Harley"  "My trainer friend had Harley in for some training and the girl who adopted him wanted to sell him so we got "hooked up"! Harley had laryngeal hemiplegia ( a paralyzed larynx) and had to go to UC Davis for surgery where he proceeded to win the hearts of all the vets and students at the facility. He has turned out to be an absolute wonderful horse that I will never part with. Anyway, I just wanted to share with you what happened to that horse that was so friendly at the Reno adoption. By the way, Bob was trimming his feet the first day he was home from Reno." - Cindy McMurry  |  Harley at Pt. Reyes
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 Here is Harley with friends at Palomino Valley in 2001, awaiting adoption  | 
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NV 222 Calico Mountains | According to Glenna Eckel, WHB Specialist at the BLM Winnemucca Field Office, ranch horses were raised and periodically gathered in this area by the Jackson family until 1971. The Jacksons introduced Thoroughbred studs and Pinto mares to "upgrade" the local wild horses. This HMA consists of 157,000 acres of steep volcanic mountainous terrain. Elevations range from 4000 feet, at the foot of the Black Rock Desert, to 8491 feet at Division Peak. Calico Mountains horses are highly desired by adopters for ranch work and performance riding. It is a very colorful herd with lots of creme (cremello, palomino, buckskin, perlino, and smokey black), Duns (including grullos), Medicine Hat Toveros, and Frame, Sabino, Splashed White Overo, and Tobiano pintos. The basic colors of Bay, Black and Red are also common. Some exceptional bay horses from Calico Mountains participated in the first Extreme Mustang Makeover in 2007. Special Photo Pages for: |
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| At Right: "I bought a Calico mtn. mare about 5 years ago (she was about 13). She was adopted at age 4 and looks like maybe Morgan blood is in her somewhere ! Here are some pics ... she's a great parade horse... I host foreign exchange students, give them 4-5 riding lessons and she takes 'em down the street in costume! Keep up the good work with the website!" Happy Trails! Suzanna Takacs |  |
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(click for Calico Page) |  Sparky on The Fearful Crossing |
STAR  Roya Squire and her new Calico Mtns colt from the June 2005 Vallejo adoption |  Star as a 2-year-old |
 |  Banjo, adopted by Adam Selvin and Jessica Craine at the 2005 Vallejo adoption |
These are of my mare Kiowa. She will be 14 in May and is my pride and joy. I got her as a 10 year old and we are currently studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship together. She is one of the easiest horses I have ever worked with and the most fun. We have done the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Show the last 2 years as well as the Nevada State Fair. I always get compliments on her color and her temperament. I been asked everything from "Is she a warmblood/ thoroughbred/ quarter horse?" to "Can I breed my mare to your stud?"! The looks I get when people find out she is a mustang is priceless!! I wouldn't sell or trade her for anything. Kiowa has made me a believer in mustangs for life! Thanks so much for your site! Kathy Voorhis Reno, NV |  The first picture is of Kiowa and myself in the summer of 2005 and the second is from 2005 as well. This is one of her favorite places to be! Once she got comfortable with the horse trailer and loading, she started randomly jumping up on to my stepdad's car trailer. She does this with no encouragement-even in the middle of the night! Now it's almost impossible to get her off of there without food!
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 Here is a picture of Alabaster with trainer, Scott Kandel. I adopted Alabaster from the Palomino Valley Center in July, 2005. He is a gentle, smart, magnificent animal. Debra Brus | |
 |  Max, adopted by Annie Araki of Idaho |
_small_small.jpg) _small.jpg) 3-year-old "Sparky Twin" at 2003 Western States Wild Horse & Burro Expo 2003   Calico Mountains Mares from 2000 gather |  Carlie and her adopter, Cathy Barcomb, trail riding in the Sierras |
 Calico Rose - Mare |  Jazzy from Calico Mtns - originally adopted by Lesley Neuman and now owned and trained by Julie Hahn |
  Calico Mountains horses |  Gretchen from Calico Mountains - pure white mare adopted by Gwilda Byrd |
CALICO MTNS FLY Adopted by Karen Floyd & Family |  Adopter Karen Floyd's daughter, Alex, with Fly a short time after adoption |
 ADOPTED!!! (This might be the Floyd Family's "Fly" |  ...And a year later, Alex is riding Fly! |
 Grullo yearling adopted by Efren R of Napa |  |
 As of February 3, 2006, this Calico Mtns mare is available for adoption over the Internet. Call Mike Meyers at Palomino Valley for information: 775-223-9046 |  |
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 Calico Mtns mare |  Calico Rose |
 As of February 3, 2006, this 3-yr-old brown/smokeyblack Calico Mtns mare was adopted by Janet Hickman through the new NIASN program at Palomino Valley by Janet Hickman! |  "Dream" adopted by Janet Hickman |
Calico Mountains Calico Mountains |  Calico Mtns mare |
Calico Mountains |  Sparky from Calico Mountains (Nancy Kerson, adopter) |
| GUS from Calico Mtns Hi there! My name is Sharon and I see my mustang "Gus" is on your website. I bought him from Sherry Timms in 2002 and traveled 22 hrs out and 22 hrs back from New York to get him. I have five horses and he is by far the favorite. He has been invited to the BLM adoption being held at Ithaca, NY this year on July 22 and 23. I have since adopted a wonderful blood red bay who is currently 3 and I have started to lightly ride. What a thinker! He also hails from Nevada, but not the Calico Mtns. I have a registered paint in my barn that is by far the "show horse" however, Gus is my boy and the one I choose to ride. We trail, and show. He took my daughter who was 5 last Sept. to high point youth at the Mid-Atlantic Mustang Show. His first year of showing at that. He has a long way to go, and actually I just started showing also but we are having fun. I have had many trainers approach me about him since he is such a big boy and holds himself "in natural balance". It's fun to see their faces when they learn he is an adopted mustang. I get a lot of people suddenly interested in adoptions because of him and I do get a few of the "high and mighty" that have actually walked away after loving all over him when they found out he was not of "high breeding". I love it. He competes with the best of them and has a big heart for try. I dont know, but I have been told by several people he has great potential to make it to Grand Prix level dressage. Whatever he does, he will never leave my barn!!!!!! I sent some updated pictures of him. - Sharon, NY 06/22/2006 |  Gus' original adopter, Sherry Timm, riding Gus in 2002  Gus at a horse show in 2005  Gus performing Dressage |
NV 223 | |
NV224 | |
NV 225 East Range(zeroed November 2001) | |
NV 226 Warm Springs CanyonAML 175 horses | |
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 Sugar Dollar from the Warm Springs Canyon HMA - adopted by Celeste Foster of Georgia |  |
 Warm Springs filly adopted in 2005 by "Californiadreamin" |  |
 This Warm Springs Canyon mare was adopted over the Internet as part of the NIASN Pilot Program. |   |
NV 227 Black Rock WestThis is a Cavalry Remount area, and the horses still have excellent size and substance, reflecting their Thoroughbred and draft ancestry. AML 186
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 Karen R's awesome Black Rock mare, Hanna |  Hanna flying a kite |
NV228 Fox-LakeAML 204 Part of the Fox & Lake range was zeroed out a few years back because it was impossible to protect the horses from folks in the area who were illegally capturing them and selling them at auction. The herd was gathered in July of 2009 | 
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 Fox & Lake colt at Palomino Valley (already tame!) |  colts & fillies at Palomino Valley from the July 2009 gather |
 2009 Fox & Lake filly adopted by Ray & Carol Belmore of Arizona | 
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NV230 South Slumbering Hills(zeroed December 1985) | |
NV229 North StillwaterAML 126 |  This is a picture of my first mustang, Whisky. We found him at a horse auction in early 2005. He is from the North Stillwater HMA NV229. He was foaled in 2002. I have since bought several other mustangs and have started taking others in and finding them new homes to keep them out of auctions. Mustangs are wonderful horses and I'm glad to be able to help them out! - Michelle Rasmussen |
 This darling red dun filly from North Stillwater was adopted by Ray & Carol Belmore of Arizona | North Stillwater was gathered in July of 2009, along with Fox & Lake and Nellis. Here is a photo of horses from the three herd areas at Palomino Valley, in November or 2009: |
NV 231 Tobin RangeAML 17 |  |
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NV232 Trinity Range(officially zeroed August 1982, last gathered 2005) The herd area is located South of Seven Troughs HMA, on "checkerboard" land that is a mix of private and public land. It was zeroed out of the BLM Wild Horse & Burro system, due to the fact that the land is so checkered with privately-held areas that it was too difficult to protect the horses. |  The large, elegant Pinto on the right is Piper, from the Trinity Range. Piper is owned by Sandi Anderson and they perform in an all-Mustang drill team |
NV233 Lower Paradise Valley(zeroed) | |
NV311 Augusta Mountains
|  Jack from Augusta Mountains, owned by Edona Miller and FOR SALE |
 Spring Mountain Spirit, adopted by Rosemarie Cruze "She thinks life is great. It is for her." | |
 Augusta Mountain Onyx | |
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since 1-23-2006
