The Wild Horse and Burro Experience
Students evaluate rangeland vegetation in the South Steens HMA during the Summer of 2023. Courtesy of Oregon State College of Agricultural Science.
A WHBE student halters a wild horse prior to its adoption. Courtesy of Oregon State College of Agricultural Science.
Dr. Dawn Sherwood, senior instructor at OSU and manager of the OSU Horse Center, started the Wild Horse and Burro Experience (WHBE) in 2023. Her inspiration for the program came after attending a conference on wild horses and speaking with some employees of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It was then that she learned that many recently graduated applicants for herd management positions within the BLM “were wildlife ecology students who had no knowledge of horses.”
After inviting some BLM specialists to present to one of her classes, Dr. Sherwood realized that her students, many of which were pursuing animal and rangeland sciences, “had absolutely no idea what the Bureau of Land Management did and no idea that they could actually have a career managing wild horses.”
This program not only teaches students that this is a possibility, but also provides them the ability to dip their toes into the world of BLM Herd Management. Considering this is a subject with lots of controversy and conflicting opinions, education and preparation could be hugely beneficial for new employees of the Bureau of Land Management. Having educated and experienced employees can also help BLM more effectively manage horses and solve potential problems, compared to a program hiring employees with little knowledge about the intricacies of the issue.
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The course is held twice per year in winter and spring terms. There is an application process, and only six students are selected to take part in it each term. Per Dr. Sherwood, about 20 to 25 students apply for each cycle. This group is narrowed down and some students are offered interviews before the final selection. The application asks what pertinent coursework a student has taken, as well as some questions about why applicants would be a good fit, how they would approach a conversation with an upset activist, and what degree of experience they have handling equines.
Dr. Dawn Sherwood discusses the inception of the Wild Horse and Burro Experience. November 21, 2025.
The second trip is organized so that students can take part in adoptions. According to Dr. Sherwood, during these trips they help with upwards of 100 adoptions of wild horses and burros to private homes. The adoption process for wild horses and burros from BLM is comprehensive and specific, and applications are required to be pre-approved before an adoption appointment can take place. The animals still belong to the government for a year until their owner has proven adequate care, at which point they can be titled in the owner’s name. These animals are permanently identifiable as previous BLM horses by a brand on the left side of their neck.
This unique, comprehensive experience is, according to Dr. Sherwood, “an opportunity for students to network with BLM specialists who they would not normally be able to network with.” Opportunities to have such hands-on experience with trained professionals are hard to come by, and a great way for students to determine if this would be a career that interests them.
In fact, multiple students who went through the WHBE and have since graduated have gotten jobs with the BLM, and the program is only two years old.
Once accepted, students take a 3-credit, online course educating them about aspects of wild horse and burro management. The course covers economics, policy, management challenges, and more. In addition to their coursework, students attend two trips. The trip locations vary, but the goals of each one remain similar.
The first trip is to a herd management area (HMA), where students may participate in a variety of activities, such as vegetation analysis and contraceptive darting. They also visit a BLM holding facility or preparation center, where they can learn about how horses are rounded up, organized and assessed based on age and sex. They also learn about horse care in such facilities, as well as the process of preparing animals for adoption or long-term pasture holding. ​