Land managers in Colorado have been capturing an unprecedented number of wild horses in recent years, totaling about 2,200 since 2021. Efforts are now being made to increase adoptions and find long-term pasture options for these horses, with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management seeking bids from landowners to contract with the federal agency to keep wild horses for the rest of their lives.

The federal agency is investing in organizations that find homes for wild horses, such as the Meeker Mustang Makeover, which received funding as part of a $25 million initiative to find homes for 11,000 wild horses and burros within five years. Efforts are also being made to control herd sizes through fertility control options, with Colorado pledging to spend $100,000 to assist in administering fertility vaccines to wild horses in 2025.

The state Wild Horse Working Group is working to address the issue of wild horses in Colorado, including those on private, state, federal, and tribal lands. Concerns have been raised about the lack of space and adoptive homes for the more than 2,000 horses that have been removed since 2021, prompting advocates to seek land for sanctuaries to care for these horses.