Copyright © National Wild Horse & Burro Center
Image Courtesy of Representative for Filming Location Listing
The National Wild Horse and Burro Center in Palomino Valley is the largest Bureau of Land Management (BLM) preparation and adoption facility in the country. It serves as the primary preparation center for processing wild horses and burros gathered from public lands in Nevada and nearby states for adoption.
Because wild horses and burros have virtually no predators to naturally control their population growth, their herds can double in size every four years and outgrow the ability of the land to support the population. The BLM is responsible for managing public lands for multiple uses, and as part of its efforts to maintain healthy wild horses and burro herds on the range, they work under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to gather and remove wild horses and burros that exceed the Appropriate Management Level (AML). The AML is the number of wild horses and burros that can thrive in balance with other public land resources and uses, which is determined by monitoring scientific data collected in regards to rangeland vegetation, soils, water, habitat, and more (learn more).
Copyright © National Wild Horse & Burro Center
Image Courtesy of Representative for Filming Location Listing
The wild horses and burros gathered are very diverse; some have characteristics of Spanish horses, others look more like Arabian horses, and still others can be more like draft horses (learn more). After wild horses and burros are nursed to a healthy weight and examined by a veterinarian, the National Wild Horse and Burro Center makes them available to the public for adoption. Animals that are not adopted are cared for on open pastures.
Since 1971, the BLM has adopted out more than 240,000 wild horses and burros nationwide. The BLM also partners with non-profit organizations, volunteers, and prisons to train wild horses and burros prior to adoption events. This program gained a great deal of exposure with the release of the 2019 Robert Redford film The Mustang, which is about a convict who participates in a social rehabilitation program training wild horses (learn more about the film).
If you are looking for a film-friendly wild horse and burro adoption facility for your next production, be sure to check out the National Wild Horse & Burro Center! For more information and pictures, you can view the full National Wild Horse & Burro Center filming location details here and don’t forget to register your project!
To find more film-friendly locations, be sure to visit our Nevada Filming Locations Database or contact us if you need further assistance with your production!