For more information, call the Utah office of the
Bureau of Land Management:
977-4300
Dec. 21, 2000--
A little boy in Northern Utah is going to be mighty excited on Christmas morning.
He doesn't know it yet, but he's getting a Christmas present that weighs several hundred pounds and has four legs.
And this special present is going to help the government solve a huge horse problem.
Environment Specialist John Hollenhorst is here to explain.
You may remember a couple of weeks ago, we told you about the government's massive wild horse dilemma.
They've rounded up thousands of mustangs because of drought and overgrazing. And they're appealing for more families to adopt the horses.
That problem gave someone in Huntsville an idea for Christmas.
There's no ribbon around it. No Christmas wrapping. But this is definitely going to be somebody's favorite Christmas present.
GRANT H. STORY/HUNTSVILLE: "THIS GUY CALLED ME AND ASKED ME IF I COULD KEEP A HORSE UNTIL CHRISTMAS FOR HIM. HE'S GOING TO BUY ONE FOR HIS BOY FOR CHRISTMAS."
We won't tell you who the lucky kid is. Only a Grinch would spoil the surprise. But his Dad couldn't have picked a better place to hide the present.
Grant H. Story and his family have been adopting wild mustangs for more than a decade and turning them into family pets and work-horses.
GRANT H. STORY/HUNTSVILLE: "THEY'RE REAL GOOD HORSES. IN FACT, FOR A MOUNTAIN HORSE, I'D RATHER HAVE ONE OF THESE THEN I WOULD A DOMESTIC HORSE."
In fact, the Story family has adopted nearly two dozen wild horses over the years. They're available from the BLM for 125 bucks apiece.
GRANT A. STORY/HUNTSVILLE: "WE'VE UH, WE'VE LOVED 'EM. THEY BECOME PART OF YOUR FAMILY AFTER AWHILE."
JOHN HOLLENHORST REPORTING: "TECHNICALLY THE HORSE REMAINS GOVERNMENT PROPERTY THE FIRST YEAR. BUT AFTER THAT, IF YOU GIVE IT A GOOD HOME, IT'S ALL YOURS."
The Story clan has been giving homes to wild horses for so long, they're into the next generation... with this horse.
JUSTIN LAWRENCE/HUNSTVILLE: "HE'S THE OFFSPRING OF TWO MUSTANGS. AND HE'S JUST, EVER SINCE HE WAS BORN, YOU JUST HAND-PET 'EM, YOU TAKE CARE OF 'EM, HE'S JUST LIKE A DOG."
The Story family is SO into wild mustangs, they're all eager to help keep a secret until that anonymous Dad springs the big surprise at Christmas.
GRANT A. STORY: "I TOLD HIM YOU NEED TO PUT A COUPLE THINGS OF HORSE MANURE IN A BOX AND WRAP IT UP AND TELL HIM, THE REST OF IT WAS UP THE STREET AND WE COULDN'T CATCH IT. HA, HAH, HAH."
But when Christmas comes, we're not entirely sure how eager Grant Story will be to hand off the present.
GRANT H. STORY: "HE WALKED RIGHT UP TO ME, HE'LL KISS YOU, HE'LL DO ANYTHING. THEY'RE JUST THAT KIND OF HORSE. HE'S JUST DOG-GENTLE!"
Now, as lovable as that may seem, adopting horses isn't for everyone. Mr. Story says you really need some experience to handle the break-in period.
If you want to adopt a horse, call the BLM at 801-977-4300. But bear in mind, they won't let you take one unless you have a suitable place to keep it.
Past Story
Wild Horse Adoption
Nov. 29, 2000
