Horses in the saddle-training program are selected from a wild horse holding facility in Carson City operated by the Nevada Department of Corrections. The 20-acre facility, located southeast of Carson City, has been designed initially to hold about 500-700 wild horses which have been prepared for adoption by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

The 20-acre area devoted to the horse corrals is located on a 1,100-acre parcel owned by the Corrections Department south of Carson City near Stewart. Inmates used surplus materials to construct much of the facility. Silver State (Prison) Industries fabricated the galvanized guardrail obtained from the Department of Transportation for fencing, and converted gate panels and a round working tub for sorting animals. Inmates also constructed a hydraulic squeeze chute for treating or sorting animals. Ten small sick pens are provided for use by a contract veterinarian who is on call to treat sick or injured animals. A retainer pond was constructed near the facility to handle routine drainage and possible heavy moisture situations.

Prior to entering the facility, the horses receive inoculations for common equine diseases, are tested to assure they do not have equine infectious anemia and each has an individual freeze mark. The holding facility in Carson City frees up space at the National Wild Horse and Burro Center at Palomino Valley so the national facility can continue to prepare excess animals removed from the range during summer and fall gathers. The BLM in Nevada removes hundreds of animals from the rangelands each year as it strives to achieve appropriate management levels in its wild horse herd management areas.

The holding facility is not open to the general public except on special adoption dates announced in advance by the Bureau of Land Management.

Fences are 6' high.
550 railroad ties used in construction.
1,400 pieces of surplus guard rail used to build fencing.
Each of the large pens is 330' x 330' and is designed to hold about 125 animals.
Large construction type vehicle tires have been used for watering troughs.
Concrete unloading dock is for large trucks.
Loading area set up for stock type trailers.
First delivery was 120 horses mostly from the Antelope complex, Ely area.

Project funded through an assistance agreement between BLM and the Nevada Department of Corrections.

Objective is to "provide a sound and meaningful way of ensuring proper care of captured wild horses and to ultimately prepare the horses for adoption and/or use by agencies requiring horses."

Authorized by: Nevada Revised Statutes (Section 209.461) and Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (Section 307) and the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971.

Hay is obtained by Corrections through bidding/contracting procedures. It is of the same quality as the BLM requires for its preparation center.

Foals born at the facility are freeze marked by BLM.