For 30 years, a quiet miracle unfolded behind the fences of the East Cañon Correctional Complex. Wild mustangs—rounded up from Colorado’s rangelands—were trained, cared for, and ultimately adopted through a one-of-a-kind program pairing them with incarcerated men. Together, they found second chances.

Now, that program is ending. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has let its contract with the Colorado Department of Corrections expire, citing rising costs. As a result, over 2,000 wild horses will be shipped to out-of-state holding facilities. Only 100 horses—those born and captured in Colorado—are being considered for in-state adoption. If homes aren't found quickly, they too could be sent away.

This isn’t just a story about horses. It’s about rehabilitation, redemption, and what we choose to invest in as a society.

The Colorado wild horse prison program worked. It reduced the risk of mustangs being funneled into the slaughter pipeline. It gave incarcerated men meaningful work, vocational training, and purpose. And it connected communities across the state with adoptable horses that were once deemed “unmanageable.”

Ending the program doesn’t save money—it shifts the burden. Horses will now sit in distant government pens, costing taxpayers more and depriving them of real futures. Meanwhile, incarcerated Coloradans lose access to one of the few programs proven to support successful reentry into society.

We call on the Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado Department of Corrections to reinstate the wild horse training program—or, at the very least, pause all out-of-state transfers of Colorado mustangs while local adoption and sanctuary solutions are pursued.

These horses are Colorado’s heritage. This program was a lifeline. It’s not too late to do the right thing.

Photo:  Hugh Carey/The Colorado Sun