When Katrina Haworth looked to acquire horses for the U.S. Forest Service’s mounted patrol program, she was initially hesitant to consider wild horses.

However, Haworth said she became an advocate for the idea after watching the work done on wild horses by trainers at the Wyoming Honor Farm, “starting with essential groundwork and spending the time to instill a great foundation.”

“I brought that information to the decision-makers and made the case that we could bring good, lightly-started young horses to the program for little to no cost,” said Haworth, who’s the Forest Service’s regional coordinator for mountain patrol.

A couple horses wound up being tabbed to help with the Forest Service’s backcountry patrols in Montana — to the delight of Scott Fluer, the Bureau of Land Management’s program officer for the Wyoming Honor Farm.

“Government agencies using federal wild horses to do their day-to-day work is a promising strategy we can use to find additional homes for excess horses,” Fluer said, “and it showcases these animals to more members of the public.”

Last spring, Haworth and fellow Forest Service law enforcement officers Ryan Linhart and Corey Scevers visited the Honor Farm in Riverton, observing inmate trainers riding wild horses and talking with them about each horse’s attributes and challenges. The officers were looking for geldings with good conformation and the durability to ride many miles in the backcountry. Also desired: an easy-going temperament and the disposition needed to overcome obstacles including steep and rocky trails, and people and other animals that may be encountered in the backcountry.

Two saddle-trained wild horses — Max and Waylon J — fit the bill. They accompanied the officers back to Montana, where Linhart and Scevers worked to build trust and the basic skills needed for the horses’ new jobs — patrolling the vast Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex in western Montana.

Scevers said he exposed Waylon J to many different things he might never have seen before.

“With a little patience and drive we worked through these obstacles together and we grew together as the year went on,” he said, describing himself as really impressed with what they accomplished in their first summer together.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are things we still need to work on but I’m looking forward to the challenge and continuing this relationship throughout my career,” he said.

As for Max, Linhart said the horse is improving every day and is “a valuable ambassador for the BLM’s wild horse program, as well as the heritage of the U.S. Forest Service.”

All of the Forest Service officers agreed that the formerly wild horses are great conversation starters when they talk with hikers and horseback riders out on the trail.

The Bureau of Land Management has partnered with the Honor Farm to train and place wild horses for 32 years. In 2018, Congress authorized the transfer of excess wild horses and burros removed from public lands to federal, state and local government agencies for use as work animals.

To learn more about the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program and adopting a Wyoming wild horse, visit www.blm.gov/whb, call 866-468-7826 or email wildhorse@blm.gov.