Colorado’s Wild Horse Inmate Program to End After Over 30 Years

With the large number of prisons in Colorado, primarily in and around Cañon City, it should come as no surprise that the Centennial State is home to a variety of programs surrounding the inmates.

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One of these programs that allowed inmates to interact with wild horses, called the Wild Horse Inmate Program, will unfortunately be ending in the near future after over 30 years.

What is Colorado’s Wild Horse Inmate Program?

According to a recent press release announcing the program’s elimination, the Wild Horse Inmate Program is described as follows:

For more than 30 years, the WHIP program has been a successful collaboration that has provided unique vocational and rehabilitative skills to the incarcerated population while supporting the BLM's mission to manage and protect wild horses and burros.

Unfortunately, the Bureau of Land Management opted not to renew the program’s contract, which was set to be renewed on September 30th. However, BLM did agree to a 60-day extension, so operations will officially cease on November 30, 2026.

What Will Happen to the Colorado Program’s Wild Horses?

One of the biggest concerns surrounding the program ending this November is the fate of the animals involved.

Luckily, numerous auctions have been organized to give the horses new homes. These will take place on October 31 and November 1, 2025, at the Mesa County Fairgrounds in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Read More: The Fascinating Reality of Colorado Prison Farms + the Food

Check out more info on the auctions here, and read the official press release from the Colorado Department of Corrections here.