Almost all have been adopted, many by folks outside of California, according to BLM spokesman Jeff Fontana. Many of these horses have been gentled to the point they can be ridden. An educator by trade, Chenoweth is a cowboy at heart. The animals learn to be comfortable and relaxed around people. The horse sets the pace.
Patience is crucial.
It can take as long as three weeks before a wild horse will allow the handler to approach and touch it. An inmate must spend hours just talking softly, moving slowly around the animal and allowing the horse to get used to him. The inmate must prove to the horse he is not going to harm it in any way. Every four months about 20 gentled horses are put up for adoption and 20 more wild horses are brought to the Correctional Center for gentling. That's 60 horses per year available for little cowboys like Jeff Bowers.