Wild horses are intelligent.

That's the first thing out of the mouth of anyone who has adopted one when asked what they're like.

Wild horses, sometimes called mustangs, are feral animals that come from horses let loose by the Spanish three hundred years ago or maybe by a destitute farmer during the Great Depression. Utah is one of only five states with herds — one of only three with animals that go back to the Spanish — and occasionally they have to be captured and adopted out to prevent overgrazing.

This weekend at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Center in South Jordan from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., adopters who have trained their horses will show them off and compete in both English and Western style events. It's the 10th and biggest year for the Utah event, sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program and one of only about eight events like it in the country.

"This show is fun," said Gus Warr, program leader. "It's a chance for people to show off what they've done with their horses."

Just as more hunting licenses are given when deer populations increase, the BLM has "gatherings." Herds grow about 15 to 20 percent a year, so every few years the gatherings are held and the horses stored at short-term facilities in Herriman or Delta until the young ones are adopted or the older ones sent to sanctuaries in the Midwest. Adoption rates are down in recent years, forcing the program to use 60 to 70 percent of its annual budget on caring for these horses in storage, Warr said.

Anyone can adopt a wild horse for a $125 fee, but training them for work or recreational use is not for everyone.

Craig and Janene Linnen of West Haven said they spent about 10 hours a week for over a year training their horses. They have two mares, one of which recently birthed a filly, and they call the experience "thrilling."

"You're not just dealing with a horse, but a wild animal. They start with that 'fight or flight' mentality," Janene Linnen said. "But there's a thrill in taking something unused to human handling and turning it around and making it into something."

Some horses can be ready for a saddle in a few months, depending on personality and the commitment of the trainer, Warr said.

Admiration for the mustang earned it federal protection in 1971 and motivates people like Richard Sewing to keep looking after them. Sewing is a Washington-appointed member of an advisory board that counsels the BLM in its efforts. He's also a member of the National Mustang Association, an advocacy group that strives to improve conditions for herds in their ranges, like creating additional water holes in drought-stricken areas.