A Wild Horse Release is a Bittersweet Reminder of Those Who Are No Longer Free
October 10, 2017
Why the Checkerboard Wild Horse Roundup in Wyoming is Personal
October 16, 2017Day 18 of the Checkerboard Roundup Where Less and Less Horses Will Be Free
Day 18 of the Checkerboard Roundup Where Less and Less Horses Stay Free by Carol J. Walker
Stallion Running Away
And a little foal
On the way out to the Checkerboard Area in Adobe Town, we saw a group of horses, several families, that we surprised as we drove by. I knew that they would not be here when we headed back to Rock Springs, and I wished I could tell them to hide as they ran away.
Very far away
When we were shown our location for observation near the Haystacks, a unique formation of hills, we set up and soon realized that we would see very little – between the distance to the trap and the ridges and sagebrush in the way, we only got quick glimpses very far away.
The little family on the ridge
Looking at us
Starting down the hill as the stallion watches
But we soon became very lucky because there were horses coming down the rock formation! A little family, with a stunning sorrel stallion, his grey mare and her grey look alike filly. They looked down at us, and I realized they were going to come down the steep formation to get away from the helicopter, which was behind the butte.
The stallion appears to be posing as he stands and looks out
They started carefully down, the mare and filly first, and the stallion bringing up the rear, guarding his family from danger. When they hit level ground they started to run, and they ran by us, far more concerned about getting away from the helicopter than they were about our presence, as we stood still and watched.
Mare and filly
The mare
The yearling filly
The stunning red stallion
Running
As they disappeared, no helicopters in sight, I found myself rooting for them to get away. “Go, go, go” I think.
The family
The tiny foal is keeping up
Soon afterward, we saw another family coming near our location. There were two mares and foals, one foal was quite small, and a red roan stallion. They were running, but the palomino mare pauses for a minute with her foal and looks at us. I am stunned by their beauty. The foal is shedding his coat around his face in a way that tells me he will end up grey in color, which is the dominant color in the Adobe Town Herd. Coming face to face with wild horses even though they are running for their lives, is a moving experience. A minute later she and her foal run to catch up with her family, and they disappear through the sagebrush heading a different direction than the other family.
The palomino mare and foal pause for a minute
They keep running
Soon the helicopters return and continue chasing wild horses into the trap, out of our sight.
Later we find out that the red stallion and grey mare escaped. I am thrilled. Unfortunately the larger family was not so lucky, and went into the trap. The foal stayed with his mother. I am relieved.
Being taken away forever
We watch as the trailers carrying the horses pass by, getting small glimpses of their faces as they look out from the bars of the trailers, a very sad sight. 144 wild horses lost their families and their freedom that day.
The red stallion who escaped the helicopter
I have spent hundreds of hours with the wild horses in this herd over 13 years. These are some of the wildest and least accustomed to people of any of the herds that I visit. I am not surprised when I hear that one of the horses, probably a stallion, leaped over the fence at the Rock Springs corrals and escaped. I hope he never looks back.
Previous Posts:
A Wild Horse Release is a Bittersweet Reminder of Those Who Are No Longer Free
More Wild Horses Including Curlies Lose Their Freedom in Salt Wells Creek
To find out more about Wild Horse Freedom Federation please visit our website, www.WildHorseFreedomFederation.org
8 Comments
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My heart is broken as I watch or hear of these majastic wild horses being rounded up chased down and sent into traps. In some of your photographs I look into their eyes and see fear, pain, disparation seperation from their families. I think to myself Nooo!, I feel helpless, I grit my teeth, hold my breath, and shake my head, at this insanity BLM chooses to inflict the horror the atrocities upon these horses whom have caused no harm. Anger brews up inside me, I clench my teeth and think of horrible endings to these humans that find pleasure committing these atrocities against Our wild mustangs
Your photos brought the beauty & plight of America’s wild horses alive. Where will these trapped horses end up…at auction for adoption or sent for slaughter? Who, specifically, authorizes this helicopter roundip at the Bureau of Land Management? Why can’t it be stopped with a federal lawsuit or designation of wild horses as a protected species?
Please advise!
Thank you! I am so sorry you have to witness this horrible, horrible situation. Thank for the wonderful pictures of these wild lives. God in his Providence put you in their path. Carol I am mad as hell. This is so unjust. Heartless evil bastards. Please take care and keep documenting, we will need it. I am asking President Trump if he wants to be know as the slaughter President? Make America great again free all the penned horses, stop the roundups, prohibit slaughter and ban Forrest Lucas and his minions from the Whitehouse.
Donna
Thank you Carol Walker for documenting this horrendous round up.I thought the court ruling a couple of weeks ago halted this.I am from Ireland,so finding it harder to be involved,only lots of emails and comments on Facebook. I have bought two of your beautiful books though under Margaret Bernard.
President Trump promised to “Open the Books” and “Drain the Swamp” ….. Five hundred million dollars That’s what 21,000 ranchers who graze their livestock on America’s iconic western range lands are estimated to have cost US taxpayers in 2014…Why did Pres. Trump not consider the grazing program losses to the tax payer when considering the budget cuts? …. When all the wild horses are gone, the Grazing Program will still be costing us money… Privately owned livestock are allocated 97 percent of western forage on all 251 million acres currently managed by the BLM …This is compared to 3 percent allocated to wild horses and burros occupying just 29.4 million acres in Herd Management Areas….. http://protectthewolves.com/five-hundred-million-dollars-thats-what-21000-ranchers-who-graze-their-livestock-on-americas-iconic-western-rangelands-are-estimated-to-have-cost-us-taxpayers-in-2014/
Shocking stuff!
Thank you for the amazing photos. But it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Trump is clueless & only cares about $$. He cares nothing about these innocent wild horses and burros & their history as the icons of the American West. He is only interested in huge oil companies, cattle ranchers, & getting rid of the innocent animals who stand in his way.Shameful, be he is clueless! Just look at his comments te: Puerto Rico Many ughs! & many tears for our horses & burros! Clueless out of touch dummy!