Glimpses of What's Been Wild and Free -- But May No Longer Be
Last week my husband and I took a scenic drive through southwestern Wyoming. He had a project in the region and, after traveling from our home in Casper (central area of the state) we had some extra time before returning. So, we took a back road to view nature and wildlife. For decades the area has been designated as wild horse country, with herd management areas that attract residents and tourists alike.
Now, however, the Bureau of Land Management plans to remove as many as 5,000 wild horses from the landscape. And that's just in Wyoming.
Photo by Gayle M. Irwin
These animals have known wildness and freedom for several generations, going back to the 1800s when Native Americans first learned of the horse from the Spanish arriving from Central America and Mexico. Even before then, the horse was a North American species, dating back to the days of wooly mammoths and saber tooth tigers. Now, an all-out war against the wild horses is underway, with two areas designated for them in Wyoming now set to "zero out" horse numbers.
On the day my husband and I took the drive near Pilot Butte, we were blessed to observe 22 wild horses in the area where, not far off, a roundup of nearly 600 mustangs was taking place. We witnessed a trailer with about eight horses traveling fast along the dirt road where we had parked to photograph and observe the beauties on the prairie. That truck and trailer clipped by us at a great speed. These animals were likely on the way to an outdoor corral that temporarily houses wild horses put up for adoption and/or sold at auction.
I follow a woman on Facebook who tries to observe the roundups, keeping an eye on the animals that helicopters chase into what's called "a trap." These roundups go on for days until the Bureau of Land Management (the federal agency in charge of wild horses and burros) receives the number of horses they want off the landscape. These roundsups happen in other states, too, including Nevada, Utah, Oregon, and California. It's a practice that's gone on for years, but until recently, the roundups didn't extend to the extreme numbers as they have during the past few years.
Wild horse advocacy groups sound the battle-cry to keep the animals on the landscape. Letters to state and federal leaders have garnered no reprieve for these majestic creatures, and wild horse sanctuaries have filled to capacity. What will happen to the 5,000 the BLM plans to remove from Wyoming's public lands? What will become of the 580+ just taken from the White Mountain region of the state? There are not enough people willing to adopt wild horses ... just as there are no longer enough people to adopt dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals from America's shelters and rescues.
BLM plans to remove more than 20,000 wild horses from America's western landscape in the next few years. Where will they all go?
from the removal of more than 20,000 across the western states. Photo by Gayle M. Irwin
I'm blessed to have observed several horses in the wild, in Wyoming and in Montana. These are experiences that awe and inspire me, and therefore, I intend to let readers know what majesty these animals display and, though I understand rangeland can't accomodate hundreds of thousands of horses, there are better, more humane ways to control populations. Wild horse advocacy, like pet rescue and adoption, is important to me, and so future stories will be one way I showcase the awe-inspiring spirit and beauty of wild horses and their wild habitats.
Books I'm planning next year will deal with this issue. My forthcoming book, Rescuing Sarah, starts the process. It is scheduled for release in September. Stay tuned!
If the plight of wild horses is an issue you want to learn more about, here are a few websites to visit:
https://www.thecloudfoundation.org/
https://home.americanwildhorse.org/
Here is a link to the BLM page that shows the roundup statistics for the White Mountain area of Wyoming in which more than 10 horses lost their lives:
Carol Walker is the woman I follow on Facebook. She loves the wild mustangs and attends whatever roundups she can to gather information and take photos. If you'd like to make her virtual acquaintenance and follow the roundups with her, here is the link to her page:
https://www.facebook.com/WildHoofbeats
Horses can be found in several of my Pet Rescue Romance - Yellowstone Country series, including Finding Love at Compassion Ranch and My Montana Love. I even mention adopting wild horses in My Montana Love.
If you haven't read these books yet and you like the idea of horses playing a role in the human love story, you can find the books on several e-book online retailers.
Here is the link for Finding Love at Compassion Ranch: https://books2read.com/u/4j2RNZ
Here is the link for My Montana Love: https://books2read.com/u/4A79RJ
Both books are also available in paperback version.
The late John Denver wrote and recorded many amazing songs during his life. One of those was "Eagles and Horses." Watch and listen to him perform via this YouTube link, and let the words and imagery allow your heart and soul to fly ... like eagles and horses!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lba1UlPTMFA&list=RDlba1UlPTMFA&start_radio=1
