Tonight I am very sad. I just got the news that the Wild Horses in the desert have been rounded up, herded into a corral with a helicopter and then loaded and hauled to a holding facility. Of the two hundred mustangs, only twenty-five will be returned to their home, the balance of the horses will be trucked to Oklahoma and kept there until the BLM decides what to do with them. We knew that the herd was eventually due to be gathered, checked for disease, some offered for adoption to reduce herd size, and the balance to be returned to their home. But, only twenty five? And what of the others? What will happen to them? Although I admit that I have an emotional attachment to the animals, and that their numbers may need to be reduced for the overall benefit of the herd, but,..only twenty-five will survive and live in their home again.

I admit that after spending over half of my weekends photographing the wild horses over the last two years, that I never really formed an opinion about what would be the best strategy to manage the them. My father was a rancher, I grew up riding the range, moving 400 head of cows on cattle drives that lasted several days, taking care of beef on the hoof that provided my family with an income. I understand the the rancher's view that the mustangs compete with range cattle for forage. My father's ranch once lost half of it's value because the BLM reduced the allowable number of animals he could turn out onto the grazing lease that was part of his ranch. That was nearly 30 years ago, and now I live and work in the city and photograph wild horses on weekends. Still,..I am heartsick with the knowledge that only a handful of the beautiful horses will return.

I hope I can find out where the horses are being held, perhaps to go see them one last time, get a few more photos of them in the corral, and say goodbye.