The BLM gathered the last Onaqui wild horse on Sunday morning, July 18. 435 horses were ultimately jammed into semi-trucks and transported to Delta, UT or Sutherland, UT for processing. As stated on their website “all horses appear healthy” contrary to the stated reason for the gather was because their body weight was declining (an utter lie). Their plan is to return some 100 plus horses to the 500,000 acres that the Onaqui use.
I drove out Monday afternoon to see for myself hoping to find some of the horses they “intentionally” left. The trip was sickening. The beautiful landscape that had always given me great pleasure was now dead to me. I saw no beauty there without the horses. Every previous trip to the West Desert gave me the same feeling that I get when I drive into the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone and see hundreds and hundreds of bison peacefully grazing in that beautiful valley. This trip was not that. This trip was stomach-turning for me. I vacillated between tears, and distain toward the BLM for what they did to my herd. It has taken me a few days to process what I was feeling Monday, but I have finally figured it out… I was feeling ashamed. I was ashamed for what we humans allowed to happen to those magnificent wild horses and I was ashamed that I wasn’t able to stop the roundup. We took the very symbol of the American West and said to it, “our society no longer cares about you”. A very sad day for all Americans.
The images below were taken in the three or four days prior to the roundup. All horses shown in these photo’s were rounded up and taken off to be “processed”.
These horses are so magnificent and beautiful why can’t they let them live on their land I don’t understand it’s sickening
It is sickening. It’s all about cattle ranchers keeping adequate feed near the water. The BLM doesn’t consider the fact that these are “PUBLIC” lands…
sincerely,
Greig
Having driven from New Mexico a couple of times to photograph these beautiful horses, I am in tears right now and so heartbroken. I have no words to express this terrible loss. Your beautiful images make me cry right now. Sending virtual hugs to you.
Thanks for your kind thoughts… Been a tough week…
Sincerely,
Greig
Greig,
Yes I feel the same way that you do, If I am close, have you not been photographing these horses since around 2006 or so ? My heart is with you and you and your blurb was very well said. I have only going out there since 2016 and I love them all so much. It was a very difficult week for me too. I have enjoyed your images so very much, especiall the older ones of “Old Man” and “Buck”. Do you have an age estimate on Old Man, you would be the person that would likely know.
Thank you for all of your images that you share.
Judy L Neill
Thanks Judy. The Old Man is over 30 years old. Some people say about 34 years old. I have photographed them for over 10 years.
Sincerely,
Greig
Ever since your last post, I have felt a sense of doom over my head. Each day, I dreaded seeing another post from you about the fate of the Onaqui herd. I was hoping perhaps the roundup might be postponed. Today, I read with deep sadness your account of what has happened to the Onaqui herd. I am almost afraid to ask, but I must – what does “processed” mean, in terms of what will befall the horses rounded up from this wilderness area?
Thank you for your beautiful photographs and all the years you have chronicled from this place. Keep us all informed, as hopefully some of the horses will be restored to their home territory.
Thanks for your thoughts. By “processed” the BLM sorts the horses, check them out medically, etc. Eventually about 100 horses will be returned, the rest will be put up for adoption. Many will not be adopted. If they don’t get adopted then the BLM ships those horses off to the mid-west to be put in pens with the 50,000 horses already in pens…
Horrors! I was afraid of this outcome. I know this wild horse roundup is driven by the cattle ranching business. Greed conquers all.
But hopefully the BLM WILL return at least 100 horses to their ancestral home, and allow them to live their lives naturally. Throughout the US, there is no respect for public lands. I see it here in my part of the country, where any tiny scrap of green and trees must be snapped up by some municipality, and paved over or made into some type of noise-generating, soul-robbing unnatural space. It never matters what the local people want. The petitions, and demonstrations, the logic in keeping natural spaces, are not heard. In the end, the people and the land are the losers.
Thank you for all your photos and your blog. I have shared your site on my social media accounts, and so many people love and share it with others. Someday, perhaps in our lifetimes, the will of the people will be heard and honored, along with the beauty of the horses on their native range.
Ernestine,
Thank you so much for your support! I am doing all I can to make sure that this never again happens to the Onaqui. I’ll keep everyone posted.
Sincerely,
Greig
I’ve posted your link with over 100 shares on FB group SAVE THE ONAQUI.
It’s great info.bThe response is nothing but praise. Let’s keep up the fight
Thank you Bruce! There are groups trying to get Congress to shut down the roundups. I hope they are successful.
Sincerely,
Greig
Our community has tried and tried. Its Deb Haaland..traitor. Her sister is a rancher. She’s a snake.
I suggested an army of drones to interfere with the choppers which is legal but no one out there took up the suggestion.
This is a horrible tragic ending. Greed makes me so sad that humans can do this.
The “Roundups” are so wrong! It’s Absolutely Absurd!! I’m so sick of the ranchers benefiting financially from having Our Iconic Wildlife removed!! Sometimes I’m embarrassed to be a human!
The ones who poured their hearts and souls into these wild horses don’t ever feel guilt because ya’ll gave it your all fought hard for our Onaquis herds and I promise they know that ya’ll were fighting for them and they will never forget any of you a horse never forgets love and kindness they remember forever. Thank you for sharing all of these beautiful pictures if not for all of you taking these pictures some of us may never get to see our beautiful wild horses. It’s not over yet we aren’t gonna stop fighting until we get this stopped quit is not in our vocabulary and these pictures are proof that the BLM lied in court and I think we should all push for perjury charges if that had been us lying we would be arrested. My family’s in a group because my neice was murdered they fight for justice the group is CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP and we got to have that same thought process we can’t stop and won’t stop til we get justice for our Wild horses til they give us what we want and release them back to their land where they belong.??❤
This is really awful. I think you’ve expressed the outrage and sadness this brings very well, Greig. Are you in touch with Utah representatives? Let’s get this policy changed!
Sue
Sue,
So nice to hear from you! Yes, there was a HUGE effort to stop the roundup. 50,000 signatures delivered to the BLM. Protests held in Utah and Washington DC. Many celebrities involved. Professional film crews made a film. Nothing worked… They are almost impossible to stop, but we are still fighting and setting up a foundation to be sure it never again happens to this herd. Thanks for your support…
Greig