Tag Archives: wild horses in Utah

Onaqui wild mustang after roundup

Onaqui Wild Horses – Post Roundup

Posted on by

I have been out to the Onaqui mustangs several times since the roundup but haven’t felt like posting images. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we have some horses to photograph but not being able to photograph some of my favorite families has been heart-breaking…  Many of the released horses are pairing up in very small groups and remaining in the mountains.  They feel safe from helicopters there.  Over the years when Blackhawk helicopters from Dugway were flying low over the herd they would head straight to the mountains.

The good news is that there are horses to photograph. The bad news is that very few of the “families” that were together pre-roundup were released back. I am hoping that new family bonds will start to evolve, but the horses are so spread out that it might be hard for that to occur. It is difficult to try and rationalize how/why the BLM would to this to our magnificent wild horses. The BLM continues with their “emergency roundups” throughout the West. The wild horse populations will never be the same.

Anyway, here are some images of the remaining herd. I hope to post more in the future…..

BLM Asking for public input on Onaqui Herd – Please consider giving your input!!

Posted on by

I just received notice from the BLM specifically about this wonderful herd of wild horses I love to photograph.  They are looking for public input on the issue of thinning the herd from their estimate of 450 horses to between 120 and 200 horses.  They state the reasons in the attached pdf.  I am always amazed how they (the BLM) are happy to have around 2,000 head of cattle and 2,500 head of sheep use the Herd Management Area each year, BUT IT IS THE WILD HORSES THAT ARE THE PROBLEM!  Anyway, I would ask that you consider giving your input to the BLM on behalf of this wonderful herd of wild horses that do not have a voice in this issue.  They need our help.

Thank you for your consideration.  This link should open the BLM’s pdf on this issue that gives instruction on how to submit your thoughts.

18_ Utah Onaqui HMA public comment

Wild Horse Photography – Fight

Posted on by

In this post of my wild horse photography you will see a series of photographs I shot a few weeks ago in Utah’s west desert.  In this series a roan stallion spots a black stallion that is “courting” his mare.  The chase is on.  When the roan finally catches the black stallion he almost takes the black stallion to the ground.  Then the black stallion gets his moment when he is able to pull off a solid kick to the throat of the roan.  This herd of wild horses along the old Pony Express trail near Dugway, Utah is such a treasure.  My biggest concern is how quickly they are growing in number.  I don’t believe the BLM has had a roundup of this herd for several years.  There must be near twenty new foals from this year!  I hope they can find an alternative to rounding up many of the herd and carting them off to huge pens in the mid-west.  I have seen the effects on those left behind and it is not a pretty thing.  Stallions that lost their mares and family band are never the same.  The BLM is certainly facing a difficult management task and I hope reasonable compromises can be found.

 

 

 

Onaqui Herd – Wild Horses – December

Posted on by

Every time to get out to photograph this herd of wild horses I am inspired by them.  I wish I had the time to photograph these magnificent creatures every day.

On this trip it was as cold as I have seen it in Utah’s West Desert.  It was 13 degrees just after sunset.  The lighting was amazing!  We were lucky enough to spot the herd (it was HUGE) many miles from the main road.  The lighting was good when we got there but became better and better the later it got.  Another amazing opportunity to spend time with them….

Colorful Utah Desert – Onaqui Herd – Wild Horses of Utah

Posted on by

Here are some photographs I took this spring when the Utah Desert was as colorful as I have ever seen it.  The Onaqui herd seemed to be in great shape, with foals just starting to be born.  To see the desert now, you would never believe it was this colorful.  The plant that is such a brilliant orange is called Globe Mallow or desert mallow.  It is native to Utah.