Convincing the powers that be to save these beautiful beings sometimes feels like a lesson in futility. This past week the government powers that be decided to keep going with the nightmare. The nightmare of breaking apart this precious wild Onaqui family shown above in my image.

The nightmare of the government cowboys rounding up our beloved wild horses who are a symbol of our freedom. The nightmare of men or cowboys or what ever you want to call them doing the round ups who don't have a soul.  But they don't know they don't have a soul. They probably don't know what a soul is unless it is a sole of a shoe.  Now I know I'm getting a bit nasty and cynical.  But it's hard not to. It is hard not to when you DO have a soul and feel emotions for these majestic beings who are being misunderstood and disrespected by those who don't have a soul or know what a soul is and they need to get one.  And that is putting it mildly. 

Many of us who do have souls have connected with these horses feel they are highly evolved beings.  We know their power.  They make sense when man does not.  Anyone who has visited and spent time with these horses knows how good they make you feel.  When we look at them so peaceful and at ease we feel peace.  When we see them run across the desert floor we feel their glory.  When we witness the stallions fight we feel their incredible strength of will and intention to fight for their sovereignty.  When we see them free to live their lives so effortlessly in the present moment amongst the beauty of nature we yearn for the same.  We yearn for their souls.  We wish we could be like them. Free, beautiful and strong.

So when the nightmare of the roundups continue we who cherish these horses feel the opposite feelings of joy I just mentioned above.  We feel depressed, disgusted and shameful.  For being in the same human race.  Some feel rage.  But I believe it is the power of the horse that subdues the rage.  We know it is not their way to create division and hate.  Horses are the ultimate social creatures.  They play hard and fight hard but they immediately go back to grazing.  They will protect, nurture and fight for their band but they don't hold grudges.

Speaking of the horse in general because our domestic horses are like the wild horses.  For anyone who does not understand horses, is fearful of horses or thinks they dislike horses,  I urge you put aside your preconceptions and or fears and develop a sense of curiosity so to speak.  For those who may be fearful just know that horses will never intentionally hurt you ......unless you might try to hurt them.  For those of you who know nothing about horses and don't think you need to know I encourage you to take a closer look at them.  You don't have to end up being head over horses for horses but you will understand them and agree they are a species that man should protect.  For those of you that think you dislike horses I urge you to look at yourself in the mirror and ask why?  Is there something horses have that you don't? 

What I'm trying to get at is it is not just the ardent wild horse lovers and activists that will save the horses.  It is the whole human race who need to save the horses.  Hogwash say many....this is an animal!  As if we humans are not animals ourselves.  The cultures of man all over the world are fraught with indifference to this highly evolved animal.  Some say they love the horse but only use it for building their ego or worse abuse the horse by not understanding it's true nature.  Some (and I won't say who) think it is perfectly fine to put this highly evolved LARGE live animal in a crate and ship it to distant lands for sushi.  A big live Fed-X package with a soul doomed to be killed so somebody without a soul can have delicious meal.  To save the wild horses and all horses the consciousness of the planet needs to evolve past this kind of thinking.  Horses have to be seen as someone to be respected not something to be eaten.

Besides the amazing souls these horses possess which in turn fill our souls, word is coming around that the wild horses are in fact good for the earth we live, breath and depend on.  In recent years the wild horses have been used as scapegoats for being environmentally destructive.  The ranchers who harm the earth with their livestock grazing on public lands have even jumped on the "they hurt the environment"  narrative. Research is now showing us horses are not destructive if given enough land to roam. In fact they could be seen as natures helpers and gardeners.  With their manure which is not methane producing like cows, they spread seed and enrich the soil by restoring the humus so more plant life can thrive.  They also eat the right grasses to drastically reduce wildfire danger.  Currently the massive amounts of carbon compounds released into the environment as a result of wildfires is thankfully being acknowledged.  Horses roaming the earth can help prevent wildfires and therefore global warming.

On a more opportunistic note many wild horse lovers and activists, including yours truly, feel that even though we lost the battle to save the Onaqui herd we have made tremendous progress in winning hearts and minds of the culture in the fight to save our wild horses.  The Onaqui herd roundup ironically may end up being the straw that breaks the camel back.  Our culture will have had enough, rise up, see the lies and expose the wolf in sheep's clothing.  The horse will prevail.  Then once and for all it will be  "Blue Skies and Babes" once again

Adios Amigos

Jo Danehy 

All photography of wild horses can be purchased here @ danehyphotography.com  %10 of profits from photography shared with wild horse causes.

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