Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

No, I didn’t see one, but I’m mad as a grizzly bear defending her cubs; I only wish I had the information to give teeth and claws to my complaint.

Note to Mr. “I Know About Wild Horses” from Brighton: If I ever see you again in Spring Creek Basin, you can be sure I’ll get your license plate number and report you – again. I thought you were clueless but harmless. I still think you’re clueless, but your clueless actions could have done lasting harm to the horses. Do you know the first mare you chased off has a (healed) fractured pelvis? I guess I should thank you – I’ve NEVER seen her run before (go figure), but at least now I know it doesn’t seem to bother her (she ran away just as fast as the boys).

Did you feel bad about not only stopping Grey/Traveler’s band’s direction of travel (I think they were heading to water; it was 100 degrees out) but chasing them down the road with your truck? That band has a lame mare, a yearling colt with a wonky knee and a 3-month-old filly. The other band you chased with your truck – which was the second band you chased away on foot when they didn’t stand still for your cell-phone photography – has a 20-plus-year-old mare and her 2-month-old filly. In the THIRD band you chased down the road with your truck was a WEEK-OLD COLT. The Bachelor 7 make up the FOURTH band I saw you chase down the road with your pickup. How awful did you feel to chase THIRTY horses down the road with your truck?

Do ya feel like crap now? You obviously didn’t when you chased Poco’s and Seven’s bands away from where I was photographing them. Do you know I have NEVER seen Poco, Bones and Roach up in that area? That, in fact, I have NEVER seen them outside their relatively small little area farther south – where there’s not much to eat and water is scarce? They were up where they were – where most of the bands were Friday – because the grass there is still plentiful – and there’s water. Think they’ll ever go back to that good grass? I hope so.

I already complained to the district ranger, and I sent a complaint with photos to our BLM herd manager. Too bad I didn’t write down your license plate number when I had the chance.

I know most of you who have an interest in the Spring Creek Basin horses and read this blog know this already, but let me beg again: Please, please, please respect the wild horses. During the course of almost a year now, I have been patient, calm and consistent in my approach to the wild horses of Spring Creek Basin. I do that not only so they are tolerant of me taking pictures to document their lives and social interactions and behaviors and new herd members, but also so you who come behind me have the same beautiful chance to see horses in the wild – that they don’t immediately run off at the sight of a vehicle or people taking pictures of them. I have a very long lens, and I can “get close” to the horses without invading their space – something you, guy from Brighton, with your medium telephoto and cell-phone camera, obviously can’t do. What’s worse, you weren’t even upset that you caused those horses to run away.

The first tenet of wildlife photography applies to WILD horses: NO PICTURE IS WORTH SACRIFICING THE WELL-BEING OF THE SUBJECT. If you cause your subject(s) to gallop off – from you on foot or because of your vehicle – you have failed.

Brighton guy: YOU FAILED.