Never Forget what Happened at Onaqui
Never Forget what Happened at Onaqui
It’s taken me a while to be able to sit down and write this blog post. Mostly because it’s taken me this long to even go through my photos from our last trip there. All these faces I’ve known for years, their lives that I’ve followed, and the part they have had in my life makes this particular roundup very hard on a personal level. Every roundup is devastating, but when you become enmeshed with a particular herd, it’s more so.
I will never forget what happened at Onaqui, because it was so unnecessary.
This particular stallion is a favorite of mine, and I can’t imagine what he’s going through now. He is wild and through and through.
The families that were fractured, and broken for no reason. The horses taken from their home. And for what?!
This little colt wanted his big brother to get up so bad, he bugged him, pestered him. Big brother was so gentle, and patient. Where are these two now? Separated, scared, bewildered? Dejected?
I really thought that this roundup would never happen. This last trip in May I kept thinking, it can’t happen, there are so many people speaking up for these guys. Surely they will listen to us. But on July 13th the helicopters flew. By July 18th they had terrorized and captured 435 horses. 435 of OUR horses, on OUR public land. I sadly wasn’t able to be there, but friends were. And there were plenty of photos, videos, and stories from them. I cried so many tears, still do when I think about it.
This last trip we parked the RV in a different part of the HMA, and the whole time we were there we had Buck as a horse companion. He’s an older guy, but still so handsome.
We also had the whole herd around the RV for a few evenings. Talk about magical. They would come in at dusk, mill around and move onto wherever they wanted to spend the night. One night we were standing outside watching them, it was getting dark, and I said to my husband, “We will never have this again.” And in all his wiseness he said, “Then let’s enjoy all of this right now.” A friend was staying with us, and we all just soaked in the moments that week.
BLM tried to say the horses were in bad condition. Do any of these horses look bad to you?
Cute little foal having a nap, and then a roll around in the grass.
There was a moment during the roundup that made everyone cheer. Moondrinker, made an escape with his family. He is a wonderful stallion, and has a beautiful family.
These 3 mares have always been inseparable. I can’t imagine if they had been rounded up and lost from each other.
So many stories. So many wild lives lost. Charger is a favorite of many, and this past year he seemed like he was making a move to be the band stallion. Now what?
Young foals who will never have the chance to grow up wild.
Scenes like these, gone.
The landscape will never be the same. It will be barren, it will be too quite. They are releasing a little over 100 horses back to the range on August 9th, but it will never be the same.
A few days before this roundup was to begin, I did an interview with Chip Reid from CBS evening news. It had been in the works for months, and I was hoping that some national exposure would make a difference for all the horses in the west, and stop these insane roundups. By the time the piece aired, the Onaqui roundup was over, but others had begun in other HMA’s. The national exposure for our horses has been great, and I think more people now know what’s happening. I want to keep building on this spark, and speak for our horses even more! So Help me be their voice.
If you would like to watch the CBS Evening news piece, here is the link.
We can never stop fighting.
Mary, your love is evident in every picture you presented. I will keep doing what I can to let people know what is happening and why. I will write more emails to our “leaders” and ask for mercy for our beautiful horse families. It has been soul wrenching for me and I only got to know them through people like you who have been part of the story for years.
Mary, your heart is as big as the ocean. My heart breaks, my spirit wails, my head try’s to figure a way to stop all this unnecessary brutality. But, how do you fight corrupt goverment bodies that are in the pockets of corrupt politicians. All these photos document God’s beautiful sentient beings. Bless you Mary
Thank you for sharing your story and wonderful photos. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for all those who spent time with the horses. We can only hope that someday soon someone will pay attention and stop the madness. I wish 60 Minutes on CBS would do a longer story on what’s happening to our wild ones.
May Their never ending story forever in our hearts remain. Their tenderness touched our hearts; we tried so hard to keep them free. You and others have been warriors; helping in so many ways. The breath taking photos you and others have taken will be a lasting memory of their lives in the wild. I choke up everytime I think about those round ups. How cruel to think that they are held captive prisoners for who knows how long.
Mary, thank you for this beautiful share from your heart. ♥️ You share so elegantly, vulnerably & your photos speak volumes. It is unbelievable really what has happened. 💔 Your voice, your photos, your message is making a difference, please keep sharing.
With gratitude,
Tara ♥️🐴♥️
Thank you for sharing these Amazing shots! Love is evident. Keep up the fight folks its not over yet, they are still to round up a lot of horses this summer.
Dear Mary, I don’t know you personally, but I admire your strength and am grateful for your pictures, even if my heart can hardly bear them. Our world is out of joint, greed and selfishness everywhere and I’m ashamed to be an human being because of much what’s happening right now, with humans, animals an our environment.
I wish you continued strength, send you all my admiration and sympathy. Thank you.
With knowing these magnificent horses as you do Each Day must be very difficult for you. I joined the fight just 2 months before this happened and my heart hurts. I’m with you and will continue to be a voice for the Wild Horses. I believe somehow Good Will Prevail and those responsible will be called out and be Held Accountable. Thank You So Much For What You Do ❤️
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Mary, thank you for sharing your photos and stories of these magnificent horses with us. What happened to the Onaqui is UNCONSCIONABLE! I, like you, hoped that we would be successful in stopping the fateful roundup of these beloved horses, based upon all the attention this impending roundup was getting. I was devastated when the helicopters took to the skies and ran our horses mercilessly until exhausted they were corralled into the trap. The aftermath broke my heart.
I will be sharing this information and your post regarding the cost of the roundups with my Senators and State Reps. I hope that someday in the near future we will be able to stop these insidious roundups once and for all.