Federal government thins the herds of wild horses in Colorado
The Bureau of Land Management is conducting a large-scale roundup of wild horses in Colorado to manage herd sizes on public rangelands. The practice remains controversial, with advocates criticizing the separation of families and the conditions of long-term holding facilities.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between federal land management policies and animal welfare concerns in the American West.
A helicopter swooped through the bright blue sky, as a pilot scanned the high desert below for wild horses running through the dusty sagebrush, about an hour's drive west of Meeker, Colorado. A small group of reporters and horse lovers watched from the cover of wizened trees, about a mile from a pen that would trap the horses.
Horse advocate Robyn Smith spotted the first group of the day. Through her high-powered camera lens, she watched about half a dozen horses of various colors galloping together.
"It makes me happy they're living their best life," said Smith, a retired architect who has traveled across the West to photograph wild horses. "And it's just such a beautiful thing to see when you're just wild and free like that."
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in