Time for another entry in Friday Fictioneers challenge, courtesy of Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. If you want to give it a try, check the info on her blog. 100 words more or less, inspired by a photo, here we go….
Copyright – Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
My sister sounds tired and her voice quivers.
“How many do you have?”
“Seventeen. You?”
“Eight. But I am going out again, there are few more places I need to check.”
“I hear they are closing in from the west, with helicopters and 4wheelers. Be careful.”
I know my words fall on deaf ears, cause I too will be heading out again.
My eight year old is stuck to my left hip, watching the horses.
“What will happen to the ones left out there? Who will help them?”
I don’t know what to say to her…I just don’t know.
My fellow blogger Mary Hone posted an emotional response to the fact that Bureau of Land Management plans a roundup of wild horses in February. Reading some more into it gave me a glimpse into complexity and tragedy of the problem, again confirming how disastrous our actions are to the echo system and the future of this planet. Emotions and reality often clash, but are inseparable in the end.
The wild horse roundup has been going on for decades. I imagine in the current climate it will only get worse, but remember that horses themselves are a non-native species. Like the Europeans, they arrived early and changed everything. Without the horse, the Comanche would never have become the fiercest Native American tribe on the continent. There’s a great book about that called Empire of the Summer Moon, if you’re interested.
Loved the way you wrote this story up… once horses were mans best friend. Here we are culling deer, badgers, feral domestic cats, grey squirrels and so on.
A grim picture. Interesting that I read this as people looking for survivors with enemy troops closing in (and the “ones left out there” are people they haven’t found), then I read your explanation.
I was touched by your take on the prompt and appreciated the explanation and the comments. I can really sense the horror of being caught up in this dreadful slaughter and including the 8 year old daughter was very powerful. Well done.
xx Rowena
Coming from the Wild West, I’ll agree that this is a complex problem but many wild species are effected by over grazing, including the wild horses. The BLM walks a tight rope between horse advocates, hunters, cattleman and outdoor enthusiasts. We can all agree that cruelty does not need to be part of the solution. Thanks for calling attention to the lovely horses.
Tracey
Heartbreaking and well written story. Isn’t there a gentler way to relocate them if there are too many in the area? Competing with people is never a win situation for wild animals.
Snow's Fissures and Fractures 
Dear Loré,
I like where the prompt took you. Thought provoking and well written.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle. It was a very inspiring image.
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Neat tale, serious message
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Thank you.
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The wild horse roundup has been going on for decades. I imagine in the current climate it will only get worse, but remember that horses themselves are a non-native species. Like the Europeans, they arrived early and changed everything. Without the horse, the Comanche would never have become the fiercest Native American tribe on the continent. There’s a great book about that called Empire of the Summer Moon, if you’re interested.
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Thank you for the recomendation. The problem is very complex and it seems we usually try to solve problems in violent ways.
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Such an informative and illuminating take on the prompt. Full marks for originality.
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Thank you, Sandra.
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Thank you, it is a very emotional issue. For me, and a lot of other people.
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I follow your story about wild horses and feel very connected through your beautiful photos.
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Sometimes the arrogance of man is so blatant!
Thanks for the links and your beautiful story.
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You are most welcome.
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I think we are always trying to intervene with nature (even if we might have initiated it all ourselves)
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I keep missing comments, so sorry for that. Thank you!
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Me too… i even miss prompts these days.
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Loved the way you wrote this story up… once horses were mans best friend. Here we are culling deer, badgers, feral domestic cats, grey squirrels and so on.
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Thank you, Michael. I don’t think animals need our friendship, just to let them be.
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A grim picture. Interesting that I read this as people looking for survivors with enemy troops closing in (and the “ones left out there” are people they haven’t found), then I read your explanation.
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Thank you. The way you read it just shows that some struggles are universal.
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I wasn’t too clear on what you wrote, then I read the bottom. Interesting. Gosh, I’d love to have a horse myself. I like horses.
Nice job, Loré.
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I would love to watch wild horses run free. Glad you liked it.
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Yes, it is a beautiful sight to see.
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I was touched by your take on the prompt and appreciated the explanation and the comments. I can really sense the horror of being caught up in this dreadful slaughter and including the 8 year old daughter was very powerful. Well done.
xx Rowena
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Thank you so much Rowena!
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Man and his ways …
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Indeed.
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Coming from the Wild West, I’ll agree that this is a complex problem but many wild species are effected by over grazing, including the wild horses. The BLM walks a tight rope between horse advocates, hunters, cattleman and outdoor enthusiasts. We can all agree that cruelty does not need to be part of the solution. Thanks for calling attention to the lovely horses.
Tracey
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You are welcome. Thank you for commenting.
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Heartbreaking and well written story. Isn’t there a gentler way to relocate them if there are too many in the area? Competing with people is never a win situation for wild animals.
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I always hope there is a gentler way to treat other living beings, but I am constantly proven wrong.
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Loved this, the hardship of the conditions and simply the life comes over brilliantly. If I shiver reading something I know the writer’s hit the mark.
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You are too kind, thank you.
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The impact of humans on the planet is hard to reconcile some days. Your story left me with a pit in my stomach.
Beautifully written, but hard to read.
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Much appreciated, Dawn.
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Wild horse roundups have always made me sad. You really captured the dilemma of the whole idea in your story.
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Thank you, Alicia. I remember watching roundups many years ago and I was disapointed by cruelty.
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