Anatomy of a Composition - the benefits of freedom

While not written as a single blog, what follows are the text from recent posts on social media as an account of my first visit to the Sand Wash Basin, in Northwestern Colorado. So while the thoughts may seem disjointed, please read them as three, individual journal posts, as that is what they really are.  Journaling, as I teach my students, is about getting thoughts out and worrying less about accuracy - we can always research and fix the details later.  As well, since I do not currently have a dedicated “wildlife” gallery on the webpage, I’ll be sharing another web gallery that is linked below.

First - New to me - a place, a scene, a drama that’s about to unfold. This trip was another on a list of ones that was long overdue - but every bit worth the effort. The Sand Wash Basin is 160,000 acres of land containing some of Colorado’s most desolate land, yet it’s a jarringly beautiful landscape of scrub brush, cactus, yucca and more, all with a herd of nearly 900 horses that in the coming days will be exposed an emergency roundup with the goal of removing at least 700 horses. I don’t know enough about the issue to state anymore facts, it does seem to be an excessive move, but I’m not knowledgeable enough on the herd and the underlying conditions; emotionally it doesn’t seem justified.

Second - Rains delayed the first day of the emergency roundup in the Sand Wash, but letters from Sierra Club and even Colorado’s Governor Jared Polis, as well as public outcry seem to have fallen on deaf ears. The Sand Wash Basin’s 160,000 acres of land are in the hands of Interior Secretary Deborah Haaland. She could step in to halt the roundup and bring all stakeholders to the table, but is thus far unwilling to. I saw evidence of sheep grazing in the Basin, as is pretty common throughout Public Land here in Colorado. I’d hate to think this is a conflict between business and public interest, played out through the lives of these horses.

Third - Emotions are running understandably high after a first day’s roundup - a number of stallions, mares and foals were captured, and of the total to be captured over the next few weeks the majority will go to BLM stockades to wait for an adoption or simply languish in the corrals. The horses represent a living history, with links to US Calvary, the Ute Nation, and Spanish conquistadors - though the pressure on the land is real, with other native species in competition, these preserves were set aside specifically for the equines to range. Again, I don’t have an answer, but my visit to the Sand Wash, knowing what was to come, carried the air of a funeral to me, and I know I didn’t like that feeling. I’ll go back when this event is over, this is too complicated, and compelling, to just let go.

September, 2021 - As always, thank you for the support and for joining me on this adventure.

For more thoughts on some of these images, head over to www.wordpress.com/alma175w  

ISO 640 | F/6.3 | 1/1600 sec. - 900mm - Sony a7iii & Sony FE 200-600G - the benefits of freedom