Wild Horses of the Blue Point

Blue Point Recreation Area is one of several along the Bush Highway as it snakes alongside the Salt River. On this day it was not our first choice; however, that choice (Phon D Sutton) had every spot we hoped to visit with our dogs, Ella and Lily, was already occupied. So we headed to Blue Point, not knowing that we'd be sharing that location with several of the wild horses that live along the river.

First, however, I walked along the trail from Phon D Sutton, heading east, looking for any other sheltered cove with reasonable access for an older guy and dogs to descend to the river. I didn't find one. I did, however, come upon evidence of an earlier use of this area for picnickers.

However, I found the archaeological remains of ancient picnic grounds to be rather eerie.

So I retraced my steps and we headed for Blue Point.

The local wild horses were in the area and, once they surmised I would give them their space, ignored me. They also ignored Ella, once they saw she was leashed. (I actually saw the horse's shifting microexpressions as she thought, "Dog! Wait. On leash. No worries.")

When I posted the below photo on Facebook, a horrified friend noted the mare's ribs and demanded the horses be given "supplemental feeding". Bless her heart, to begin with, supplemental feeding would conflict with the very concept of "wild horses$quot;. Now, sure, I have no problem providing supplemental food for wild populations amidst famine or disaster (like the Australian bush fires). But this horse is neither hungry nor unhealthy—in fact, her overfed domestic cousins are probably less healthy than she.

Finally at the water, Ella lost no time getting into it!