Blue Zeus
Legend of the Red Desert
Blue Zeus is a convincing, beautiful photography book that reveals the necessity of conserving wild horses.
Wild horse advocate Carol J. Walker’s striking photography collection Blue Zeus tells the story of a Blue roan and his herd through the seasons.
In the autumn of 2020, the Bureau of Land Management captured 1,970 wild horses at the Red Desert Complex in Wyoming. Moved by their plight, Walker recounts her excursions to these grasslands, as well as recalling her trip there in 2018, when she first spotted Zeus and his family alongside other pintos, cremellos, and sorrels.
Walker’s clear narration gathers observations about the animals’ interactions with each other, their markings, and their habits, revealing both tender wonderment and a naturalist’s eye. The horses—many of which are named for mythological characters, including Helios and Apollo—are further imbued with charming personalities that enliven the book’s keen message: wild horses deserve to exist in their natural environments with minimal interference.
The text is personable and immediate, balancing its emotional concerns with informative details. But when it comes to background about wild horse advocacy, and the history behind various designated complexes on public lands, its information is minimal; those familiar with related controversies will be best suited here. Still, there are enough hints about land usage and mentions of cattle ranchers present to suggest how monetary gain is partially to blame for the eradication of wild horses.
Descriptions of the government’s land management roundups—including what happens, from the separation of family bands to birth control darting, adoption events, death, and subsequent auctions that feed the “slaughter pipeline”––braid with Walker and her friends’ ample letter-writing campaigns and searches to find Zeus and his family via their tag numbers. Such dedication culminates in the horses’ transfer to the Skydog Sanctuary in Oregon, followed by a joyful, final photography session that depicts their new lives.
The book’s tone is urgent, and its narrative will appeal to horse enthusiasts and casual photography fans alike. Color portraits of the horses alone and in family groups unfold against Wyoming’s stunning prairies and white skies. These range from panoramas that reveal the unique features of different breeds to gentle close-ups. Zeus is the standout, from his sloping, sunlit profiles and tangled mane to his white stockings. The book’s more artistic photographs draw focus to his gray-blue coat.
Photographs that feature the horses in motion, though much more rare in this collection, evoke their long-held status as symbols of freedom. Meanwhile, heartbreaking images—some of which were contributed by Walker’s friends—reveal the horses’ roundup and captivity in Colorado corrals. Here, the penned conditions speak for themselves.
Blue Zeus is a convincing, beautiful photography book that reveals the necessity of conserving wild horses.
Reviewed by
Karen Rigby
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
