Why?

In February of 2007 Rebecca and I joined with inspectors from the Horse of the Americas Registry and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancey, to study the Corolla and Shackleford herds in order to determine whether they were of straight Spanish heritage to the degree that they could be accepted into the HOA. (Please see the HOA home page for the great report of that inspection that was written by Vickie Ives)
While slipping through the wooded area among the Corollas Rebecca spotted a pair of young wild pigs. We followed close by hoping to get a good photo. I have been around hogs all of my life and I knew that the sow would not be far away. My senses were about as tuned in as they get. I expected to see an angry old sow at any moment.
We did not see a sow. Instead we walked up on this young bachelor stallion. It was cold and windy and he was sunning himself in an opening in the live oaks. The wind was so strong that he neither heard nor smelled us until we were right up on him. He snorted,, tossed his mane and trotted off. He was the best looking young stallion that we saw in the wild. I would have loved to have had him in the breeding program, but I was glad that he was there in the wild. Perhaps by the spring he would pick up a few mares. Surely within a year or two he would have his own band of mares and would leave his genetic imprint all over the herd. My hopes were misplaced.
A year ago today he was shot to death. Though there is a substantial reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer, the death remains unsolved.
I will never understand why anyone would choose to extinguish this magnificent creature, but I hope this picture helps others understand why we are working so hard to save them, both in the wild and under saddle.