BOOKS: The Forgotten Horses

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2009:

The Forgotten Horses
Photographs by Tony Stromberg
New World Library (14 Pamaron Way,
Novato, CA 94949), 2008.
192 pages, hardcover. $45.00.

The Forgotten Horses is dedicated “To
unwanted horses, both domestic and wild. To the
unsung heroes at equine rescue organizations and
sanctuaries all over the world who have taken it
upon themselves to honor, defend, care for,
and support unwanted horses and animals–it is
their life, their livelihood, and their
homecoming.”

Not many equine rescuers make a
livelihood at it, and what homecoming has to do
with it is anyone’s guess. The Forgotten Horses
includes little more text: just a brief preface
by actor Robert Redford and an introduction by
photographer Tony Stromberg which takes passing
note of why horses arrive at sanctuaries or with
rescuers, and mentions the plight of wild horses
who have been removed from the range to make way
for ranching and other resource exploitation.
Mostly, though, the introduction is about
himself and his feelings concerning his work.
The inside jacket blurb best defines The
Forgotten Horses: “The horses in this book are
abused, neglected, abandoned, rejected. They
are lame, old, blind, or just unattractiveŠ”
The Forgotten Horses is self-subject
categorized as “horses/ spirituality.” Therein
lies the problem. Beautiful as Stromberg’s horse
photos are, they are unlikely to do much to help
keep sanctuaries open and keep horses fed.
Though Stromberg “traveled to sanctuaries across
North America,” only one is acknowledged by
name. No contact information is provided, nor
any information about the individual horses that
might help a viewer to sponsor any of them.