The "Wild" Ones

"The Wild Ones"

 

While traveling from Alaska through Canada and throughout the western United States, I had the fortunate opportunity to observe and photograph wild horses in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Nevada.  Although some of the herds are descendants of those horses brought north from Mexico by the early Spanish Explorers.  Other herds are comprised of horses that have escaped or abandoned from the early days of settling the west or more recently when owners would let them loose to fend for themselves.  I had the opportunity to spend several hours with this herd comprised of fifteen head located in the badlands of North Dakota. 

I first spotted them high on a ridge that paralleled a small stream, being late in the afternoon I was hoping that they would move down to water.  I positioned myself in the sage brush and patiently waited.  It took forty-five minutes for them to work themselves into my photography range. I focused my attention on the four head of horses you see in these photographs.  The Stud or Stallion was easy to identify, a big sorrel that had absolute control on the herd.  The Lead Mare was identified early, a older Roan colored mare that always stayed in the lead with the stud.  It was she that sounded the first alarm when she either spotted my movement of scent, then the stud took over.  The Mare of the Colt was also easy to identify, like any mother the baby never strayed to far from her side.  Looking at the Colt, there is no doubt who his daddy and mommy are; the big blaze on his face is almost identical to that of the Mare and Stallion. With age his coloration will also switch to the darker sorrel color. 

Once, I was definitely discovered, the stud turned the herd with both verbal and body language.  The Lead Mare took the lead when the herd turned and gallop back towards the ridge followed by the Mare, Colt and bringing up the rear was the Stallion.  The timing and sequences of events were so perfectly timed it was as if it had been practiced many times.  The forty-five minutes that I spent crouching in the sage brush, thinking a rattlesnake was going to sneak up on me was well worth the time and effort, most likely an event that will never be duplicated in my lifetime.  Leaving the area, I felt very privileged to have witnessed the "The Wild Ones".

    

"Stallion Locating Me After Lead Mare Sounded Alarm"

 

"Stallion Sounding The Alarm And Turning The Herd"

Lead Mare Behind Stallion, Colt Between Stallion And Mother

 

"Mare And Colt"

 

"Stallion Turning The Herd, Mare And Colt Looking Straight On"

 

"A Second Verbal Alarm And Blocking The Mare and Colt"

 

"Stallion, Mare, and Colt Bringing Up The Rear Of The Herd"