An equine change of pace today. When I was a kid my dad used to exclaim “Horse feathers!” when he doubted something strongly. I don’t think he was implying that horses really have feathers and neither am I when I post wild horse photos to Feathered Photography.
I’ve posted photos of these horses several times in the past but these three are new to my blog.
Several years ago a couple of friends and I spent a May morning with the Onaqui wild horse herd in Utah’s west desert. We had to walk a pretty good distance to get anywhere near the horses (we were lucky just to find them) and then we just waited to see what would happen.
Eventually the horses approached us more closely than I would ever have approached them.
The mood of the herd was decidedly mixed. Most of the time most of the horses were calm and relaxed but there was periodic and palpable tension in the air, especially amongst the stallions. At times I felt vulnerable.
The frolicking young colts had a calming effect on me and I spent a lot of time with them in my viewfinder. But doing so meant I couldn’t keep track of what was going on around me as well as I wanted to. When you’re watching the body language of adult horses you can usually tell when there’s tension or a fight is about to break out so if necessary you can take evasive action.
An angry wild horse with its ears laid back gets your attention, especially when you’re on foot a half mile from your vehicle. But looking through your viewfinder isn’t conducive to keeping a close eye on all of the horses in your vicinity.
Believe me, you don’t want to be close to fighting wild horses.
Suddenly these two stallions began fighting furiously and I was too close to them for comfort. I had made every effort to give them a respectful distance but they didn’t reciprocate.
They were flailing with their hooves as they tried to bite each other. The dust, the noise, the flying dirt clods and the battle scars on their tough hides were intimidating enough but when they…
rose to full height above me I felt like an ant beneath angry giants.
They weren’t after me of course but if I inadvertently got in their way I’d be toast. To give you an idea of how close I was, this photo was taken at 275 mm and the horses almost filled the frame vertically.
It was an experience I’ll never, ever forget. And next time, if there is a next time, I’ll give a higher priority to my own safety than to the photos I’m taking. Live and learn.
Ron
Note: Since these photos were taken, in a highly controversial move the BLM has rounded up and removed a large number of horses from the Onaqui herd. But that’s a controversy beyond the scope of this blog post.
Power is palpable in that photo.
Wow. Amazing photographs!! I would have been scared “$**tless. I’ve seen domesticated stallions in a fenced field “play fighting” and it gave me chills to see how powerful they really are. Fun to see the foals at play too. We took a photo-taking drive today and saw a very young calf running full bore around a pasture of mama’s & young, kicking up it’s heels and just having a joyful time at being alive. Calving season is still underway. We did run across a small ranch pond that had about 15 eagles (all 4 years old or less) on a frozen-over pond and sitting in a nearby three. Saw Trumpeter Swans, 4 kinds of ducks, Canada Geese and my first sighting of a Mountain Bluebird this season. Also enjoyed watching a river otter on a mostly frozen over small lake diving through his hole in the ice and bring up a fish and swallowing it. As we watched, he caught 3 in about 5 minutes. That was fun to see. Lastly, I saw an immature Golden Eagle soaring overhead hunting. It was a mostly overcast and grey day, but all the wildlife made it more than worth the time we took to make the drive. Thanks again for all the time you must spend sharing photos with us on your blog. It is always a highlight of my day. Cheers!!
“I would have been scared “$**tless”
Don’t think I wasn’t, Karen. Sounds like you had a great day.
You amazingly caught these horses in their very powerful moment. Full attention on these two!!!
I was lucky, Mary. In more ways than one.
Beautiful photos and a thrilling experience. I have gone out severely times to photograph the horses but the horses were either far away on non existent. My sister in law wanted to go out to see them last year but we only saw 4 horses who calmly walked up toward our car. No action or adorable colts like many photographers have posted. I will disagree with a comment on the post, I have seen a stallion aggressive towards humans. Growing up, my neighbor bred Morgans. He had a stud that was the most aggressive horse I have ever seen. My neighbor was the only person who could go in his coral, get near him or ride him, anyone else the horse would pin his ears lower is head and charge. I watched as the owner’s grandson, my age then 14, was mucking out the studs stall, he had forgotten to latch the chain across the doorway. Without notice the stud roared into the stall from the coral and repeatedly stomped and bit the boy. I grew up around horses and love them but I have not been as interested in photographing the wild horses, maybe because I have mixed feelings about the wild horse situation in our west desert. I will say if the horses are going to be limited to numbers for grazing on BLM land than cattle need to be held to those same ratios. In my view there are way to many cattle out there and the dry land has been striped of growth.
April, I’ve also had experience with a horse that could be aggressive toward humans for no reason at all. And surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly) that horse was also a Morgan. Her name was Peggy and I never trusted her. Or liked her much.
My best buddy growing up was a half morgan, half standard bred mare,,,sweetest, kindest, gentlest, smartest horse that ever ate an oat!
I’ve been around horses just long enough to know they can be unpredictable. As your photos show very well, they are magnificent creatures. And scary as hell at times.
Yup, yup and yup, Lyle.
Holy Horse Feathers, indeed! I not only can’t believe you remembered to press the shutter release but it is impossible to believe your hands were steady enough to capture anything more than a shaky blur. Wow! Wow! Wow! What an experience. I’ll bet those shots are ones you have had a lot of requests for. Who wouldn’t want such magnificent shots on their wall. The sweetness of the colts and the power of the stallions … they are beyond words. But stay safer next time.
“your hands were steady enough to capture anything more than a shaky blur”
Granny Pat, that impressed me too – especially since my shutter speed was only 1/800. Got lucky I guess.
What a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
And you even remembered to press the shutter release! Not sure I would have had that much composure being that close to such a magnificent spectacle.
Great post, Ron.
“And you even remembered to press the shutter release”
That amazed me too, Wally. Looking back I’m surprised but I guess my photographer’s instincts kicked in.
Definitely scary times.
Stunning photos, but…
And apropos you last sentence. There is currently a LOT of controversy going on about the removal (or not) of wild horses from one of our National Parks. Battle lines have been drawn.
“Battle lines have been drawn”
Same here, EC. Our ranchers have way too much influence in this and similar matters if you ask me.
Wow, great action pictures of the horses, even if you were close to the hoofs. There are a least two groups of wild horses close to my area. They are beautiful animals to watch. Some of your followers may remember the story of the white horse one called Cloud.
Thanks, Trudy.
HI Ron, I’ve been a horse lover all my life…I’ve had a Pegasus! Thanks for these fine photos.
Mary
You’re welcome, Mary.
Magnificent animals! That last shot deserves to be on the wall of an equine enthusiast (or three or four). Wowzers!
I can’t even imagine being that close to the fracas. Glad you made it out in one piece and with (assumedly) dry pants. Not sure I would have fared as well.
As much as I love and admire horses; alas, I am not a horse person and they know it. (Apparently, though, I am like catnip to iguanas — especially male iguanas. Go figure.)
Yup, they were dry Marty. Surprisingly so.
The perspective is excellent but I can definitely feel your trepidation through the images!
Bruce, those horses are HUGE when they’re reared up and that close to you.
Beautiful post Ron. Have always been a city and suburbs guy and have never had the experience to see wild horses in person. I love horses and think they are among our most beautiful animals. It looks so treeless and barren out there, were there birds anywhere that you could see?
As an inexperienced rider I once went riding with two officers while stationed at Guantanamo Bay. They were both from the west and both very experienced riders. We rode up into the mountains. One horse reared up I think due to a rattlesnake and then kicked back and in doing so kicked the other horse close to him. That startled my horse who then reared up. I lost the reins and grabbed the saddle horn and held on best I could. Both my companions had no trouble controlling their horses, but my horse now realized I was no longer in control and raced back down the mountain all the way to the stables. The Cuban guys were laughing really enjoying seeing my situation. I declined their invitation to have them saddle up another horse and have never ridden since and that was in 1956. Both officers rode back down to see if I was ok and then went back to continue their ride.
Everett, out there birds are few and far between but there are some.
Wow, that was quite an experience you had with that horse. Horses can be very dangerous. Bruce Billingsley, a family friend of my parents from Alberta and a highly experienced rider, was killed while on his horse on the side of a mountain. And when my dad was a teenager he saw one of his friends get his foot tangled in the stirrup when his horse bucked and he was dragged to death. And that’s the reason dad never let me use a saddle on my own horse. I always rode bareback. I’d never once been on a saddle until I was an adult and it felt funny. I didn’t like it.
Yes, as beautiful as they are they can surely be dangerous especially if you are not an experienced rider or handler. Sad stories of those two killed. Neat that you grew up riding bareback.
The Onaqui herd has been on my bucket list !! Hopefully next year when I head West with time on my hands ….
Good luck, Gary. When you do get here I hope you can find them, or what’s left of them.
Wow, beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing.
We have wild horses on the NC outer banks and are always advised to stay at least 50 ft back. Your shots of the stallions are amazing. Our Spanish descended ponies are not as large as these horses.
Theresa
Theresa, field etiquette for these horses advises staying 100′ away and usually I was further away than that. But when fights break out you have little to no control over the situation.
WOW! Beautiful action even if scarey! 🙂 Their power is amazing and shows dramatically with every muscle stretched. Yes, safety has to be #1 since there is no telling which way they will move at any given moment. Unforegettable for sure…… 🙂
Thank you, Judy.
I know this is Feathered Photography but I do enjoy your images of mammals. Glad you got out of there in one piece.
So am I, Linda. I never once felt any animosity from any of the horses toward me but when they’re fighting anything can happen.
Be assured that the horses, stallions, colts, fillies, mares or foals would make it their business to avoid you.
And they have the sensory and athletic capacity to do so.
In my experience of a lifetime around horses, including stallions, I have yet to see a horse act aggressively towards a human unless that human was threatening or hurting that horse, it’s herd or it’s young.
I’ve have however seen people get hurt when they run in front of horses, walk behind them, or frighten them or cause them pain.
I loved the pics, and my simple advice should you ever be closer to a couple of sparring stallions is to stand still.
“my simple advice should you ever be closer to a couple of sparring stallions is to stand still”
That’s exactly what I did. With my heart exploding out of my chest.