It was midday and the sun was high in the sky in Tonto National Forest, Arizona when we found these wild horses fast asleep in the Salt River. I photographed them from the other side of the river~ and observed them for over an hour~ they didn't move. Such a deep sleep in the cool river.#wildhorseroadtrip
Wild Horses of Ruidoso
I am currently on a road trip throughout the American southwest, in search of wild horses. At 8,000 feet elevation in the Sierra Blanca mountains, Ruidoso New Mexico~ an incredible experience unfolded as these magnificent wild horses appeared in the forest. There are no words to describe the feeling of seeing horses living wild and free. They are unlike any animals on earth.#wildhorseroadtrip
Mongolian Hippie
This wild horse made me smile with his ‘hippie vibe’!
The Mongolian people adore horses. They are very respected and an important part of Mongolian culture. Photographed on the Mongolian steppes near the Altai Mountains
Leopard Appaloosa
I spotted this spotted horse living wild in the shadow of the Altai Mountains in Mongolia. We were documenting Wild Przewalski’s horses with Animal Experience International when this horse appeared. Many researchers believe that the origin of the Appaloosa can be traced to Mongolia. Such a stunning animal!
Dude and the Easter Bunny
My dog Dude and his Easter bunny. Happy Easter and Happy Passover everyone!
Wild Horses at Dusk
Photographed at Return To Freedom, Wild Horse Conservation in Lompoc California. Much love to Return To Freedom, who does so much on behalf of wild horses! For info, please go to www.returntofreedom.org
New Exhibit at Bluebird Coffee Gallery
It's a beautiful day! If you are in the Byward Market today, pop by Bluebird Coffee Gallery, 261 Dalhousie anytime between 1 and 3 for an afternoon vernissage. 'The Horse' is my new exhibit of framed horse images from Sable Island, France, Alberta, Utah and Nevada. Would love to see you there! Cheers!
World Wildlife Day
Happy #WorldWildlifeDay! A day to honour wildlife and to pledge protection for the health of their habitats.
This grizzly was fishing in BC's Great Bear Rainforest. It was fun to watch her walk slowly down the river, 'feeling' for salmon with her giant paws!
World Whale Day
It's World Whale Day!
- #respect
Photographed outside Telegraph Cove, Vancouver Island
Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's Day! In the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains, this wild stallion is clearly attempting to make a heart-shaped Valentine out of snow. I wonder if the mares are impressed? lol
In the Wild Forest
Alberta wild horses with thick winter coats. It is an exceptional experience to witness these magnificent horses in their wild habitat! You will find them just north of Calgary in the Rocky Mountain foothills~ for more information, contact Help Alberta Wildies! Please share with horse lovers, and those with a desire for adventure in nature!
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day~ wild horse style. I so love the connection that exists between these horses~ from the east coast of Canada to the west coast of the USA
The Year to Experience Wild Horses
The wild stallion appeared at the edge of a forest, his thick bay coat glistening in the sunshine. Ears perked, eyes alert, he watched me as intently as I watched him. A spindly twig was tangled in his forelock. This either added to his wild appearance, or gave him a comical look. Before I could decide, I realized that I too had a twig stuck in my hair. This is what happens when you spend a lot of time in the bushes.
I felt a kindred connection with this horse.
Ninety minutes north of Calgary, the small town of Sundre (population 2729) is considered the gateway to Alberta’s Rocky Mountain foothills, home to the wild horses that have survived here for over two and a half centuries. A large mural stretched across the Sundre Museum proudly displays a pictorial history of the area’s wild horses, tough sturdy animals that roam the forests, bogs and grasslands in close-knit family bands.
Just after sunrise on a crisp January morning, I joined my expert guides Darrell Glover and Duane Starr (founders of the organization ‘Help Alberta Wildies’). Both retired, Darrell and Duane work tirelessly to increase the awareness and protection of these wild horses. On any given day, they fill the role of ‘guardian angels’. Darrell regularly flies his Cessna airplane over the rangeland to ensure that the family bands are healthy, safe, and documented. Duane is by his side, using his instincts and expertise as a wildlife photographer to capture wild horse images that are as much a form of art as they are a source of documentation.
On this day, we were a trio in a 4 by 4 truck, headed for the ‘back roads’ of the Alberta foothills. Within minutes, a cow moose appeared, stopping for a quick glance before lumbering on. As we continued our climb through majestic forests with sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains, a red fox popped out of the snow. A tasty rodent had eluded him this time, but he went right back to work, burying his nose into a snowdrift.
‘Horses’! Darrell spotted them first. A small family band of Alberta wild horses stood knee-deep in snow on the edge of a forest. Three mares and a stallion with a twig stuck in his forelock. We quietly got out of the truck, stepping through thick brush to get a better view, but keeping a respectful distance. The wild horses had thick winter coats that glistened in the sun, and manes the colour of midnight. I was struck by their beauty. The mares ignored our presence, digging to uncover the forage beneath the snow. But the stallion remained curious and watchful. Then with a toss of his mane, he gave his mares the signal, and the horses galloped through the deep snow and disappeared into the forest.
We continued on, and found more bands of wild horses at the forest edge, or in clearings or bogs, each sighting different from the rest but equally exhilarating. Last spring’s foals were now almost as tall as their mothers, prancing about and kick their heels into the fresh mountain air.
Our drive through the foothills was an easy loop. My mind kept repeating the same thought.
Most people have never seen a wild horse.
There is a belief among the First Nations people that a spiritual connection exists between mankind and wild horses. If wild horses come to you in your dreams, you are blessed with certain powers.
You don’t have to search far and wide to find the wild horses of Alberta. Stallions tend to keep their family bands in familiar territories. With the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, a wild horse sighting is pure gold for a nature lover.
At the end of our loop, the sun began to set on the foothills. Duane, Darrell and I headed for home (or in my case, my motel room) but not before the day delivered one final gift: a large band of wild horses on the edge of a bog, with two dueling stallions in a sparring match. Kicking up heels, kicking up snow, boys doing what boys do.
For your next wildlife experience, the wild horses of Alberta will leave you breathless.
In fact, if you contact ‘Help Alberta Wildies’, Duane or Darrell will be glad to tell you where they are. And maybe even escort you to them, since they were likely going out to see them that day anyway.
The Rocky Mountain foothills are home to red fox, lynx, cougar, wolves, bears, moose and elk.
The wild horses of Alberta have earned their place as one of the star attractions in this pristine wilderness.
For more information, contact Help Alberta Wildies.
Where the Wild Horses Are
There is nothing quite like the sight of a herd of American wild horses, manes flying, thundering hooves across a great expanse of sagebrush. The majestic stallion with mares and foals leaving a trail of dust to hover in the wind, just long enough for you to catch your breath. And count yourself lucky to have witnessed pure, unbridled freedom.
Most people have never seen wild horses. Camper vans travel through the American southwest every summer. Encouraging the kids to ‘keep their eyes peeled’ for wild mustangs usually results in nothing but a backseat shout-out for a herd of cattle. But the fact is, it’s EASY to see wild horses. You just have to know where to go.
The Nevada high desert is chilly before the sun comes up. But for the ‘Pony Girls’ (me and my horse-crazed photographer girlfriends… the name just stuck), we knew what to expect. An easy drive 40 miles north of Las Vegas, Cold Creek sits at 6,000 feet and boasts dynamic mountain views, a year round stream, …. and wild horses. Within minutes of arriving at Cold Creek, we spotted our first family band. They showed no fear of us, grazing contentedly, occasionally munching on spindly spikes from Joshua trees. We were 45 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, but a world away, surrounded by wild horses in the high desert.
With our home base at the historic Prospector Hotel in Ely Nevada, our next destination was Antelope Valley. The once-white rental SUV now covered in dust, we drove through the desert in search of wild horses and were fortunate to see a few herds that charged across the open spaces. In stark contrast to the Cold Creek wild horses, these animals kept their distance, testing our telephoto lenses. But giving us good reason to put the cameras down and simply enjoy the moment.
From Ely Nevada we drove to our lodging in Tooele Utah (a beautiful drive that normally takes 3 ½ hours, if you don’t have a flat tire. We had a flat tire. All part of the fun!)
If you desire an incredible wild horse experience but have limited time, stay in Tooele and head to Utah’s Cedar Mountain and Onaqui Mountain area. There is an excellent chance for wild horse sightings in the expanse of the Great Basin Desert. This area is an official ‘National Back Country Byway’. Driving the historic Pony Express Road takes you back to 1860, when over 400 mustangs carried riders thousands of miles to deliver the mail. Today, it’s an easy drive for any vehicle, and you will eventually be rewarded with sightings of skittish pronghorn antelope, jack rabbits, and best of all, wild horses.
Over the next two days we found three herds that were very accepting of our presence. We kept a respectable distance but had ample opportunities to observe true wild horse behaviour. Stallions showing off muscle to win the affection of mares. Foals at play. The hierarchy that exists at the watering hole.
It was a privilege to be among the wild horses and to witness the interactions between the family members. We watched as a giant stallion tenderly groomed his young foal while his mare pressed her body against his, safe and content.
Each year, hundreds of wild horses are rounded up and confined as a result of pressures from industry, ranching and development. By writing this story and sharing my images, it is my hope that you will consider a trip to the high desert in Nevada and Utah.
It is not difficult to find wild horses. And along the way, you will experience wide open spaces, breathtaking vistas, and true freedom.
Something the wild horses figured out a long time ago.
Spectacular Sable Island with Adventure Canada
Sable Island. For those familiar with this magical place, Sable Island digs deep into our imagination and stays with us forever. Perhaps it stems from memories of childhood books, colourful drawings of the windswept land. It always seemed impossible to exist. But each year, a small number of fortunate dreamers set foot on Sable's sandy beach for an experience unlike any other. We traveled with Adventure Canada aboard the vessel 'Ocean Endeavour'~ the partnership between Adventure Canada and Parks Canada has been created out of respect for the fragile ecosystem of this sliver of sand located almost 200 miles from Nova Scotia. Low impact Zodiac boats took the adventurers to shore, where we were met by waving grey seals. For many, the lure of Sable Island was rooted in mystery. Shipwrecks. Ghosts. Fog... and more fog. Plants that exist nowhere else. The rare ipswich sparrow that nests only on Sable Island. But, in the end.... there is one star attraction, above all else. The wild horses. Sable Island wild horses. Seeing these true survivors with their family bands roam the raw, natural, untouched landscape is an experience you will never forget. My advice? Sign up to Adventure Canada's mailing list and join the next journey to Sable Island. The wild horses will make you feel alive!
Saving Przewalski's Horse
As a kid, I was fascinated by the 17,000 year old cave paintings depicting horses that would eventually be known as 'Przewalski's horse.' During the late 1800's, foreign expeditions hired local Mongolians to capture 88 wild Przewalski's foals from the Gobi Desert to be sent to animal dealers in Europe. With the introduction of firearms for hunting, the Przewalski's horse eventually became extinct in the wild, with the last horse spotted in 1969. In 1975, a plan was hatched to re-establish the Przewalski's horse to it's homeland in Mongolia. Five reserves were created in the Netherlands and Germany, and a breeding program was established from the horses in captivity: descendants of the wild foals caught in the late 1800's. On June 5th 1992, World Environment Day, 15 Przewalski's horses were successfully transplanted to Hustai National Park in Mongolia. Since that date, additional horses have been re-introduced into the park every 2 years. Today there are more than 350 Przewalski's horses once again roaming the Mongolian steppes, with more than 30 breeding harems. In Mongolia the horses are known as 'takhi', which means 'spirit'. It was my lifetime dream to see these horses~ not in a zoo, but in the wild where they belonged.
A world of thanks to Nora Livingstone and Animal Experience International for providing the path to make it happen in the most meaningful way I could ever imagine. I signed on to the 'eco-volunteer' program in Mongolia’s Hustai National Park, and was joined by my mates Teaghan O'Grady and Trudy Robertson. For two full weeks, each morning at dawn we emerged from our yurt to the waiting van that would take us deep into the Mongolian steppes. Our guide was 21 year old 'Seke', born in Ulanbaataar Mongolia, an affable leader with a quick eye for spotting a harem of Przewalski's horses in the hills. The first time we saw the wild horses was a true gift: one of the park's largest harems was ascending the steppes after quenching their thirst from the river below. One dominant stallion ('reddish dun colour'), with 9 mares (lighter in colour) and 2 foals (white). Stocky, muscular horses on the smallish side, with leg stripes, a dorsal stripe, brushcut mane and no forelock. They were the cave paintings in real life. It was a moment I will never forget.
Together with eco-volunteers from France and Brussels, each small group was assigned a specific harem to follow for the next four hours. Harems could be as small as two horses (a stallion and mare) or as large as 20 animals, including one stallion, several mares and foals, and colts not quite old enough to be unceremoniously kicked out of the group by the dominant stallion. With the sun barely greeting the day, our trio jumped out of the van on the dusty road each morning, armed with a GPS, anemometer, clipboard. We followed our assigned harem of horses. If they were on the move, we were on the move. If they contentedly grazed quietly, we did too (we ate our sandwich and chocolate bar of the day). Every 10 minutes we recorded our satellite position, wind speed, temperature, and made notes about the horses' activity; data would be shared with biologists working to ensure the success of the re-introduction program.
We also took the time to breathe it all in, with a 360 degree view of nothing human, just miles and miles of stark grassy slopes, patches of birch trees, giant boulders and the occasional herd of red deer off in the distance. We weren't sure if the deer were a mile away or a hundred miles away. Each morning we established the mandatory 200 metre buffer between ourselves and the horses (thankful to the Nikon gods for creating what I affectionately called 'Lens-zilla', my 200-500mm telephoto lens)! And each morning our assigned harem reacted differently to our presence. If the stallion didn't give us a second glance, the mares and foals didn't either. These were the easy days. But there were also times when we watched our van disappear down the dusty road, then turned our attention to the job at hand and began the trek after our horses, only to see that the stallion had decided to run, run, run like the wind, with mares and foals close behind, within seconds our entire harem gone. Disappeared. Whenever this happened we would usually console ourselves with a chocolate bar.
The collaboration between international scientists and caring citizens to bring these wild horses back to their homeland gives us hope for the future of other vulnerable species. This project was not so much about horses as it was about our own humanity.
On my final morning as an eco-volunteer, from my perch on a giant boulder atop the Mongolian steppes, I could see a harem navigating a rocky ledge below. A foal had decided this was a good spot to lie down and rest. The stallion halted the group then took his position as protector, standing watch like an emperor over his kingdom. As the sun continued to rise I could see a cloud of dust in the distance. More wild horses, galloping across the grasslands just as they had done for centuries.
At that moment all was right in the world.
Horses of the Camargue in France
It was so much fun to co-host my first photography tour, 'Horses and Wine in France' with pro photographer and travel guide Vanessa Dewson of Focus on Photography Tours. A group of us travelled to southern France to photograph the iconic white horses of the Camargue region. Along the way, we also captured images of gorgeous birds including flamingos, egrets and storks. There were some day trips to wine regions as well.... but in the end, it was all about the horses!
The Outdoor and Adventure Travel Show!
So much fun at the Outdoor and Adventure Travel Show! Thousands of people stopped by this popular show at the EY Centre, because there is no better time to start planning for that spring or summer outdoors trip. I had a blast hosting a booth with some of my wild Sable Island horse images, and telling the stories from my 2014 Sable Island adventure. And I appreciated the opportunity to host a presentation about Sable Island. The number one question was: 'how do you get to Sable Island'? The answer: Adventure Canada.
I can't say enough about this incredible Canadian adventure company. With 2 trips planned to Sable Island in 2017, it is your chance to enjoy a lifelong dream with topnotch scientists, writers, artists, researchers, and all around fun people. More info on Adventure Canada's Sable Island 2017 trips here.
A Dream Come True!
'A dream come true' is a cliche, but that's ok. After years of finding and photographing amazing horses around the world (and up the road!), I am so excited to have received my official accreditation for EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY from the Professional Photographers of Canada! I am ready, willing and able for any horse photoshoot, just drop me a note at sandysharkey@rocketmail.com. In the meantime, please check out my Professional Photographers of Canada profile page.
Desert Trip
California's Joshua Tree National Park is one of my favourite places on earth! A group of us travelled to Indio, California for the 'Desert Trip' concert (Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, The Who and Roger Waters). Following the 3 days of rock and roll... it was off to the desert.
Joshua trees
Cholla cactus
Sunset in Joshua Tree National Park