Horses

When I was a young teen, I fell in love with horses and was fortunate to be able to start riding lessons. From then on I was smitten. I feed, watered, groomed, and mucked stalls but in my mind it was all worth it. It’s no wonder that I was once again attracted to horses as a photographer. I get jazzed at the sight of these magnificent wild animals running free without the hindrance of a saddle or bridle.

I’ve attended photo workshops in North Dakota at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Carrot Island outside of Beaufort, NC, and I stayed with a woman in New Mexico who established the Spirit of the Wild Horse Foundation to protect the approximately 100 horses that roam this area. I also visited Assateague Island, the 37 mile long barrier island in both MD and VA. It was the setting of the popular “Misty of Chincoteague” series of children’s books. As the trip was in May, I was excited see many newborn foals and the healthy population in this protected area. On a trip to Iceland, I found the Icelandic ponies to be heavily coated and many sported long manes. Although I was there to photograph the landscapes, I felt compelled to stop to make images of these good looking horses. A highlight of my life occurred in southern France when I met the beautiful all white horses of the Camargue. This ancient breed is has lived in this low lying area of ocean and marsh, so they are accustomed to running through water. Camargue horses may be small but are known as hardy, graceful and friendly animals.