Best Tips and Places to Photograph American Wild Horses
A mother and her foal in Colorado’s Sand Wash Basin, one of my top three destinations for photographing wild horses in the American west. Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Wildlife photographer, Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven is a Destination: Wildlife Team member
By Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
My Surprise Introduction to the American Mustang
I remember it like it was yesterday, the first time I saw the Salt River wild horses. I had just moved to Phoenix, Arizona, for work. One weekend, I went out to explore the Tonto National Forest just outside of the city.
To my great surprise, as I approached the Salt River on a hike through the forest, I found bands of horses standing in the river. I got out my camera and snapped some images.
I sat there watching the horses as some splashed in the river to cool themselves on that hot summer day. Others dunked their heads in the water to eat the vegetation growing under it, while still others were rolling around to take a bath; I wondered who owned these horses. I didn't remember crossing any fences on the hike into the area or seeing any "No Trespassing" signs.
Could these horses be wild?
A mother and her foal cool off on the Salt River in the Tonto National Forest, Arizona, where I first discovered the existence of the wild American mustang. Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
I was pretty convinced that I was on National Forest land - but yet I had never heard of wild horses living next to the Phoenix metro area.
That first visit led to a fascination with the American West's wild horses – and many questions. I went in search of answers.
Are The Horses of the American West Wild - or Feral?
I found out that those horses that I observed and fell in love with on that very first day are indeed "wild" and live on public lands across the U.S, but are they not native. So, how did they get here?
Scientists believe that horses originated on the North American continent 50 million years ago and then spread to Europe and Asia via the Bering land bridge. The last Ice Age, however, completely wiped out the North American horse population! Today's wild mustangs are here thanks to Christopher Columbus (second voyage) and later the Spanish Conquistadors. The ancestors of today's wild horses are those that escaped or were set free.
So, technically speaking, American mustangs are "feral," not "wild" or 'native': they originated from domesticated horses.
As a side note, the world's only true 'wild horse' alive today is the Przewalski's horse. Listed as critically endangered, however, their population estimated at just over 2,000 roam part of Spain and Asia. The American mustang, with an estimated population of 82,000, on the other hand, is doing much better.
In the United States, the Bureau of Land Management oversees wild horses in the Bureau of Land Management Herd Management Areas or BLM areas.
These beautiful animals have had a fraught history since their re-introduction, and we’ll explore it in another article – but first:
The action can happen in an instant when rival stallions meet. Be aware and be ready with the right lens. See below for my tips. Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
My Favorite Places in the U.S. to Photograph
Wild Horses
I have had the great fortune to visit several of the BLM Herd Management Areas, while others are still on my bucket list. Observing these horses in the wild – living seemingly free and unencumbered lives – is a privilege. Some of the more accessible areas have become magnets for the horse, wildlife, and nature-loving tourists. These tourists stay in local hotels, eat in local restaurants, and hire local guides. Through tourism, the horses help to support their local economies and help to ensure their futures.
Here are some of my favorites so far:
Sand Wash Basin, Colorado
A quiet moment with a family group of wild horses in the Sand Wash Basin, Colorado. Try to catch the horses with their heads up for a more engaging image. Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Situated near the small town of Craig, Colorado, near the border with Wyoming, the BLM road into their area is well signed. The horses of Sand Was Basin are some of the most followed horses in the country, with local and international fans naming every horse.
✍︎Editor’s Note: The Sand Wash Basin wild horse advocacy group, Wild Horse Warriors for Sand Wash Basin [501(c)(3)] runs guided tours to help you find the horses. Proceeds are used to support projects water, fencing, education, and other necessary projects.
Volunteers developed and run a good website for more information about Sand Wash Basin.
McCullough Peaks, Wyoming
Their unusually long manes are one of my favorite things about the wild horses at McCullough Peaks, Wyoming. Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
✓Trip Tips: McCullough Peaks, Wy.
Where: Badlands of Northwest WY. 54mi (87km) north of Yellowstone National Park.
What: McCullogh Peak Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA) 109,814 acres / 44,440 hectares
Nearest Lodging: Cody, Wyoming
Camping: Yes
Notes: Look for a mystical medicine hat horse
A few miles east of Cody, Wyoming, these wild horses live in a vast area, accessible only via a few BLM dirt roads. What I love about these specific horses is their looks: some of them have very long manes, something I haven't witnessed (yet) among the other herds.
These are wide-open spaces, the Badlands of the American West. The Natural Atlas has some helpful suggestions for locating the horses. CHECK ALL information before you go. , due to the pandemic, public access destinations can open and close without notice.
✍︎Editor’s Note: Since 2006, the McCullough Peaks wild horse advocacy group: Friends of a Legacy or FOAL [501(c)(3)] has worked for … coordination and cooperation between the BLM and FOAL on opportunities for public education, to enhance the habitat for all creatures living within the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse HMA, and to assist the BLM in managing the wild horses in the McCullough Peaks herd.
The Salt River, Tonto National Forest. Arizona
✓Trip Tips: The Salt River, Tonto National Forest, Arizona
Where: 65mi/105km northeast of Phoenix. Lower Salt River and shoreline of Lake Saguaro
What: As many as 500 wild horses!
Nearest Lodging: Apache Junction, Camp Verde, Payson, Mesa.
Camping: Yes.
Note: For a different perspective, (no guaranty of sighting) rent a kayak and paddle down the river. Remember, these are wild animals, stay well back, do not harass them.
Although technically not recognized under the 1971 act, these horses, which inhabit the Tonto National Forest near Phoenix, Arizona, have the benefit of living surrounded by a river in the desert heat. I lived in Phoenix, Arizona for a few years and have spent lots of time photographing them. Whenever possible, I loved escaping the city to find solitude in nature with these horses.
The horses live in a big area, so hiking was my go-to method in finding the herds. Park your car at any of the pull-outs and hike towards the river. Especially at sunrise and sunset, you'll find the horses enjoying the Salt River.
I think all the areas are worth a visit. My favorites listed above perhaps jumped higher on my list because they are easily accessible.
Let us know in the Comments section below which area is your favorite and which ones are on your bucket list!
✍︎Editor’s Note: The Salt River wild Horse advocacy group: The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group , under State contract, work on projects for the wild horses that include fencing, fertility control program, and emergency response (health, water, safety.)
My Best Practices in Wild Horse Country
Patience, stillness and quiet pay off when you witness moments of comfort and seeming affection between wild horse family members. Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Do Not Approach a Wild Horses: These are wild animals, so please don't approach or pet them. Do not feed the horses. Respect the animals: if they react to your presence, you are too close. Back away.
Be Prepared for a Remote Destination: Many Bureau of Land Management areas are remote – far from civilization. Expect the few access roads to be dirt and in poor condition. A 4WD vehicle is best. Generally, I would recommend visiting only when conditions are dry: driving conditions on the access roads can go from bad to worse quickly during a rainstorm. Typically, you will be out of cell phone range—an excellent reason not to go it alone.
Use a Local Guide Familiar with the Horses: These Herd Management Areas are vast, and the horses are wild, so unless you have an idea where to look, it is unlikely that you will be able to find and photograph the wild horse herds. My recommendation is to hire a guide. A local expert will maximize your chances of finding and photographing the horses.
Follow Local Rules and Regulations: If you bring your RV – camping is typically allowed on BLM land – make sure to follow local regulations, including camping away from the horse's water hole(s).
Tips for Getting Spectacular Wild Horse Photography
Knowledge of behavior patterns, light and lens can all come together at the crucial moment - but it takes preparation. Salt River, Arizona Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Focal Lengths: Wild Horses are large animals, so my go-to lenses have focal lengths in the range of 100mm to 400mm. 100mm allows you to include some scenery, while 400mm will enable you to focus on one horse. For detail shots, I generally also carry a 500 or 600mm lens into the field.
For Wide-Angle Shots: Bring a wide-angle lens with a focal length like 16mm or 24mm.
Subject: I typically photograph one animal alone unless I have the opportunity to include meaningful scenery, like their water hole, nearby mountain scenery, or the beautiful Salt River in Arizona.
Watch the Light: Sunrise and sunset provide the 'golden light' and allow for cooler temperatures which means the horses will typically be more active.
Know the Subject’s Patterns: You’ll typically find the horses at their water hole around these times.
Be Patient. Be Ready: Photographing scenes of horses grazing for hours on end doesn't typically make for engaging images. And you will soon realize that horses usually do one thing: graze. But, it's essential to be ready, even when they are seemingly endlessly feeding.
When a horse puts its head up, that quick moment makes for a much more intriguing picture than when its head is down eating.
Getting the Action Shot: Wild horses live in herds – or 'bands' – of up to about 20 horses. A stallion (a male horse) leads each herd. When two stallions meet, be ready to photograph potential action scenes.
Take Your Time: When you follow for a few hours, you'll typically have a good chance of photographing some action.
This stallion’s face and neck bear witness to recent rivalry. Wild horse faces many challenges to their survival, including competing males. McCullough Peak, Wyoming, Image: ©Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
To Share or Not to Share Your Location? That is the Question
When you come home with great images of the wild horses and share them on social media, should you disclose the location or keep it silent? Opinions differ. Some say that sharing the site endangers the horses. Others – including myself – argue that sharing the place protects them.
The more we can drive people to witness these amazing animals, the more people will be around to keep fighting for their protection, right?
I do realize that this only works as long as visitors treat the horses with respect. The last thing we need is for photographers to walk up to the horses, cell phone camera in hand, feed them or spook them away from their food and water sources. We want to protect these horses, so let's all place our best foot forward.
Salt River Horses by ©Anne-Marie Schmitz
✍︎Editor’s Note: Jorn is posting one of his wild horse images every day this year. Don’t miss them!
✍︎Update:
In February Ann Marie wrote to us asking where she could see the horses. Jorn gave her some ideas and a few days later we were thrilled to see this beautiful image. Thanks for sharing, Anne Marie!
