Wild horse, New Mexico
I'm exploring a mesa outside Taos, New Mexico, under a dark and stormy sky, and after driving the dirt roads for a couple hours I finally spot them: About a quarter mile off the road are a herd of wild horses -- eleven chestnuts and a dapple gray, who stands slightly apart from the others. His coat so perfectly blends with the surrounding brush that he winks in and out of sight, a ghost horse. I begin slowly walking toward them down a rutted track.
Then the gray begins to move. I realize he’s coming toward me—and as he does, the sun comes out of the clouds. The others stop and watch. He winds his way through the sagebrush, and within a few minutes he’s six feet away from me. He’s breathing heavily, snorting and tossing his head above me, moving his hooves. He’s not completely comfortable with his position, but he’s clearly waiting to see what I’m going to do. If I took a step forward and leaned in, I could touch his chest.
He’s bigger than I expected. I’d read that most wild mustangs are around 700 pounds, but he’s at least 900, maybe a thousand—the stallion of the herd. Up close, I can see that he isn’t dappled; he’s battle-scarred. There’s an interesting mix of ferocity and curiosity about him: He’s going to protect his herd, but he’s willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.
I look up at him, watching him move in agitation, and just breathe.
Category:Animals
Subcategory:Horses
Subcategory Detail:
Keywords:Mexico, New, horse, wild
