Wild Horses of the West
Guided photo safari into the land of the wild horse.

                    "Weldon, as always, your trips are a world of fun and learning. Now with Lori, just icing on the cake."

                                                                                                   . . . Jim Braswell; Drexel, Missouri

                "What a fantastic adventure.  I just wanted you to know how much this photo adventure has touched my life. Thank you so much for your guidance, your encouragement and a life changing excursion.   This trip will stay with me throughout my life. I hold my camera with a new confidence, thanks to you and Lori. You are one of a kind, young man!  by the way, I absolutely love the photo I got of you commiserating with one of the horses as he gently touches your beard with his nose.  I just laugh...."

                                                                                                  . . . Karen Vopel, Lamar, Colorado
          It was spring, and we were off to South Dakota.  We arose early to catch the light and drove to a 22,000 acre ranch owned by the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe.  As home to 2,000 bison and a herd of 170 wild range horses, the ranch will be developed into a northern plains park and native wildlife sanctuary.
          The bison were easy to find--the big, black older bulls standing amidst the green grass, aware of their majesty.  The horses were more elusive.  We drove over short grass prairie that was sprinkled with yellow spring flowers and caught our first glimpse of the wild horse herd as it flowed over the hills in the distance.  When we topped the rise, we could see the whole herd, led by a wily mare with her new foal.  They were running through a herd of bison as the bison grazed beside their new red calves.  What an unforgettable and incredible experience!  The whole equine herd was clumped together and not scattered into smaller bunches.  We knew that getting close to them without stressing them was not going to be easy.  There were subjects aplenty, though, and the country was bursting with new life.
          Then, we spotted a small band of horses some distance away.  They weren’t as suspicious as the main herd.  In fact, they were curious.  We had found the bachelor boys.  They lined up, watching us.  Then, as we did nothing to threaten them--in fact, we sat down in the grass--they came closer to investigate.  They stopped within ten to twenty feet of our position.  We were now a part of their world, and they wanted to satisfy their curiosity about these funny-shaped, two-legged objects.
          We stayed only one day on the tribe’s ranch, but that day was full of shots unique to both our minds and our cameras.  Spring rain shed its blessing on the prairies, and wanting to avoid damage to a fragile environment, we spent the remainder of the week on land owned by the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros.  They are presently maintaining three separate herds.  The one we spent the most time with was the Gila herd.  The Gila herd fits the traditional mustang picture in that they are dun (or grulla) in color with a dorsal stripe, black mane and tail, black stockings, and sometimes, black stripes on their legs.  Their DNA tests closest to the original Spanish mustang.
          The first day of our visit, the mustangs were cautious, but as we returned in the afternoon and each succeeding day, we gradually became accepted as part of the herd--a weirdly shaped part, but no threat.  Each visit we were able to approach a little closer, until the youngsters finally came up to greet us when we arrived.  Finally, it wasn’t just the youngsters that came to visit.  A mare brought her baby to see us, and the stallions moved close enough for us to touch them (which, of course, we did not do).  As each stallion neared, I was struck by how mellow the stallions were.  The power they displayed when they fought for dominance was not evident when they approached us.  They showed no aggression towards us at all.  They seemed to be very different from domestic horses.  To be face-to-face with these magnificent wild creatures and have them come to us without fear was an incredible experience.  Our week with them was way too short.
          In the mornings, we were out in the field before breakfast—which gave us a break at about 9:30.  We traveled back to the motel after breakfast for sessions with Lee.  He provided critiques of our work plus tips on photography and editing with Photoshop, answered any questions that might have come up, and offered us an opportunity to share some of his perspective of the world.  We returned to the field to catch the afternoon light at 2:30 pm.   All the participants in the workshop were impressed with our leader.  Not only does he enjoy a bond with wildlife, he also has a special ability to interact with people.  His vision and his contacts allow him to offer the variety of adventures that Rocky Mountain Photo Adventures presents.  His willingness to share his knowledge of wildlife, its life and spirit, with the participants of the workshop made the adventure an unforgettable experience.
          Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.  Would I recommend his workshops?  Only if you want to become immersed in the surroundings and life of the wildlife, to become a part of their world for a brief time, and to share their experiences and allow them to share with you.  Only if you want to take back more than a flat, emotionless picture--if you want to feel a kinship with this Earth and the life upon it, and you yearn for opportunities to capture that moment.
                                                  . . . from an article by Alice Bauer, Apogee Photo Magazine

NOTE: Our Wild Horses of the West adventure is currently conducted entirely on land owned by the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros.  Due to financial problems, the people of Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation no longer maintains their herd of bison and wild horses.
You have to EXPERIENCE IT . . .
to BELIEVE IT!