Fish Springs, Nevada

“Wild horses are the keepers of the untamed wilderness within us. When we look into their eyes, we see a reflection of our own wild spirit longing for Freedom.”-unknown

Snow in the high desert is so much more than a few words to describe it. It is nothing short of breathtaking, then, add in wild horses and your transported to another realm entirely. The silence is profound, and sacred. It is as if the entire world is breathing beauty, and the awe of transformation from dust and heat turns to an ethereal so, angelic glow.

Amidst this hushed winters wonderland so sounds fill the air, hooves crunching the crystals below them. The snow seems to enhance everything beautiful about them. The rich, caramel colors of their winter coats, and the light that bounces from the snow- covered ground, illuminating their large liquid eyes. The sound of warm breath leaving their nostrils, circling like delicate clouds around their magnificent heads. All while magical white flakes fall from the sky.

As the weather rolled in, the horses banded together for comfort and security. In all the magical beauty around me, I’m reminded of their resilience and spirit to survive, and thrive. The fact that I was able to be there was such a blessing. This was more than a photograph; it was a dream realized. An image that over the years I had made multiple attempts at capturing. Living in Santa Ynez requires some planning to actualize this, but more, it required aligned stars and some good luck.