Snow White

“A sky full of starts and he was staring at her.” Atticus Amidst the sweeping landscapes of Wyoming lie the intimate lives of our American wild horses. In the harsh afternoons winds and relentless sun, a heavily pregnant snow-white mare found solace on the back of her stunning prince charming. They had been resting quite sometime and it was obvious she was uncomfortable. I sat at a respectable distance for a long time, in the hopes of witnessing the birth of her foal.  But, as fate would have it, a group of bachelor stallions approached, and quickly became intent on driving a wedge between this stallions family band. His work was cut out for him, as he had no lieutenant stallion to assist him. He bravely, and defiantly fought his battle with fury.  The other mares and a few youngsters in the group were extremely distressed. However what they did was remarkable. They started running circles around the pregnant mare, kicking up dust and determined to keep her safe, as she was quite defenseless. It made it hard for any bachelor to try and infiltrate the group. As he  drove the last of the bachelors towards the horizon, the ground shook with the stampeding of hooves across the desert floor. I didn’t think he could do it, but he did. The powerful stallion won this battle with his strength, determination and the unbreakable family bond they possessed.  He swiftly galloped back to the family, returned directly to her side with an air of chivalry. A testament to the enduring noble nature of the wild. She returned her tired head to the space upon his back she had been resting, let out a big breath and all was calm in their world once again. Chivalry is not dead. In 2011 - 1,132 horses were gathered by helicopter, chased for miles from their home territory. Only 139 were returned back to this vast landscape of 779 thousand acres in southern Wyoming. The continuing inequality of horse to land ratio saga grows, while tax payers dollars are spent every day for stock piling these now removed majestic icons.