The American west is home to thousands of untamed, free-roaming horses that are descendants of horses brought here by Spanish explorers. Many live in this area of Wyoming, this particular group being the White Mountain wild horses, located near historic Pilot Butte. I am always amazed that they can survive the bitter cold winters. There are predators here and wolves have been spotted and one was killed in the shadow of Pilot Butte. The horses are hardy and handsome animals. I've added some views of the high desert terrain that is home for these horses. They live in a vast sagebrush desert with few trees. There are steep canyons into which they can disappear. Some horses are more curious than others and will approach me when I am shooting. At times a foal will drift too close and a mare or stallion will block their approach or even take a nip at them. On occasion a band will drift right by me. Again, these horses are wild and are not fenced nor do they live in a sanctuary. They share the high desert with elk, deer, antelope, and other wild critters.

As of August 2011 the BLM is planning to round up and remove most of the horses from this and surrounding areas. A few will be returned but the mares will be given birth control drugs. Originally BLM was going to castrate all the stallions but this plan was thwarted by legal action in Washington DC. These horses live in vast deserts and they are often hard to find. Many more sheep and cattle are allowed to graze on federal land than horses.