RTF field staffer Ryan McCarthy dedicates significant time to on-range monitoring of wild horses. During the late fall and early winter months, with short days, extreme cold, and high winds, it can often feel quite lonely and isolating to work and camp alone.
On one Herd Management Area, Ryan has formed a connection with a curious group of young bachelor horses. Most wild horses are not easily approachable and have minimal human interaction; their behavior is typically wary and skittish.
However, when this particular group notices Ryan or his truck from a distance, they trot over to greet him. During their first encounter, they shared space for several minutes before parting ways once their mutual curiosity was satisfied. Since then, each time they meet, the lead stallion approaches first at a brisk pace, circling halfway around him as if signaling to the rest of the group that it is safe, prompting the other three to join.
When Ryan is on foot, the horses are curious about his activities, following at a short distance and accompanying him as he hikes to conduct spring surveys. Now, when they meet, the group often follows him back to his truck before they separate and he resumes his work, hoping to cross paths again on a future trip.
After days spent in solitude without human interaction, spending time with this familiar group of “friends” is uplifting. As Ryan continues to interact with them, he says he feels a growing bond, and experiences like these reinforce the purpose of our work and the importance of preserving the wild and free nature of these animals and stewarding the land they inhabit.