Of Horses and Humanity: Paisley

It started with this photo of a small, innocent, beautiful face...

BLM Photo

I wanted to photograph wild horses so the research began. While studying the BLM’s web site learning about the herd management areas and looking for maps I ran across their online adoption page. As I was looking through photos of the many horses available her eyes hooked right into me. Bidding was to begin the next day. So of course I went through the application process, bidding and in the end I was high bidder! (sadly, without much competition) On the website it says no bids were placed, but we do have her and the winning bid was $150.00 https://www.blm.gov/adoptahorse/horse.php?horse_id=3660

She was being held at the Burns Oregon Wild Horse Corrals. The date was March 26, 2010. We had a fabulous trip, the drive there was beautiful and fun. We spent the night in Burns and got up early the next morning to go to the facility. It was freezing cold, windy and snowing but we still had a super experience there. The wranglers there were great, they handled the horses smoothly and with care. We toured the entire facility and photographed many of the horses, there were over 500 residing there.

The following is a slide show of facility, we were the first to come pick up one of the adoption horses so we got to watch the wranglers bring them all up...

Our new baby was as special in person as I could feel she was through her pictures. She went right into the trailer, was bright, very still and observant.

Our drive home followed suit, beautiful, smooth and quiet. Arrival home, more of the same, she came slowly and cautiously out of the trailer at her own pace, no rushing, stress or drama. She went to meet the other horses through the fence and they all headed for a drink of water.

Looks safe enough out there

She LOVES the water here!

I did not try to touch her or put any "pressure" on her, I just went about my business as if she were not there. I cleaned her paddock at least twice a day and scratched the others by the fence so she could be a part of it. She was so curious it only took 2 days before she was touching my back through the fence. On the third day I offered my arm over the gate but did not try to touch her, I waited for her to touch me. She wiggled her lip on my arm so I scratched her chin and it has been a relationship of mutual exploration ever since.