Wild Horses-animals-image-17

A Pryor mountain pony enjoying the good times in fields full of wildflowers. Born Free and running wild horses, romantic symbol of the American West.... more

by Wildlife Fine Art

Title

Wild Horses-animals-image-17

Artist

Wildlife Fine Art

Medium

Photograph - Prints / Licensing

Description

A Pryor mountain pony enjoying the good times in fields full of wildflowers. Born Free and running wild horses, romantic symbol of the American West. In landscape of high desert plains, rocky ridges, and semi-alpine slopes the horses live. Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range located in the Pryor Mountains of Montana and Wyoming in the United States. The only Mustang herd remaining in Montana. The 38,000 acre range was established in 1968 by the US federal government to provide protection for mustangs. They are protected by the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (WFRHBA) and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These wild horses are unique and believed to be descendants of the Spanish horses that were introduced to the area in the 1700's. The horses move throughout the region in search of water and food. During much of the year they stay near springs in the lower elevations, though in summer they head uphill to subalpine meadows, where they find grasses and forbs, as well as small reservoirs. Wild horses differ from domestic ones mainly because they are bred for survival in the wild countryside, with thicker, more sturdy limbs and a more compact build.
It’s believed by many that the horses were stolen by or traded to the Crow Indians, and the horses escaped into the Pryor Mountains, which were Crow Indian territory and are now part of the Crow Reservation. Because of the isolation of the area, the Spanish bloodlines were preserved in the wild herd. Those old bloodlines are evident in the distinctive markings and colors of many of the Pryor Mountain wild horses. The line-backed dun coloration is most common in the herd, and frequently includes primitive stripes or bars on the legs or withers and a dark stripe down the horses’ backs. Another common color that’s unique to the Spanish bloodline is the grullo — a dark slate-gray color. They also have a line down their backs and usually have dark legs and heads. Although dun and grullo

Uploaded

July 10th, 2014