Wild n' Free

In western Alberta, small herds of wild horses roam freely through the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Around here, we lovingly call them “Wildies.”

Some of these horses trace their roots back to the 1930s, when work horses were turned loose during The Depression after coal mines and logging camps shut down across the west country. Over time, escaped and abandoned horses joined them, creating the diverse mix of breeds we see in the herds today.

Life out here is anything but easy.

Through the frigid cold and deep snowfall of Alberta winters, they search for what little grass they can find beneath the snow. And they are never truly alone… predators like mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, and bears often follow the herds, watching for the vulnerable, especially the sick or newborn foals.

Yet despite it all, they endure.

Their resilience, strength, and quiet beauty never cease to amaze me… living each day as they were meant to - wild and free.

- Stan Masters

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