Regularly, we receive emails from people who want to see the wild horses, and would like directions on how to get there, while others ask for a personal tour. We don’t publish specific directions on how to find them because its not only the good guys who are checking out our website. Besides which, these horses can be elusive and the area in which they roam is a vast wilderness and under those circumstances, the unfamiliar traveller could find themselves quickly lost and alone. The world wide web, while it has many advantages and makes life a whole lot easier to get information, it also has its dark side, which we are all too familiar with as well, hence the screening process. However, our experience thus far with giving tours have always been positive, I will tell you of three recent and terrific experiences in the following blog.
We have met some very interesting people over the past few months, that we have taken on tours of the West Country. The prospect of seeing wild horses was what attracted them to the area.
Serge Holoduke, an equine photographer from Ontario spent a week out West of Sundre photographing the wild horses in September. On the first day of his trip, Bob and I gave him a tour of the area and showed him a lot of horses. We even had one herd follow us for a bit, as they seemed to enjoy the photo op, and romped around playfully, seemingly, for the camera. The following day armed with one of our borrowed maps and a can of bear spray, Serge headed for the “hills” on his own and spent the next five days traveling the lonely back roads in the wilderness, photographing different herds he came across. Serge emailed us everyday to reassure us that he survived the days outing, I think he might have taken me for a worry wart, but was willing to humor me. I was concerned that although Serge was trained in wilderness survival with the RCAF, there still was some vulnerability associated with being alone. He gave me a funny look when I handed him the bear spray, but I said to him “You probably won’t need it, but you will be on your own, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.” When he was headed for the airport to go back home, he stopped by and returned the bear spray and we were both relieved that he never had to use it.
He wrote the following while he was awaiting his flight; “It’s been said many times before but it bears repeating here, “all good things must come to an end”. Bob and Doreen many thanks for last Sunday and getting me introduced to the wild horses. After spending the week in Sundre and the “hills” I found myself becoming very attached. The horses absolutely captivated me. I wish I could have stayed longer. Then today going over to see Judy’s wild ones and actually getting up close to them was kind of like the toppings on a sundae. Doreen many thanks for introducing me to your horses too and please thank Judy. I know that as I review the many images I have, many memories will flash back from the first encounter on Sunday to the scene of the harem raising the dust as they came up the road and climbed the clear cutting. So thanks again you guys and who knows maybe I can get back again and maybe even for a longer stay. It is going to be difficult getting back to reality. All the Best to you both and much success to WHOAS. Sincerely, Serge Holoduke. www.holoduke.com A few days later he writes, “I think I am missing something and I’m wondering if you can help, I seem to have lost a part of me up in those hills with the horses.” I wrote back, trust me I know how you feel. Please check out his site at the above link. He has some amazing photographs.
Then there was Lisa Miner and her family who came out from Nova Scotia in early October. Lisa is an RCMP officer whom only started in this career in her 40’s. I told her that I, and my 40 something woman friends are all AMAZED. None of us would pass the physical training of becoming a police woman; all would have had a coronary, probably within the first hour of exertion. Our hats are of to Lisa. Their sightseeing of Alberta was bitter sweet though, as Lisa was seeing her son off, as he was being deployed to Afghanistan on his first tour on a peacekeeping mission. I was just glad that I was able to give them what they described as a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the wild horses of Alberta. Our prayers are with her son, that he may remain safe. Lisa brought home a wild horse calendar and dvd and plans on spreading the word about the wild horses of Alberta’s plight through 4H clubs in Nova Scotia.
A few weeks later we took Louise and Thomas Bach-Holler of Denmark on a tour to see the wild ones. Louise is a natural hoof care professional trained by the AANHCP, as well as a horse trainer and riding instructor. She promotes gentle horse training and bit less riding. Natural hoof care professionals are farriers that trim horses hooves by studying the natural way that wild horses feet are kept. Hence Louise was keen on seeing the horses hoof prints in the fresh snow and mud and saw how perfect their hooves are shaped. She was also enthralled by the way the wild horses move, as the horses she is familiar with live in small paddocks and only get exercise when their handlers ride them. Louise was quite impressed with the wildies agility as they raced up the icy road without a problem, then up the hill and disappeared into the trees.
Louise mentioned that there is a program in France whereby a group of domestic horses with various ailments are turned loose regularly in a large area of public land and initially are fed for a few months until they are able to fend for themselves. She said that they have found that these horses have rehabilitated themselves by being left alone without human interference. Although don’t get me wrong, I don’t endorse dumping unwanted domestic horses into this harsh Canadian climate, for one thing it is illegal, for another, it is cruel. There are many predators that feed off wild horses that keep their numbers in check. Domestic horses abandoned out there would stand even less of a chance fighting them off. Along with the predators are the extreme weather conditions such as our long cold winters. Below is of a picture of a cougar kill of a wild foal which we recently discovered. (VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED)
However, getting back to Thomas and Louise, they want to sell their place in Denmark and move to Alberta in the next few years and are working on making that dream a reality. They have become WHOAS members and will make a terrific contribution to our team. I can’t wait until they become Alberta residents.
In mid November we will be taking a journalist by the name of Kevin from Vancouver out to see the wild horses, and he is ecstatic about it. These horses have a wonderful tourism potential and can help aid local economy during these difficult economic times. Rather than being viewed by some as a nuisance and something to be rid of, some dying communites in the USA were revived only because of the tourist draw that the wild horses and burros brought there.
With each of these visitor’s, I sent home with them a Wanted Poster, which lists the $25.000 reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprits responsible. Hence our posters have gone not only across Canada but internationally now as well.
Wild Horse Hoof Prints in the Mud
Left side grizz paw print, larger than man's glove
Carcass of foal covered up with grass and leaves by cougar
