Capturing the Majesty: Mastering the Art of Photographing Horses

New Zealand Horse Photography Workshop with fine art equine photographer Tony Stromberg

Imagine traveling to an exotic location like New Zealand with one of the world's top ten fine art equine photographers, Tony Stromberg to photograph horses. Or, traveling to Central California during April to learn tips about photographing wild horses.

Mastering the art of photographing horses is a transformational experience for many horse enthusiasts. Add traveling to a unique location or witnessing wild horses in a sanctuary make the adventure even more special.

New Zealand is exotic and the landscape is wildly variable from volcanic terrain to glaciers. Traveling to Christchurch, New Zealand during the summer of 1985, we encountered vast, pastoral beauty and saw countless stars blanketed by a pitch-black night sky. Each day traveling through the countryside was magical and the people were very friendly.

For many people an opportunity to travel to New Zealand may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is a treasured memory for me and I do hope to return. Huka Falls is a particularly picturesque location on the South Island with one of the highest flowing waterfalls in the world. New Zealand has a lot to see and absorb with whatever amount of time you spend in this pristine country.

Traveling to New Zealand to photograph horses and visit the area will be a memorable experience for anyone who loves to travel. Learn more today at https://tonystromberg.com/product/equine-photography-in-new-zealand/

"Mustang Mood" by fine art equine photographer Lori Sorvino

Or, why not take a 3-day workshop and learn how to photograph rescued mustangs on a 2,000 acre sanctuary in San Luis Obispo, California, April 23-24-25, 2024? Return to Freedom photo safaris are fundraisers for the nonprofit organization Return to Freedom.org which is a national wild horse conservation organization focused on sanctuary, conservation, advocacy, and education.

Return to Freedom Photo Safaris are offered by fine art equine photographer Lori Sortino. For more information and to register visit http://essencecaptured.com/workshops/return-to-freedom-photo-safari/

Not only will you discover how to take incredible images of wild mustangs with Lori Sortino and her associates, but you will be supporting a very worthy nonprofit that works to protect America's wild horses and burros.

Lori describes "Mustang Mood" with these words. "I love creating these dramatic back or side lit images during what we call the 'golden hour' near sunset when the light is so beautiful!" This image is currently available printed on canvas at the H. Chaval Coffee and Gifts in Paso Robles, California, (805) 221-5170.

To learn a little about Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation, watch this short video:

"Robert Redford Stands with America's Wild Horses"

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Support the "Seen Through Horses Campaign" during Mental Health Awareness Month of May

The statistics surrounding mental illness are staggering: one in five people will be affected by mental illness in their lives, with depression becoming the leading cause of disability worldwide (NAMI, 2020). Despite the prevalence of this issue, two-thirds of those affected never seek help, and of those who do, only about 50% find traditional talk therapy successful. However, it’s encouraging to note that in recent years concerns for mental health have gained increasing recognition. It’s crucial to increase public awareness of the myriad ways horses can help in one’s journey to pursue healing.

Young man benefitting from equine therapy

Horses for Mental Health is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying awareness, engagement, and access to services incorporating horses for mental health and personal growth. Individuals navigating challenges such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, relationship struggles, or life transitions like divorce, or who may be seeking to improve their overall well-being, can experience tremendous benefits through professional services involving horses.

Horses are highly intuitive to nonverbal messages and help provide a safe and dynamic environment for healing through the relationship facilitated by trained professionals. At its foundation, these services mean that rather than going to see a psychotherapist or counselor in an office setting, clients experience some or all of their sessions in an environment with horses.

Witness the profound impact these powerful creatures can have. Watch "Breathe: A Story of Transformation" to see how a veteran healed from PTSD with the help of a horse, learning to breathe freely once again.

Young woman participating in an equine therapy session

Seen Through Horses Campaign

Horses for Mental Health's flagship initiative, the Seen Through Horses Campaign, is an annual peer-to-peer awareness and fundraising campaign uplifting organizations that offer mental health and personal growth programs and services incorporating horses. 

Now in its third year, the 2024 campaign unites over 80 non-profit organizations nationwide, amplifying their mission and raising critical funds. Donations are directed straight to these organizations, supporting their work in making this unique therapy accessible to all.

Join Horses for Mental Health this May, during Mental Health Awareness Month, for the annual Seen Through Horses Campaign! Together, we can bring our shared vision to life: a world where everyone has access to the transformative power of horses.

The Power of Horses: Breaking Barriers

Watch the story of the incredible impact that a small nonprofit organization is having on the community of Oakland, California. “We Ride Too” is committed to serving a wide range of young people in the Oakland area who face various challenges and traumas with limited access to resources. Through programs for youth to connect with nature and horses, each child has a place where they are told they "can," instead of "can't," breaking barriers and making a difference for their mental health and future.

The Power of Horses | Advocating for First Responders

First responders face daily challenges and overwhelming stress from their intense jobs, resulting in higher rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Despite this, they courageously serve as our first line of defense against emergencies, fires, and life-threatening situations. More than ever, we need to rally together to support our first responders to support their mental health and well-being on a local, state, and federal level through advocacy, legislation, and funding for programs and services incorporating horses.

Horses for Mental Health would like to thank Zoetis Equine, the Title Sponsor of the Seen Through Horses Campaign.

To get involved in the Seen Through Horses Campaign, visit https://horsesformentalhealth.org/campaign/

To learn more about the incredible impact horses can have on mental health and overall well-being, please visit https://horsesformentalhealth.org/how-horses-help/

Media Links: 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube | LinkedIn

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EquuStyle Art & Travel magazine thanks Tyler Tyler Brklacich and Lynn Thomas, Co-Founders of Horses for Mental Health, for providing us with Amanda Alden’s article and the well-produced videos which are also available on Horses for Mental Health’s YouTube channel. Please share the link to this article to share HMH’s Seen Through Horses Campaign, especially during May which is Mental Health Awareness month.

All images Copyright Horses for Mental Health -all rights reserved. Cannot be reproduced for any purpose without permission from Horses for Mental Health.

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Exploring the Majestic Beauty of Wild Horses in the Pryor Mountains

The iconic stallion Cloud in the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range

Imagine traveling to see wild horses in the wild. The Pryor Mountains feral horse herd is one of the most accessible feral horse herds in the United States. Visitors may come to the public lands of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range to enjoy observing these well-known wild horses and are encouraged to do so from a safe distance. 

Comprised of more than 39,000 acres the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range is located in the southeastern portion of Carbon County, Montana, and northern Big Horn County, Wyoming, approximately 50 miles south of Billings, Montana, and 10 miles north of Lovell Wyoming.

The range can be easily accessed via a paved road which parallels Bighorn Canyon, and which provides excellent viewing of the horses. The range can also be accessed from Laurel, Montana, by traveling south on U.S. Route 310 and then taking the Forest Service gravel road to Dryhead Overlook. Some of the range may be accessed via the Crow Indian Reservation. A trespass permit from the Crow Nation is required to cross tribal land or exit a vehicle while on tribal land.

Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center is a public, not-for-profit 501c3 educational institution located in Lovell, Wyoming dedicated to preserving the future of the wild horses of the Pryor Mountains. At the center visitors will learn facts about the breed, such as that their primary bloodlines did descend from Spanish Barbs and the best places to view them. You may arrange for a trip with PryorWild Tours to go to the top of the mountain with an elevation of 8,750 above sea level. Tours are from May 15 through September 30 (email for availability).

Hiking on the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse range is good, but there are no maintained or marked trails. Because elevations range from 3,850 feet to 8,750 feet above sea level, it's good to be prepared with layers and anticipate weather conditions before hiking to the higher alpine elevations. It's common to experience thunderstorms with lightning in the spring and summer months. The area is high in diversity and plants vary with elevation and precipitation from cold desert shrub to sub-alpine forests and meadows. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Field Guide to the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses 10th Edition 2023.

TripAdvisor has a list of accommodations and restaurants reviews near Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center. The Hideout Lodge and Guest Ranch rates well on TripAdvisor and is 35.5 miles from Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center.

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For a recent look during fall 2023 at the mustangs and what it's like to travel to the Pryor Mountain Horse Range, watch this well-produced video on the YouTube channel @loristravels

Please read EquuStyle Art & Travel's Disclaimer https://www.equustyle.com/disclaimer

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