A Second Chance
Best Friends © 2025 Tina Horne Photo, LLC.
Mustangs have always held a certain fascination for me, and that only grows after a trip to Utah to photograph them in the wild. Several months after the trip, I am home and the mustangs are still in my thoughts. So when a fellow photographer learns of a mustang sanctuary not too far from me, off we go.
Mustangs in the wild are under increased threat and many wind up in containment pens, where their future is uncertain. But there is hope for some that are bailed out and transported to sanctuaries all over the United States, a second chance. I am lucky enough to visit one such place.
Morning Joy © 2025 Tina Horne Photo, LLC.
It is a colorful autumn weekend when I travel to Mustang Valley Sanctuary in upstate New York. Mustang Valley is home to approximately thirty mustangs at any given time. I am there only for a few days, but the visit has a powerful impact on me. I am lucky enough to be there during a feral horse clinic and learn much about the mindset of these horses. The trainer is consistent, but gentle. These are sensitive animals and they respond quickly, learning what is expected of them. It is exciting to see, and it is invaluable to me as a photographer to gain such insight into the horse’s behavior and mind. I am a photographer who likes to know her subject.
Morning in Meadow © 2025 Tina Horne Photo, LLC.
When I am not observing the training, I wander around the sanctuary and meet all the horses, each with their own personality. My favorite is the time spent in a large meadow, when the horses come running out in the morning, having been in their barns and stables all night. It is joyous to witness. I can, and do, sit for hours in this meadow, photographing these magnificent beings, now safe and thriving.
As a small business owner, it is important for me to give back. I donate a portion of the proceeds from any print sold of a horse taken at Mustang Valley Sanctuary, back to the sanctuary.
Thank you for reading…
Tina