Being an outdoor photographer, I am quite accustomed to experiencing unique moments with mother nature.
Maybe to some degree, I would suppose, an argument could be made for some of these moments even being categorized as more than just unique but rather somewhat special, maybe even something of an intimate nature, of sorts, with the natural world I am so blessed to both experience and photograph.
If you were to ask me, locating such moments come with the territory of just being in the outdoors on a very regular basis, such as I indeed am each week.
I can’t plan on finding these moments, mind you, but rather they somehow find me.
You see, if truth be told, I just come across them on my travels and I try my best to capture them with a camera before, well, they are gone, quite possibly forever.
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Yes, you do have to be ready and keep your eyes open but most importantly you just need to get out there and experience the natural world around us. It’s pretty simple, really.
Over the Labor Day weekend, I came across a very special moment with the Onaqui herd of wild horses that had a lasting effect upon me.
I never would have imagined sharing a few minutes with a band of wild mustangs, one horse in particular, in fact, would leave me with a tear on my cheek and an everlasting place in my heart for these incredible creatures.
I only hope that somehow, someway, by using both word and image, I can recreate, at least in part, that is, the special moment in which I had for you to experience as closely as I was so fortunate to experience it.
Truthfully, however, I fear I may fall way short in such an endeavor because of how deep the moment truly was but I will try and convey the story with all of my best efforts.
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It was a hot and dusty drive home from Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge. The Pony Express Trail itself offers very little in the way of companionship for the solitary traveler, such as I, with only an occasional roadside patch of sagebrush to keep as company on the 100 mile gravely trek.
As the retreating sun inched its way towards the rugged horizon behind me, something caught my attention in the glistening sunlight.
A cloud of dust was forming up ahead, close enough to catch my eye but far enough away from the gravel road I was on to perk my weary interest.
What was it, I thought to myself, that could be stirring up so much dust so far away from the roadway?
After a few minutes of driving, all along watching the cloud of dust continuing to grow, I found a place to pull aside where I could watch with real intent as it was then coming right at me.
The dust cloud grew and grew until it was almost upon me where it then opened up the dense curtain and gave up its secret.
It was a very large herd of wild horses all headed to the same place, a long spring-fed watering trough erected in this most inhospitable of environments to offer these weary desert inhabitants a drink and a brief moment to rest from the rugged world in which they live.
In a matter of minutes, what I estimated to be nearly 75-100 horses from the Onaqui herd of wild mustangs was just a few yards in front of me, all jockeying for position at the trough.
It was quite apparent from what was laid out in front of me, there is a definite hierarchy in wild horses as some were drinking right away and some had to wait their turn.
In fact, some of the horses were left standing well away from the herd but still daring not to drink as they stood over the well-weathered water trough.
Others were even more apprehensive and waited to approach the watering hole until these first-comers were done and gone even though there was now ample space at the massive trough as most of the original group of horses had already quenched their desert-driven thirst.
After things had settled down with much of the herd taking a turn at the watering hole, the horses abruptly turned eastward and, as a group, started to once again head for the hills.
I am not sure what signal was given or even by which horse but somehow they knew it was time to start traveling again.
As quickly as they appeared, the large herd of wild horses was gone once again.
Their brief presence was only marked by a long, lingering trail of dust left behind, continuously being stirred up by a train of tired, well-worn hooves.
Even though the main group had abruptly left for the mountains again, a few distant horses were still traveling the dusty trail towards the water, showing signs of fatigue and age as they slowly worked their way towards the trough.
One by one these late-comers came to the water, taking a brief turn at the trough before heading out to try and catch up with the now vanishing herd.
From what I could tell, all the horses had now come and gone.
I earnestly watched as these latecomers took the same eastward path towards the rolling hills as the main group, seemingly following the trail of dust laid out by the largest group of horses.
But as I turned to get back into my vehicle and continue my journey home, I was astonished to find one lone horse still wearily making its way towards the trough.
It was the last one that I could see and it seemed so very tired, walking a bit slower than the rest.
As the weary horse approached the watering trough, I expected it to follow suit by taking a short drink and quickly heading out again, following the herd into the neighboring mountains.
But as the lone horse was making its way to the trough, it abruptly stopped a few feet short of the running water and just stood there.
The large but noticeably tired equine stood perfectly still, steadfastly gazing into the now dimming sunlight as if it was trying to catch a glimpse of the dusty marker left by the herd.
I wondered how it could even continue, how it could possibly catch up with the herd.
The only signs left of the large group of horses was a thin line of dust marking their path up the mountainside and that was fading fast.
Just moments ago, the desert floor in front of me was so busy, so noisy but now it was so quiet and so solitary.
It was just me and this lone horse for what seemed like an eternity.
I watched as it just stood there and gazed towards the lingering trail of dust as it dissipated over the sagebrush-covered hillside.
I don’t know for sure but I wondered what was going through this horse’s mind as it stood its ground and watched the cloud of dust stretch up the mountain ravine and vanish out of sight.
I could only imagine a feeling of frustration and maybe even fear as it stood there all alone, arriving at the watering hole late and having to now watch the large herd vanish over the distant ridge.
My heart ached as I felt for the horse, the solitude it must have felt being left alone in such a cruel, harsh world.
Water obviously wasn’t the most important thing at the moment for this horse as it was more focused on where the herd was going.
I can only imagine how hard it was for this horse just to keep up with the herd and now, sadly, the herd was gone.
The lone horse stood there and just stared at the mountainside for what seemed like forever, ignoring the trickling water just a few feet away but quite possibly embedding the dusty course in its mind for when it found the strength to press on.
Eventually, the tired horse succumbed to its thirst and wandered to the far end of the trough and drank. It eventually took a course as the other horses did but with much less enthusiasm than the rest of the herd.
I truly had sorrow and empathy for this horse as it watched what I feared was former friends and family leave it behind.
From what I have read about wild horses, some are actually cast out and banned from the herd, essentially sentencing them to a solitary life of lingering just outside of the imaginary boundaries of this dynamic equine society.
Was that the case with this horse? I don’t know for sure but being alone and so far behind the herd, I am guessing it was an outcast and just following the herd as many of them do.
As the horse slowly disappeared back into the desert from which it came, a solitary pronghorn cautiously approached the water trough and took a drink.
I sat there and watched the pronghorn as it drank and wondered about the lone horse and what was driving it to press on.
This horse obviously still wanted to be a part of the herd, even as an outcast, as it stood and took notice of its impending route before it quenched its thirst.
That moment was so surreal, so solemn that I felt a little bit of me in that horse.
A tear slowly slipped down my cheek as I watched him stand there all alone, gazing into the vast desert as the herd vanished into the hills.
Eventually, the moment was broken by the sound of a distant vehicle approaching from behind and it caused me to turn and catch one final glimpse of the setting sun.
A cloud of dust kicked up by this late evening traveler settled in and with the brilliant colors of the sunset, it carefully caressed the jagged mountains as the vehicle drew closer and closer.
It was a most serene and humbling experience, to say the least, and I was so fortunate to have been a part of it. Just a few minutes sooner or later either way and I would have missed the entire thing but that is just how outdoor photography is.
It is a game of chance and timing and my timing couldn’t have been better on this one.
It was a sad experience for sure but one I will cherish forever as I admired how resilient that horse was despite what it had to face to find and follow the herd once more.
Where can you find the wild horses in Utah?
According to the Bureau of Land Management, Utah is home to 19 herds of wild horses that cover much of the south and central parts of the state.
Finding some of the wild mustangs is fairly easy in a couple of the most northern herds such as the Onaqui and Cedar Mountain herds.
Each herd of wild horses is managed in what is called a herd-management area, a specific geographic area where these wild horses typically live and roam free.
Visit the BLM website for more information about the wild horse herds throughout the state of Utah and to get a geographic description of each herd management area.
Below are a couple of locations I have seen the Onaqui herd along the Pony Express Trail.
It is a big country so the horses aren’t always where others have seen them, but each time I travel the Pony Express Trail, I do see the wild horses in the same general vicinity, especially around Simpson Springs.
From my experience, the best place to photograph wild horses is on the Pony Express Trail near Simpson Springs.
How many wild horses are in Utah?
According to BLM data, as of March 1, 2020, there is an estimated total of 5,316 wild horses throughout the state of Utah.
As mentioned before, these wild horses are spread out over the state in 19 established herd management areas.
Where can I easily view wild horses in Utah?
The Onaqui herd is the most easily viewed herd of wild horses in Utah.
The Cedar Mountain herd can also be seen at times quite easily but from my own personal experience, the Onaqui herd is the most accessible and easily viewable by the public.
The Bureau of Land Management details each herd-management area on its website.
Where are the Onaqui wild horses?
The Onaqui wild horses are easily found much of the time on the Pony Express Trail before and after Simpson Springs.
Sometimes they are very close to the gravel road and other times they are far out on the desert floor.
The horses referred to in this blog post were several miles east of Simpson Springs at a watering trough just off the Pony Express Trail.
I found numerous other wild horses around and even a few miles west of Simpson Springs so it is hard to predict where they will be each day but starting the search in this general area should lead to some horses along the historic roadway with a little time and effort put forth.
I did find large numbers of wild horses while traveling both to and from Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge on this particular day along the Pony Express Trail around Simpson Springs.
On other days, I have seen very few and sometimes even none so it just depends on the day.
Wild horses have been said to travel a lot but from my experiences, at least with the Onaqui wild horse herd, that is, they do stay in the same general areas where water is found but they do indeed wander around the area quite a bit.
How many wild horses are in the Onaqui herd?
The herd size for the Onaqui wild horses has been estimated to be at 412 as of March 1, 2020, according to BLM data.
What do you do if you see a wild horse?
Show respect for the wild horses. One should never try to pet, feed, chase, or harass the horses in any way.
It is a federal crime to chase or harass a wild horse in any way. They are beautiful, majestic animals and should be admired but also granted their freedom and space to be as such.
Enjoy them, watch them, and photograph them but don’t approach them.
Due to their popularity, many of the wild horses have indeed been accustomed to humans in close proximity but that doesn’t mean they are docile or domesticated.
They are considered wild animals and can be dangerous if provoked or approached.
For more information about the Bureau of Land Management wild horse program and herd management areas, visit their website.
Conclusion
The wild horses of Utah’s west desert regions are a spectacular sight to behold. Each and every time I travel the Pony Express trail, I keep my eyes open for the wild horses.
Sometimes, I find them alongside the road and other times they are long distances away but just seeing them no matter their location is an experience I never get tired of.
Simpson Springs on the historic Pony Express Trail, in my own opinion, is by far the easiest and best place in Utah to find wild horses.
It is a remote, dusty road but one also with a lot of history and geographic scenery for the desert lover such as myself.
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Photos Of The Onaqui Wild Horses Near Simpson Springs
