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A lead Stallion lowers his head and neck, laying
his ears flat back. (It is a culling or herding position). When this
photo was taken to herd his heirum to another part of their territory
as another group of horses was getting too close. |
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Yearlings interact with playful teasing and
nips. |
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Yearlings playfully interacting. |
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| On the
left
is one of Shackleford's most beautiful and dominant mares. She
is a leader of her herd. The Stallion to the right is courting
her to his best! |
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Two Stallions play fight, stirring the dust on the east-end of
Shackleford. |
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| A
Stallion gallops towards a yearling colt and nudges him on the hip -
sending the message to his herd to move on!! The camera crew (Channel
9 News 1996 Diana Bowen and Crew) was getting too close for his
comfort. |
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| I
witnessed the birth of this foal which was a beautiful event.
About 30 minutes after his birth, some curious boaters attempted to
ease closer to shore to see the blessed event! The stallion came
gallantly down across the sand dunes and used his head to get the colt
up onto his wobbly legs; then, with a quick nip to the mare's flank,
he guided his family down the shore's edge away from the intruders.
I captured this delightful photograph before they all galloped out of
site. (I've known the island horses since I was a little girl at
the age of five. They are familiar with me and with my scent and
accept me as one of their own. During a lot of my photographs, I
am being nudged or nipped by a wild colt while they are friendly and
playful with me. However, remember, they know me! Please,
if you choose to visit the island and the horses, stay a good distance
as they may be threatened by a stranger and a scent with which they
are not familiar. Do not give the National Park Service an
excuse to remove them due to your lack of knowledge or experience.
They will defend their territory. Thanks! |
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| A
boat motor in the distance roars -- sending the horses into a full
gallop. |
