The Wild Horses of Northwestern Nevada: Tour Review

If you knew me during my childhood, you knew about my love for horses. Like others, I always had a soft spot for the idea of wild horses, inspired by my favorite childhood movie, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. After watching that movie many times, it was a dream of mine to one day see wild horses, and for my 16th birthday back in May 2015, that dream came true.

My dad had arranged for us to tour wild horse areas in northwestern Nevada with a man named Mark Terrell, and a link to his website follows this post. A few days after my birthday, my dad and I flew to Reno. The next day, we woke up at the early hour of 6 A.M. to start our adventure.

Couple — We were told that these two were inseparable and preferred to be on their own away from the other herds. The mare’s coloring is Cremello

Herd — Small herd with two foals in the middle

Mark was an amazing man, very wise and experienced, and very easy to talk to. He really knew the area and what he was doing. My dad actually gave me one of Mark’s wild horse photos in a frame for my birthday, which really cued my excitement for the trip. His photographs are exceptional.

We met Mark in the morning and the three of us piled into Mark’s red Jeep and headed to an area he thought might be good. Our first encounter with wild horses was a herd of 10-12. Mark suggested we get out of the Jeep, and he positioned us in an area where we were soon surrounded. I was speechless, and we stood silently while the herd moved past us. The feeling is indescribable. I will never forget it.

Stallion — There are numerous lone stallions in the area, this Buckskin was one of them

We continued around the foothills of Dayton, Nevada in Mark’s Jeep, the perfect car for this adventure. It was quite cold and rainy that day but it did not ruin the trip at all. We saw a lot of horses within the first hour of the tour. We were also lucky that day, Mark told us that once on a tour he did not see a single wild horse for the first four hours.

We re-located to different areas around Dayton a few times. I remember sitting in his Jeep that day looking out the window on Nevada’s Highway 50, and seeing wild horses from the highway. This area is very populated with wild horses, more so I think in any other area in the United States.

Foal — I had to be very silent when photographing this foal, we were very close and the mare was protective

Mare — This mare was part of a larger herd

In a way, wild horses and traveling are alike. They both have to do with freedom. Wild horses can roam wherever and whenever they want, and in some ways that is what traveling is all about: roaming free. I am a very independent person and I enjoy the freedom of traveling, which is why I admire wild horses. Traveling is a way to just be yourself, unencumbered and free to roam.

I highly recommend taking the wild horse tour in Dayton, Nevada lead by Mark Terrell. You will not regret it and it will leave you feeling relaxed, emotional, and inspired. The sentiment of being surrounded by wild horses is so beautiful, as is their way of life. It is an experience of tenderness in a harsh landscape, and an appreciation for a way of life unknown by many.