Noise, Noise, Noise

Davis Mountains, Utah

After yesterday's shoot with the brumbies, we could hardly wait for another opportunity.  Unfortunately, we discovered that Utah's ATV heaven was particularly active on Sundays.

We found the herd, but as we approached, two dirt bike riders raced ahead.  The noise from their engines terrified the horses.  We were almost in position to take photos... instead, we could only watch them flee.  Only the band of older stallions continued their grazing.

We followed the road nearest their path, turned off the truck and waited.  The frightened horses had gone behind a mesa in a cloud of dust.  After about a half hour, we saw a few of the lead horses slowly making their way back.  Just as they began to appear, however, the dirt bikes returned.  The horses fled again, this time completely out of sight.

With the horses so distraught, we knew that they needed time to settle.  We decided to try to find another wild horse herd in the area called the Cedar Mountain herd.  We traveled north of Dugway.  We overshot the turnoff, gave up, and turned back.  When we did, we discovered that the northbound signpost had fallen over.  Now on the right track, we followed part of the old Hasting's Cutoff on the California trail.  The road was deeply rutted.  At one point, we found an enormous dip.  The truck handled it without a hitch... just another Sunday drive for the Staat family.  :)

The Cedar Mountain herd proved to be elusive.  We found a few stud piles, but no horses.  With evening approaching, we decided to return to last night's camping spot.

Just as the sun was setting, with binoculars we could see a number of horses from the main herd inching their way back around the distant mesa.  Our vista felt so empty this evening... what a difference a day makes!  Only the ragtag band of older stallions grazed in the valley below us.