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These 15 Majestic Photos Show Why Humans Love Horses

Umito
These 15 Majestic Photos Show Why Humans Love Horses

Photographs selected by Donny Bajohr

Text by Tracy Scott Forson

Powerful and majestic with magnificent manes, horses have been a part of human life for ages. Whether tied to plows, carrying saddles, pulling wagons, or simply keeping us company, horses have lived and worked with humans over the centuries. Modern conveniences have helped reduce their role as beasts of burden. But although they are classified as farm animals or livestock and not pets by the United States Department of Agriculture, about two million American households report owning horses, and the love for them is worldwide .

Why are equines so exceptional? Take a look.

A wild horse trots through the lush expanse of the New Forest in Hampshire

A wild horse trots through the lush expanse of the New Forest in Hampshire. His powerful stride crosses the vibrant landscape, where the rich colors of the late afternoon sun filter through the dense canopy, casting a warm, golden glow.

Irina Petrova Adamatzky, United Kingdom, 2024

Horses around the Turkish village of Hormetci gallop

Horses around the Turkish village of Hormetci gallop across the desert terrain, kicking up dust everywhere.

F. Dilek Yurdakul, Türkiye, 2023

a black and white photograph of a horse heard

In Sabucedo, according to a centuries-old tradition, wrestlers face horses without ropes or sticks, seeking to shave their manes.

Carlos Costa, Spain, 2023

a horse stands in the Tonto National Forest

The Salt River flows through the Tonto National Forest and is home to approximately 300 wild horses believed to be descendants of Spanish colonial horses brought to the Southwest by explorers in the 16th century.

Jeffrey Lierman, Arizona, 2022

Dust and snow engulf a herd of horses at full gallop.

Dust and snow engulf a herd of horses at full gallop.

Zhi Wen Shen, China, 2023

wild horses of Assateague Island

Just before sunrise, a trio of Assateague Island wild horses enjoy a lazy moment on the beach.

Karin Fleming, Maryland, 2023

A wild black horse runs through the terrain near the towering sandstone buttes of Monument Valley

A wild black horse strides across the terrain near the towering sandstone buttes of Monument Valley, embodying untamed freedom in the iconic red sand desert area on the Arizona-Utah border at sunset.

Maria Ibanez Valero, Arizona, 2023

horses lined up

Horses come in a variety of hues, from snow white to almost black.

Nannie van Berkel-Hijlkema, Netherlands, 2023

horses of the central-eastern Italian Alps

Avelignese horses of the east-central Italian Alps are semi-feral, meaning they are usually wild but can sometimes be under human care.

Maurizio Teruzzi, Italy, 2024

two horses stand on their hind legs

The equines of the McCullough Peaks horse herd appear to be riding horses, with the Bighorn Mountains in the distance.

Timothy Foxx, Wyoming, 2023

Icelandic horses

Icelandic horses are said to be an ancient and pure breed. They are not allowed to interbreed with others, and once taken off the island, they cannot return.

Jennifer Fraser, Iceland, 2022

a child sits on a horse with mountains behind them

Ancient stories tell of children in Kyrgyzstan who learned to ride horses before they could walk. Apparently not much has changed.

Behram daCosta, Kyrgyzstan, 2024

horses in Türkiye

In Turkish, yilki is the name given to wild horses that roam freely in nature and are not domesticated, symbols of freedom.

Erhan Coral, Türkiye, 2024

a horse missing an eye

Sundance, who is missing an eye due to a birth defect, is one of the rescued equines staying at White Rock Ranch in Yucca Valley.

Cortney Armitage, California, 2024

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