Once upon a time there was a young wild mare running free across the sage scattered hills of Stewart Creek of the Red Desert in Wyoming....

But she would not stay wild and free.... she would be trapped and sent to BLM holding corrals in Canon City, Colorado.

This mustang's story was only just beginning.... she had a path to travel that would take her much further away, a path that might have seemed intimidating and even frightening to her, but a path that has led her to someone that loves her deeply and someone that has taken brave steps and extra care to give her the very best of possible things in this life with humans.

It is one of the oddest things I have learned in my time getting to know about wild horses and adopting a captured mustang.... our wild American mustangs are loved by people in Europe! And I do mean love..... Americans will complain about the long process of adoption, but what we do is really incredibly simple and much less costly than someone from outside the country!

There are a couple of different options of how someone from outside of the U.S. may adopt an American mustang, but it is a complicated, lengthy, and expensive process that requires a very determined character! I marvel ever day at the dedication of anyone in Europe that chooses to adopt an American mustang and am especially thankful for one particular person's commitment to adopt a mustang.

Julia is one of those people who fell in love with a mustang.... and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been allowed to get to know her as she has shared with me some of the journey she has had with this mustang mare she calls Seven.

Seven is a mare I had photographed in the wild and I was there the day she went into the BLM trap.... but it has been a gift to connect with this person on the other side of an ocean who loves these horses with her entire heart.

Julia is one of those rare amazing people that believe in listening to the voice of the horse... she believes the horse has its own thoughts and desires, and she believes in honoring those in the best way she is able to do so.

And I believe that shows in the images she has shared with her and Seven, and in the stories she has shared with me of offering Seven the kind of living space and companions that allowed this mustang mare to be happy and confident in this life with humans.

Sometimes, from chaos and sadness, there is a happy ending..... Seven has chosen to embrace her life with her human Julia, because Julia has done the most amazing thing of giving Seven her own voice and honoring her, it is a true partnership, they are a team together in this crazy world, and I so am excited to see the things they will do as they travel this path together.

Images of Julia and Seven in Germany are by the very talented NORTHWAVES and you can her follow on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/northwaves_fotografie