Wild Horses

Alfie Bowen Foreword by Chris Packham

Contents Foreword by Chris Packham Introduction by Alfie Bowen

6 8

Wales 12 Ludham 42 Buxton Heath 68 Massingham Heath 88 Wild Ken Hill 124 New Forest 152 Acknowledgements 198 Pictorial Index 200

Contents Foreword by Chris Packham Introduction by Alfie Bowen

6 8

Wales 12 Ludham 42 Buxton Heath 68 Massingham Heath 88 Wild Ken Hill 124 New Forest 152 Acknowledgements 198 Pictorial Index 200

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Monarch Our trip to Wales was preceded by a great deal of research; conversations with locals had alerted me to the regular presence of a beautiful stallion near to our base. This news had got me excited – it would be incredible to photograph a dominant stallion, and what if we could somehow include a dramatic backdrop?

We found him on day three, high in the Welsh mountains on a day when the sky was filled with dramatic cloud. It was a dream come true. Now to get the setting right. I was very conscious that he is part of this place, rather than just living on it.

I decided to try and photograph him side-on and found the perfect spot with a rolling mountain; I would photograph him in front of it, almost as if he were part of the mountain.

Everything came together in the end. I love the knots in his mane.

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Monarch Our trip to Wales was preceded by a great deal of research; conversations with locals had alerted me to the regular presence of a beautiful stallion near to our base. This news had got me excited – it would be incredible to photograph a dominant stallion, and what if we could somehow include a dramatic backdrop?

We found him on day three, high in the Welsh mountains on a day when the sky was filled with dramatic cloud. It was a dream come true. Now to get the setting right. I was very conscious that he is part of this place, rather than just living on it.

I decided to try and photograph him side-on and found the perfect spot with a rolling mountain; I would photograph him in front of it, almost as if he were part of the mountain.

Everything came together in the end. I love the knots in his mane.

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122

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On the Shoreline My research introduced me to this idyllic spot on the coastline, which offers views across to the Isle of Wight, and where there is the rare chance of spotting a horse paddling or strolling along the sand. I knew my chances were extremely slim, but I simply had to visit.

We parked our camper on the edge of the beach and, to my amazement, there was a single horse strolling down the beach. He was very nervous, so I kept a very good distance and hid behind some large rocks in the hope that he would continue his journey across the sand.

The weather was on my side when we arrived, but I knew a storm was due to arrive within about the next ten minutes. If he came down the beach, I would have a small window of time to get a shot of him whilst the iconic Isle was still visible in the background.

On one front we were extremely lucky: I got the shot; on the other hand, we were extremely unlucky: the van was stuck in the sand and the storm rolled in. It was quite the experience!

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On the Shoreline My research introduced me to this idyllic spot on the coastline, which offers views across to the Isle of Wight, and where there is the rare chance of spotting a horse paddling or strolling along the sand. I knew my chances were extremely slim, but I simply had to visit.

We parked our camper on the edge of the beach and, to my amazement, there was a single horse strolling down the beach. He was very nervous, so I kept a very good distance and hid behind some large rocks in the hope that he would continue his journey across the sand.

The weather was on my side when we arrived, but I knew a storm was due to arrive within about the next ten minutes. If he came down the beach, I would have a small window of time to get a shot of him whilst the iconic Isle was still visible in the background.

On one front we were extremely lucky: I got the shot; on the other hand, we were extremely unlucky: the van was stuck in the sand and the storm rolled in. It was quite the experience!

196

197

“Alfie has done a cracking job of capturing their wild spirit, and their free, ethereal nature.” Gareth Wyn Jones

Photographer and wildlife activist, Alfie Bowen presents his twoyear-long project photographing Britain’s wild horses through the eyes of someone living with autism spectrum disorder. Wild Horses is all about connection: Bowen’s personal connection to the animals he photographs; his connection to photography as an art form; the horses’ connection to one another; and our collective connection to the land and our planet.

ISBN: 978-1-78884-262-4

9 781788 842624

54500 £35.00/$45.00

www.accartbooks.com