Monochrome
Up, up, and away!
Herding the Yilki horses of Turkey
HI, Yo, Silver, Away!
One of our first locations was to visit the wild Yilki horses of Turkey. It was a short drive from the town where we were, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had visions of wild horses galloping through fields and we certainly had that and a lot more!
We pulled up to park and a lot of vehicles were already there, and people were milling about. And then I noticed that they were brides and grooms and a lot of professional photographers. Apparently it is a ‘thing’ to bring your hired photographer and have your photo taken as horses mill about you. Not sure how comfortable I would feel with the hundred horses or more walking around me. I think a few brides felt the same way!
This particular horse was a popular addition to the images because it would rear on its hind legs while the photographer took photos of the bride and groom. it made for some great shots that's for sure!
I have one image of a foal standing on the bride’s gown as the bride looked on. She didn't look that happy! I'm pretty sure this would be a separate shoot from the actual wedding day as the dust was unbelievable. But then, so was the light.
We had a variety of shots while we were there. The herd of horses, a couple of hundred of them, would gallop as they were rounded up by the Cowboys. It was often hard to isolate any particular horse because they were all so close together.
“Yilki’ means released to nature. Farmers turned their horses loose to fend for themselves during harsh winters. I saw a couple of halters on some of them and the halter meant that they were owned by someone not that they were tame.
The Yilki horses no longer work on the farms as they are no longer needed. Guardians consisting of legal owners and local horsemen take care of the horses and provide hay when winter conditions are harsh and also veterinarian services if needed.
This really was an amazing glimpse into the cowboy culture of Turkey.
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