Go Briskly #14196

The Story

Here are two horses running in snow side by side in deep snow and sunshine on a very cold winter day. Their breath makes clouds in the chill air as the snow flies high, and the mane and tail hair flies every which way. Kinetic energy is high, everything is in motion. The cold is strong despite the bright sunlight; bellies and legs are beginning to cake with more snow at every pass.

None of that slows these Arabian horses as they keep going around the small pasture. It’s a snow day and time to have some horse fun running through the fourteen inches that fell the night before. I’ve never seen a horse that didn’t like snow as much as any second-grade kid! They really get a kick out of it, it’s something different and exciting just as it is with people. And as with all creatures, playtime is a good time.

The two Arabian horses are a white stallion and his partner and barn mate, a bay mare. With these two horses running in snow that day, there was a lot of friendly competition to see who would lead. But most often, this pair of horses kept even with each other on every round. It was just a fun romp and a horsey play day for them.

And have no doubt it was a seriously fun day for me with a camera too, as always. I’ve consistently enjoyed photographing horses in the winter, especially horses running in snow. In fact, there is a Horses In Snow gallery on the website with them mostly in motion while having a good time.

After this picture was taken, here’s the same pair of horses standing at rest afterward in a picture called Affectionate Horses #12396. A few years earlier, I caught a very dynamic picture of the white stallion by himself running in snow called Freedom #12388.

Location: Willow Hill, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Picture and story © Andrew Dierks