Most of the wild horses that I saw at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota during my recently completed road trip were on relatively level ground, but I did observe one band of horses climbing a steep slope. They were pretty far away, but I managed to capture these shots as they slowly made their way up a canyon wall.
In the first photo, the horses were just starting their climb and were bunched together. As they climbed higher, they spread out a bit. In the second shot, the lead horse was nearing the top, perhaps the edge of a plateau.
From what I have read, the bands are usually led by a head mare when they are traveling and she leads the band to watering holes and grazing spots. The band’s stallion brings up the rear when the band travels—his job is to fight off predators and other males who try to join the herd and to nip at stragglers to make sure they keep up with the others.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Fantastic shot!
Great captures, Mike.
Blue Rock Horses Frederick County, Virginia bluerockhorses.com
Thanks, Mitzy. Like most wildlife photographers, I often wish my lens had a bit more reach, but I am pretty happy with the shots that I managed to get.
Very nice Mike! Looks like you had a Great time on your vacation out west!
Thanks, Reed. My main purpose was to be at Fort Lewis, Washington, just outside of Tacoma, for a ceremony, but I had fun on the way and coming back in what was a bit more than a 6600 solo mile road trip. 🙂
Wow! 6600 miles! But it looks like you had a Great time!! Looking forward to seeing more of your images from your trip!