Spring 2026

their environment.’ ” One of Grossman’s guides, Ronda Kauk, told her that usually they’d only see a few, maybe up to a dozen, horses. Grossman, who works on major movie productions as a set photographer, but prides herself on her stunning wildlife pho- tography, says she was gobsmacked when it happened for a second time two days later. “This band, they circled around and around, then they went by us and took off.When they left, we were all crying and hugging each other…We think it had to do with their ener- gy and our energy being in a collective.” Sheila also says it was unreal. “You look into these faces and these eyes, and they are ancient and they are so beautiful and so full of intelligence.They embody and allow us to actu- ally feel the spirit of freedom. It’s exhilarating, it’s very magical to be out there with them!” Grossman and Sheila Georis edited almost 6,000 shots down to 200 in a months-long labor of love. The photographic results are gorgeous, showing everything from skirmishes to nuzzling, galloping to grazing. But Rana Saulque and Ronda Kauk say even these exquisite pictures can’t encompass the real-life impact of the buckskins, sorrels, grays, palomi- nos and duns. “I always like to say my favorite color is wild,” Saulque says. “They have the most amazing colors, shapes and sizes. Some are tall. Some are short.They have the coolest little personalities. Just to sit out there, you lose track of time because being out there is a feeling—being around them is so special.” Kauk soaks in the many lessons they offer. “After having my kids, I had an autoimmune disease and my skin star ted changing and my kids would always say, ‘You’re beautiful.’ And then I would see the horses in different color skins, and they were like, ‘See mom, you’re beautiful like them!’ All the colors are beautiful.” She is emotional when describing their influence. “It’s hard to tell how we feel about them because you have to be here to experience it. Their hooves are the hear t- In this large equine family, many emotions are shown by the herd, whether visiting their human “relatives," running freely through the meadows, nurturing colts, nuzzling or engaging in a powerful, but beautiful “dance of dominance.” 114 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 In May, Patricia Qualls Contemporary Art Gallery will host a photo exhibition of these beauties by Canadian wildlife photographer Marni Grossman titled, “Free and Wild: Horses of the Numu.”