To those who hail from outside of the American Northwest, wild horses might seem like mythical creatures. Though horses were re-introduced to the continent by European settlers, over the last several hundred years wild horses have become quintessentially American.

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There are hundreds of wild horse herds throughout the Northwest, and some as far as the southeast coast, including one heard on the Barrier Islands of North Carolina and a heard on Cumberland Island, Georgia. Western Canada has four heards, bringing North America's wild horse count to around 15,000, according to Canadian Geographic. Animal Tourism notes that there are small herds of wild horses in Brazil, Namibia and Europe, but the largest population lies within North America.

Photographer Troy Moth spends lots of time wandering around outside in the northwestern U.S., and says his encounters with wild horses have been pure luck. His photos capture the power and beauty of these unbridled creatures, not to mention the expansive landscape of the Dakotas and Montana.

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Some Moth’s photographs depict domesticated horses as well. Moth grew up around horses, saying that he rode a horse before he could even walk. "It has really helped in my respect for them and for all animals, really," he said. "I take my time, I watch from afar and see how they react, and if everything is okay, and if they are not stressed by me, I slowly move in."

Though wild horses are protected by the U.S. government, the animals nevertheless run into problems from time to time. Just last week, 27 wild horses died when the Soda Fire burned across the Idaho-Oregon border, KBOI2.com reported. In addition, two horses were euthanized due to injuries obtained during the fire.

According to Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, often the biggest threat to the herds are the horses themselves. Though a mare usually only produces one foal per year, the horses can rapidly multiply, and there often isn’t enough food or water for the large animals to survive. If a herd becomes too large for their habitat, California’s Bureau of Land Management gathers some of the herd for domestication. This practice causes controversy on many fronts. While horse-lovers disapprove because they believe the roundup traumatizes horses, some hunters and ranchers complain that the herds use up too many resources, affecting other animals, and that all the horses should be removed, the Forestry and Environmental school reported.

Wild horses are a symbol of the American West. See the above slideshow for some of Moth’s images. For more information, visit his website and Instagram.

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