Born to be here

I have been at my new place in Mid Wales for just over 3 weeks now and although I'd been out and about photographing the views from around Furnace, the village I live in, last week I decided to do a 'proper' walk. Armed only with a map, camera and flask of coffee, I wanted to walk deeper into the mountains. My main objective was to establish walking routes linking in the villages on the way to Machynlleth, avoiding using the main road which is unsuitable for walking safely. This walk took me along a combination of footpaths and lanes and I walked about half the distance to Mach and back again.
My second objective was to find local horses to photograph and sketch for my own drawing practice. As the narrow footpaths opened up in to an expanse of farmland at the foot of the mountains I was venturing onto, I noticed horses in a field in front of me. It was only when I was within touching distance that I realised that they were not actually in a field but on open land besides the track I was walking. These are wild mountain horses and the fences you see are not to keep then in but to keep them out of the neighboring farms. This is a family of 12 and at first (unusually for me) I was quite nervous. I sat down at the edge of the track and poured myself a coffee as we observed each other and acknowledged each others presence. The foal is just a few weeks old and as new to this landscape as I am, only better equipped.
Born to be here? Oh yes !! :-))

The landscapes I have posted here are very much some of the territory these horses enjoy and give some idea of their freedom to roam.
Today I am going to travel the route again, this time by mountain bike and attempt to make a return journey to Machynlleth. I am seriously hoping to find this family again.