Day 55: This old horse

click photo for larger version

I was on my way tonight to photograph some fresh bales of hay I'd seen earlier in the day when I saw a field of horses that were really majestic looking as the setting sun cast them with long shadows. As I approached the fence to take some photos, about six young looking equine came trotting my way. I assume they were expecting a treat of some sort. As I patted their foreheads and measured the sunlight, I noticed today's subject standing alone and at a distance. He/she moved much slower than the others and didn't seem to notice my presence. That's the horse I want to focus my camera on. I must be honest, despite having cared for horses in my youth, I really know nothing about them. I'm assuming this is an older horse and I apologize to the horse gods if I'm wrong in my assumption. But these days, it's the old horse I can relate to.

I think you can learn a lot from an old horse. Move slow and don't feel like every new thing that comes along requires your attention. Always have your friends near by, but never underestimate the value of a quiet moment alone. There's plenty of what you need to go around so share your pasture and don't feel like you have to fight for what's yours. And don't miss a good sunset by being stuck in the barn.

Camera info: 70-200mm lens at 200mm. 1/400 sec at f/2.8. Exposure compensation dialed down 1 1/3 stops. Saturation boosted in post.