DUELMEN, Germany (AP) – A reserve about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Germany’s industrial heartland is home to a herd of wild horses, which are left to their own devices all year – except when wranglers come in late May to catch the young stallions.
The Merfelder Bruch reserve at Duelmen in western Germany, north of the densely populated Ruhr industrial region, is the last of what were once many areas where wild horses could roam. Documents mention wild horses there as far back as 1316, and the dukes of Croy set aside the reserve for them in the mid-19th century. According to local authorities, it is the only one on the European continent.
Today, around 400 horses live in a roughly 3.5-square kilometer (1.35-square mile) area. They’re left to fend for themselves with only trees and bushes for shelter, living conditions that have made the Duelmen horses particularly robust. Only when there’s heavy frost or snow is hay provided for them.
In this April 23, 2018 photo a wild horse looks between trees in a forest in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
As a rule, humans intervene only once a year: when wranglers come to catch the young stallions by hand on the last Saturday in May, a sight that drew about 15,000 spectators this year to the arena where the event is held. The one-year-old stallions are rounded up and separated from the herd.
The aim is to preserve the herd for the future by keeping it to a sustainable size and warding off the danger of inbreeding and territorial fighting. Once they’re rounded up, the young stallions are auctioned off. They’re known as good-natured horses that, with good training, quickly adapt to human ownership.
On Saturday, 36 young stallions were caught.
In this April 23, 2018 photo wild horses walk with their foals in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herd of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo wild horses gather in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo a wild horse relaxes in the sun in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo a foal sits in the grass in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo wild horses remove each others winter coat in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo wild horses graze in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last flock of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo wild horses graze in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this April 23, 2018 photo a wild horse walks with a foal in a forest in Duelmen, Germany. One of Europe’s last herds of wild horses live in a 400 hectare nature reserve about 40 kilometers north of western Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year men step in to separate the young stallions from the herd, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses raise dust in Duelmen, Germany, when they are driven together that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herd of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses raise dust in Duelmen, Germany, when they are driven together that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herd of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses are driven in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses are driven in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses are driven in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses are driven in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo a catcher holds a young stallion while wild horses are driven together in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo wild horses are driven together in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo catchers hold a young stallion while wild horses are driven together in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo catchers hold a young stallion while wild horses are driven together in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo thousands for spectators watch when wild horses are driven together in Duelmen, Germany, that young men can separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
In this May 26, 2018 photo young men drive wild horses in Duelmen, Germany, to separate the young stallions from one of Europe’s last herds of wild horses. About 400 native breed horses are left to find food and shelter, must cope with illness and death. Only once a year they have direct contact with humans when the young stallions are caught from the flock, that was first mentioned in chronicles 700 years ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
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