The horses native to Camargue are instinctively in-tune with the land around them and have been since prehistoric times, but the small group of human occupants have adjusted their lives to suit the 360 sq. mile Mediterranean delta region and its oft-harsh and isolating conditions.
This lifestyle is entirely foreign to those of us who have grown up in metropolitan or even suburban locations – it is a feat of dedication to do this job everyday under these natural conditions. The continued beauty, wellness and extraordinariness of this region and the horses are wholly enabled by the dedication of the Guardians.
This video also frames the horses in motion in sweeping views against the minimal backdrop of Camargue’s landscape, offering another angle that only film can produce while supplementing the narrative in the still photography. The horses otherworldly appearance because of their signature all-white coats and enhanced musculature, as well as another first-person viewpoint from one Guardian, Pierre Pages, offers a look not only into the horse’s daily lives, but also into the history that has become a defining characteristic of this special breed of horses.