AP PHOTOS: A herd of wild horses with origins in the 14th century still roams the German countryside
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
DUELMEN, Germany (AP) — A herd of wild horses that traces its origins to the 14th century still roams the countryside in western Germany.
The herd is known as the Dülmener Wildpferde in German, or the wild horses of Duelmen. These days, nearly 400 horses make up the herd that lives on the Merfelder Bruch reserve at Duelmen in western Germany, north of the densely populated Ruhr industrial region.
The earliest record of the herd dates back to 1316. The dukes of Croy set aside the roughly 3.5-square kilometer (1.35-square mile) reserve in the mid-19th century.
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A wild horse rolls in the grass in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A wild horse rolls in the grass in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A wild horse takes a bath beside a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A wild horse takes a bath beside a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A young wild horse foal plays in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A young wild horse foal plays in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A young wild horse foal stands by its mother in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A young wild horse foal stands by its mother in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A young wild horse stands by its mother in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A young wild horse stands by its mother in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Wild horses graze in a meadow near the city of Duelmen, Germany, where the herd lives in almost unmanaged feral conditions, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
On Saturday, recently-birthed foals cavorted with the rest of the herd in the springtime sunshine.