Most visitors come to the island of Java, and specifically the Mount Bromo area, for its spectacular volcanic landscape (see our post on the 10,000 Jeeps). After experiencing sunrise from one of the surrounding viewpoints, visitors descend to the vast plain of volcanic ash known as the “Sea of Sand.” From there, many opt for a horseback ride across the plain toward the Mount Bromo crater.

But there’s another aspect of the Bromo landscape that caught my attention: the horses and the people who depend on them.

The Tenggerese people have inhabited the Mount Bromo region for centuries, and their horses are an integral part of daily life. Smaller in stature than many horses, they are powerful, remarkably sure-footed, and well suited to the high-altitude volcanic terrain. Their smooth gait, flowing tails, and almost prancing movement give them an unmistakable grace. Their beauty took my breath away.

These horses provide rides for visitors, transportation for local families, and a means of carrying goods across the challenging terrain. But beyond their practical value, I became increasingly interested in something more personal: the relationship between the horses and their owners.

During two sunset visits, I had the opportunity to photograph these beautiful animals and their handlers. What began as an appreciation of the horses’ beauty evolved into a fascination with the connection between the men and their animals.

The horses race toward me, across the Sea of Sand, in a heart pounding moment.

The horses and their handlers flowed as one.

The handler coaxes his horse to rise. The steam escaping from Mount Bromo in the background gives a sense of place.

At the end of the day, as the sunsets behind Mt. Bromo, A boy and his father return home. 

We stayed with this family through sunset, observing the close relationship of the boy and his horse.

The steam from Mount Bromo frames the scene.

Mount Bromo will be remembered both for  its volcanoes and extraordinary landscapes, as well as for the beautiful horses and the people whose lives are intertwined with theirs.