Wings and Hooves

At the first light of dawn, as the sky slowly turned golden, I was already at work in one of India’s finest thoroughbred stud farms. As a veterinarian living among these horses, my love for them is as deep as the beauty they carry.

That morning, a scene unfolded before me that I will never forget. In the quiet paddock, a chestnut mare heavy with new life grazed peacefully on the fresh grass. Suddenly, an egret glided in and settled gently in front of her, as if standing guard in the stillness of the morning dew.

I always carry my camera on my rounds, knowing that such moments vanish as quickly as they appear. Without hesitation, I lifted it and pressed the shutter. In that instant, I captured not just an image, but a feeling—one of calm, grace, and the quiet bond between nature’s creatures.

Even today, whenever I look at that photograph, I feel the same peace I felt in that paddock. It reminds me to be grateful—for the horses, for the beauty of nature, and for the simple yet extraordinary moments that life allows me to witness.