New book explores the rugged adaptability of Sable Island, N.S.'s wild horses

Zoologist and photographer Damian Lidgard's new book focuses on the wild horse population on Nova Scotia's isolated Sable Island as seen in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout-Damian Lidgard (Mandatory Credit)

HALIFAX — A Nova Scotian zoologist and photographer says he hopes his upcoming book on Sable Island’s wild horses will help people appreciate the rugged beauty and adaptability of the isolated animals.

Damian Lidgard has been travelling to Sable — a 42-kilometre-long sandbar about 290 kilometres southeast of Halifax — to research its seal population for about 30 years.

During his work, he’s amassed a large collection of images of the remote island’s wild horses, which have lived there since the 1700s.

Lidgard says he’s developed an appreciation for how the animals have adapted to life on the island, which is surrounded by more than 300 shipwrecks.

He said he used his background to research all the scientific papers about the island’s horse population and integrated it into the work.

“Sable Untamed: The Wild Beauty of Sable Island’s Horses” includes photos from different times of year, from the lush summers to the cold winter months when he says the horses’ personalities really emerge.

“I also just developed a bit of an awe, like an appreciation of how well these horses have adapted to this island,” Lidgard said in a recent interview. “I just felt like I wanted to also be able to share that with people. It’s really inviting people in to be able to see this animal that has been able to adapt to this really hostile environment.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2026.

Devin Stevens, The Canadian Press