Late September 2024 friends and I were in Dülmen, Germany, to see a wedding in the ducal family von Croÿ. The reception took place at the Wildpferdebahn, a private possession of the Duke von Croÿ, and we were pleasantly surprised seeing so many Wildpferde (wild horses) from nearby. And then we didn’t even pay a full visit.
Dülmen is known as the “Stadt der Wildpferde”, or city of the wild horses and houses the last wild horse herd in Europe. In the nature reserve, which covers about 3,2 square kilometres west of Dülmen, one can find up to 400 horses in the Merfelder Bruch.
The Dülmener wild horses in the area were already documented in the year 1316. Unfortunately in the 19th century the wild horses lost more and more of their natural habitat. It was Alfred Duke von Croÿ who in 1847 had around 20 horses captured and therewith ensured their preservation. Also horses from another area were brought here. The nowadays semi-wild horses, that can move around naturally in the reserve, are one of the oldest German horse breeds and since 1994 have been classified as extremely endangered. The reserve itself is characterised by its diverse vegetation, including forests and pastures.
Since 1907 on the last Saturday of May the traditional wild horse fishing takes place. The one-year-old stallions in the herd are caught by hand, separated from the herd and auctioned off. At the end of the day the herd will get back into the Merfelder Bruch.
Wildpferdebahn
Mühlenweg 9
48249 Dülmen
Germany
The Wildpferdebahn is open from March/April (depending on the weather) to 1 November on weekends and on holidays from 10am to 18pm. Guided tours are available on request every day of the week. You can also book covered wagon rides or guided bike tours to the wild horses through Dülmen Marketing e.V.
