Hook’s band: Him at left, Sable, Pinon, Hannah, Fierro and Ember
While Hook and Comanche were having a chat, Ember and her siblings were waiting at the road, so I went down to keep them company until Hook could join them.
Hannah, her nephew, Fierro, and her sister and his mother, Ember
Ember and Fierro. I sat down on the road, thinking the ponies would take a trail up to the catchment, but they decided to investigate instead.
Ember’s little sweetheart
I don’t think I’ve posted many pix of these horses this summer. They’ve been wandering and mostly keeping their distance from other bands. The youngsters – siblings and half-siblings – stick close together, and Hook, a young stallion with his first band as far as I know, is very protective. With the abundant water (all the ponds continue to hold water), the horses are dispersed but visible.
One of the interesting things about this band is that, except for Hook, they’re all related. Ember and Hannah are Luna’s daughters; Pinon and Sable are Mahogany’s son and daughter. I assume they’re all Steeldust’s progeny – except Fierro. With the attention Mouse was paying Ember – and her big sister Kestrel – last year, my assumption is that Mouse is the sire of Winona and Fierro. How interesting, though, that low-man Hook – who had been lowest on the bachelor totem pole surrounding Steeldust’s band – and Comanche, who was outranked by Mouse – ended up with the girls … in Hook’s case, Ember and her year-mate, Pinon, before their siblings followed, first Hannah, then Sable.
Are the boys closest to the action a little myopic in their world view? High in rank but short-sighted in vision? It happens to the best of us, I suppose.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
Great closeups! How far away are you or is the lense huge? I love it.
How old is Fierro? I don’t think I’ve ever seen any pics of him before, even though I’ve been following every set of photos you’ve shown us since March. He’s a really handsome youngster, I love all these photos, Especially the first and the last.
I’m not close enough to alarm them, obviously. I walked out a short way from the Jeep and just sat down on the road. They eventually walked around me and back over to their trail. And yes, it’s a nice, long lens. 🙂
Fierro was born in July, and his family has been wandering. Other horses have been easier/closer to see, so I haven’t bothered these guys too much. I love his star, which is very close to the actual shape of the basin’s herd management area shape.
I was looking at your most recent post and realised that your photo of Hook’s band walking along the road in this post from Nov 6th is almost the same as a photo I was able to get this weekend (Nov 14th). Either they are creatures of habit or we are!
That’s cool!
Fierro is adorable! He has the sweetest face!