Buckeye’s mares were super bothered when I climbed a hill recently to find them in clearing fog/low clouds (gone *poof* by the time I puffed and huffed my way up to where they were), and I thought it might be because they weren’t used to seeing me in the mornings (most often, I’m out in the evenings, and they are most definitely creatures of habit (even others’, perhaps!)).
But when second and third cattle semis appeared, heading south waaaaaaaay off to the west, and the horses ALL focused their complete attention on those long silver moving rectangles, I realized that the first semi that had passed – within my view at the time but NOT within view, only sound, of the horses – was what had set them off.
BLM’s resource management plan for this area closed Spring Creek Basin to livestock grazing … gosh, has it been 10 years now? There haven’t been cattle grazing in the basin since the winter of 2010-11. This IS, however, the season of cattle moving from lower winter and spring grazing to the higher, cooler country of summer grazing on other BLM land (outside/beyond Spring Creek Basin) and San Juan National Forest.
The big semis do have a loud rumble as they motor up the gravel road heading up-Disappointment Valley alongside the basin’s southern boundary. … And crazily, those big moving boxes MOOOOO as they go! 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
If they only knew! Same kind of semis used after roundups.
Hope Spring Creek Basin continues to be safe.
Glad the cattle will not be on mustang turf!
I can imagine how that rumble and racket might spook those mustangs! Hopefully they’re chilling now and back to enjoying the peace and tranquility of Spring Creek Basin. And what a gorgeous photo, TJ! Mustangs in motion are pure art.
The horses are taking no chances that this was something to get away from! Beautiful picture of an air borne pony!
All four off the ground! Good capture.
Mooooooo and smell. I’ll be at my house minding my own business when suddenly what smells like a well-used pasture moos past my front door. I miss the cows over the summer and when they come home (see what I did?) I know the good times are on their way — for me, fall, winter and spring. From time to time I get “caught” in an old-school cattle drive on the road. It’s the greatest thing to sit quietly in my Jeep while a river of cattle splits in front of me and the c’boys and c’girls wave and sometimes I call out the window, “I love it. They’re beautiful.” I love cows.