Advocacy | Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Shining

15 12 2011

Had a big day on this, the 40th anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Wild Horses and Burros Act. What better way to recognize the people who recognized the need to protect our wild horses and burros?

Love seeing stallions with foals – nurturing the next generation. Sundance and curious Mysterium.

Lots of snow, but this time, lots of mud, too. Mostly under the snow still, but it has been warm. On the drive out, I dropped from much-missed sunshine illuminating blue skies into the Dolores River canyons and Disappointment Valley, almost entirely shrouded in fog. Would you believe the basin, across to the east, was glowing under a break in the clouds? On this blog, of course you would, and you’d be correct. 🙂

During the day, the sky over the basin cleared completely, though the fog line stayed over the western hills, then floated back and came up from the south, obscuring Brumley Point, McKenna Peak, the unnamed promontory and the far southern ridges and hills before sunset.

What I would have given to have horses in front of that delicious light! But the original horses I went in looking for were the ones I didn’t see hide nor hair of – nor even hoofprints! The pinto ponies proved elusive.

Saw most of the horses from a distance but had a wonderful visit with Sundance’s band.

The big news is what I didn’t see.

Explanation?

Who stole Roja and Killian?!

Aspen doesn’t have them! Not Grey/Traveler. Not Sundance. Not Comanche. Not Hollywood. Not Bounce, Tenaz or Seven. Probably not Storm or David (distance … trees …). Those are the ones I saw. 🙂 Maybe next week will provide an answer!

Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Advocacy, Mysterium, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Sundance

40th anniversary

15 12 2011

In honor of a woman, Velma Johnston – aka Wild Horse Annie – and the wild horses and burros she ought to protect …

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.

The Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 is an Act of Congress (Pub.L. 92-195) signed into law President Richard M. Nixon on Dec. 15, 1971. The Act made it a crime for anyone to harass or kill feral horses or feral burros on federal land, required the departments of the Interior and Agriculture to protect the animals, required studies of the animals’ habits and habitats, and permitted public land to be set aside for their use. In addition, the act required that mustangs be protected as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West,” and that management plans must “maintain a thriving natural ecological balance among wild horse populations, wildlife, livestock, and vegetation and to protect the range from the deterioration associated with overpopulation.” Although feral horse ranges were principally for the protection of the horses, the land was required to be maintained for multiple use. The BLM was also permitted to close public land to livestock grazing to protect feral horse and burro habitat. – Wikipedia

Although in many places – and for Spring Creek Basin until the last year – it seems like not a lot has changed, I am thankful that we have good people in the Tres Rios Field Office who recognize the horses as important to the ecological fabric of the land and are willing to make them the priority on that range. NMA/CO and Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners are working through partnership and education to accomplish our goals for this herd.

To the outside world, it may seem like not much has changed here, with the helicopter-driven roundup this year. But an annual fertility control program has been implemented, and we’re on track to move to bait trapping. Our goal – and that of our BLM partners – is sustainable management with as little disruption to the wild horses of Spring Creek Basin as possible.

Everything we do is built on everything that came before – nationally and specifically. Their light is shining.

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Categories : Advocacy, Kootenai, Mysterium, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Sundance, Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act

Calendar – winner(s)!

10 12 2011

Sincerely and with all gratitude, thank you to all who voted for photos of Spring Creek Basin mustangs to grace next year’s calendar! A portion of the proceeds from the calendars will go to the Colorado chapter of the National Mustang Association for projects done in the basin for the horses, such as fence repair, tamarisk cutting and weed spraying, and PZP darting.

The winner of this year’s calendar is Morgan Griffith! Congratulations, Morgan. 🙂 I will send you an email to get your mailing address.

This was a difficult year, in many ways. We lost Spring and Twister, Cinch, Hook and Kiowa … and others to the roundup, necessary to keep the herd and their range healthy and vital. In any case, each was a loss difficult to bear. On the other hand, we gained many friends of the horses who help us move on and work for the sustainable management of the Spring Creek Basin herd.

Here we go for the monthly images. With an eye to the overall calendar and in deference to some horses we lost, however, I’m going to overrule some of the votes.

January

Popular vote (by 3) was for Winona, but Lanny made a very good point: No other calendar will include this grand old warrior – “The Boss,” his adopter calls him – so this month, this year, is dedicated to Steeldust.

February

Popular vote – but not by much! – was for handsome Hollywood.

March

Bruiser earned the popular vote for this month. Cinch – by far – earned votes for the cover. Bruiser is gone from the basin, but Hook is gone from the world.

April

They got a slow start in the voting, but Luna and Varoujan (now called Banjo) earned the popular vote for April, and I must agree!

May

Hard decision. The image of Deniz and Houdini beat this of Alpha by one vote, but going again with the fact that lovely Alpha is no longer in the basin … I think it only right that she grace the calendar for the month of May.

June

By far, the popular vote for June went to the pintos, led here by Kiowa.

July

With one exception (and it was a tie), Twister received more votes than any other horse in any other month. I cry still for this beautiful heart, lost too soon … I am deeply gratified that you all honor him so.

August

Popular vote decided August’s image of Comanche and Chrome, too. Long-time readers know I don’t often show photos like this. Yes, it’s part of the horses’ lives, a relatively small part. But there’s something about this image, these stallions – Comanche and Chrome – on the eve of the event that changed the fabric of those lives …

September

September – the month of the roundup. This photo – taken the week before. A little elder boy, a little girl of the future. A lot of enduring hope.

October

Alegre in the magic light received as many votes as Twister in July. Did this image receive “help”? Surely divine.

November

Popular vote again determined November’s image of Chrome and “friends” – Hollywood’s and Comanche’s bands. Appropriately, this was taken Thanksgiving morning. There is much for which to be thankful this year … in spite of everything, because of everything.

December

A very tight vote, but for the end of the year, the camaraderie of friends, one still with us and sure to inspire a new generation. Though we couldn’t have gone wrong with Comanche and Winona!

And the cover, by very popular vote:

Cover

Cinch. Because.

And there you have it – the 2012 calendar featuring our Spring Creek Basin mustangs!

Update: I’m not much good at this selling thing, so after a reminder to me, here’s a reminder to readers: To order a calendar, please email your postal address to me at mtbgrrl (at) fone (dot) net. They’re $15 – to cover my costs and a $5 donation to NMA/CO. I will try to get them sent out ASAP, depending on how many orders I have (I give these as Christmas gifts, too).

Thank you all! 🙂

Comments : 14 Comments »

Categories : Advocacy, National Mustang Association/CO, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

Calendar – last day

9 12 2011

Reminder: Today is the deadline to vote for calendar pix!

Some images are winners by miles; some months are tight.

I may have to exercise some executive decision-making …

If you’ve procrastinated, you have until 8 p.m. mountain time. Then I’ll draw a name to win a calendar, and I’ll announce the winner and winning photos tomorrow (Dec. 10).

Thank you all so very much for your votes and support of our Spring Creek Basin mustangs!

Shadow, yesterday.

Comments : 4 Comments »

Categories : Advocacy, National Mustang Association/CO, Shadow, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

Two Boots update!

7 12 2011

Most people who were at the adoption will remember Two Boots as the thin grey girl getting picked on by Spook and Liberty. She was adopted by a wonderful lady who connected with her – as so many people did with so many horses – and wanted simply to give her a good home.

Thanks to Keith (Skipper’s adopter) for these great pix.

Doesn’t she have the most beautiful silver-grey coat?

And fuzzy!

Hiya, beautiful!

She looks like she’s doing wonderfully well.

Sweet, lovely girl.

This one makes me shiver! Love her beautiful face, so much like mama Houdini’s – from the front!

We had snow for several days, and now it’s gloriously clear – and very cold!

This is one of her new “flock”!:

Would love to have seen 2B’s reaction to this big guy (gal?)!

And basking in the sunshine. 🙂

Y, thank so very much for taking Two Boots home and giving her such wonderful care! Love to see how she’s doing!

Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : Adoption, Advocacy, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Two Boots

Skipper update

5 12 2011

Last week, I went to Skipper’s new home at the edge of the San Juan National Forest to visit with him and his adopters, Keith and Amy. He’s not phased by much, and although he wasn’t terribly keen about it at first, he allowed me to stroke his neck and eventually was pretty relaxed. He definitely has a bond with Keith and has quite a bit of trust in him – even blindfolded!

From Amy: “Our little Skipper is now a gelding; he was gelded just two days before Thanksgiving, and everything went very well. In fact, Keith took Skipper to the vet clinic to have it done because the vet thought that only one testicle had dropped, but as it turned out, they were both there so it was a simple procedure. Keith did a trial run, taking Skipper to the vet clinic the Friday before his appointment. Skipper did great! He walked into the clinic as if he had been doing that all of his life; so that made the actual trip to get the gelding done much easier!”

“We didn’t want him to think that every time he gets into a trailer he was going to the vet. So on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we took Skipper to friend’s house who lives outside of Cortez. She has horses and had a good place to unload him and also a round pen that we could put him in. So off we went and once again, he did a great job of going to a strange place with horses that were running round (they don’t get vistors very often), and Skipper was very nonchalant about being there. Keith worked him over some very small cavaletti, and Skipper was very willing to do what was asked of him. We think he liked it there because he was a bit reluctant to get back into the trailer, but he finally did.”

Doesn’t he have the sweetest little face? (His mama and daddy are Kiowa and Copper.)

These two are well-matched, though Keith says Skipper will be Amy’s trail horse. Amy is a music teacher at the local elementary school and was actually giving a piano lesson to Tif’s beautiful daughter most of the time I was with Skipper and Keith. I’m pretty sure that just means I’ll have to go back to get pix of Skipper and Amy! 🙂

“He’s been a great horse to work with. He’s not a super affectionate guy but has a great attitude about doing what is asked of him. He’s very calm and has had lots of visitors come and see him, which he takes in great stride.”

Very quiet boys.

“We’d like to thank TJ for taking these most recent pictures of Skipper and also all of the people that have come to visit him. Thank you, Tif, for all of your helpful tidbits of information as to what to do about handling Skipper. This has certainly been a learning project but very enjoyable. I still have a picture in my mind of Skipper standing in one of the bucking chutes at the fairgrounds that Sunday morning that the BLM was going to take the horses back to Canon City that hadn’t been adopted. The little Skipper was tugging at my heart strings, and I said to Keith, ‘Go and get the trailer!’ I just couldn’t bear the thought of him being taken to Canon City. So here we are, and we think that we have the best little horse in the world. Keith refers to him as ‘the little mustang that could.’ He’s certainly gotten a lot more of our attention than our other horses lately, and hopefully in the next couple of weeks, we’ll be turning him out with the rest of the gang!”

A progression of the blindfolding (which they’ve done before):

Here, he had shaken it off his head, and it fell on the rope. But this was his only reaction – to look at it. What a smart pony!

Licking – thinking it over.

Such a sweetheart.

One of my favorite shots from the evening. 🙂

Tucking the edges under Skipper’s halter.

Although Skipper has followed Keith before while blindfolded (talk about trust!), he didn’t want to do it with me there, lurking somewhere unknown in his round pen. Pretty amazing what these mustangs will do!

Keith and Amy have three other horses, a warmblood-cross gelding, a Tennessee Walking Horse mare and a little Icelandic. The big gelding and the mare – both shiny jet black – came to the fence quite a bit while we were in the round pen with Skipper, watching to see what we were doing with the little guy. They have a great setup for Skipper: The round pen opens to a smaller pen attached to a small barn, part of which is an indoor “stall” for Skipper. They also used the trailer backed up to the pen when they first brought him home, and he also quickly figured out how to use it for shelter during bad weather!

Thank you for the visit! 🙂 Love seeing all the progress he has made!

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Categories : Adoption, Advocacy, Milagro, Skipper, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

More Ze

2 12 2011

Part two of my recent visit with Tif, Asher and Ze.

What an amazing boy Ze is! To see the two of them together is just remarkable – they have their own magic. 🙂

This boy is such a thinker.

From Tif: “Ze … this guy has taught me quite a bit over the past couple of months. He’s captured my heart, as is obvious to others!”

Oh yes, it’s obvious. 🙂

“I had him gelded, it was time. It was hard … harder on me than him I imagine. He came through everything fine, but we did have some mental setbacks. We’ll get through them. It’s mostly with strangers, but that’s to be expected. We’re back to our old routine of free work, long lining, going for walks around the property, playing with tarps, picking up and handling all four feet, ropes and pressure around his belly, like a cinch, and anything else I can think of to get him used to everything possible.”

The start of the tarp-play!

Unfolding the tarp – Ze doesn’t mind because there’s yumminess!

He follows Tif as she drags it into the round pen.

Not even raising it phases him.

He steps on the tarp to get the hay … and by raising it and shaking it gently, she can also get him to step back off of it.

No big deal for this big boy!

Maybe there’s still hay in there, he thinks?!

End of the tarp-play – he doesn’t look like he’s ready to be done, eh?

“He’s the most sensitive horse I’ve worked with, and my QH mare is sensitive, being able to sense when I clench my jaw, the slightest movement someone makes, quick to respond, quick to come back to me if something spooks him. Really amazing. We still have sticky spots at times, but I still can’t believe what this guy’s willing to do for me. I remember reading what someone else had written about what these guys react to, and it’s true. I have tons of experience with ‘domestic’ horses, these are my first mustangs, and mine do not react to things and situations the same. Something you’d think they should be fearful of, they’re not; other things that should be a piece of cake, aren’t. It’s been a great learning tool for myself, as well, as I’m always learning, always evolving.”

He wasn’t too thrilled with having his forelock combed out (and he does NOT like static shocks).

But he also wants to do what Tif asks of him. (Notice his lip, reaching for the reassurance of her arm.)

And here it is – the LOOK that sent us both into a fit of giggles! I was laughing so hard (and trying not to laugh out loud and scare him) I nearly dropped my camera – and I sure couldn’t take any more pix for a few minutes! Isn’t he fantastic?? 🙂

“Patience … not my strongest virtue, but I do not step into the round pen to work Ze unless I’m willing to have the ultimate patience, take whatever time necessary to work through something I assumed would take moments. 😉 It pays off, too. I’ll be ready to introduce him to the rest of my horses I’m thinking in a couple weeks, once his ‘studiness’ has totally subsided. Another milestone that I know we’ll come through with flying colors.”

Trotting around the round pen.

Showing off his “wild mustang-ness”!

Handsome!

“Stranger work has been essential with him, as he will do pretty much anything I ask, but get someone he doesn’t know next to him, and he’s a totally different horse. That’s where my farrier was integral in helping me through some things. Thanks, Keith, for your help. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. In addition to helping get Ze used to strangers, Keith also donated his time for Asher’s first trimming. He says it went well; I say the little guy was a handful! His feet look great, but it’s never too soon to start handling in every which way possible!”

This was from the beginning, when Tif was first getting ready to work with him. He did pretty well with this stranger!

“What a blessing Ze and Asher have been. Thanks to everyone for their support, their contributions to Asher, checking in on all of us. I want to send a special thank you to Pati Temple. Her guidance and tips on her experience with mustangs and their training really helped me with Ze. I tailored what she recommended to fit Ze, as I believe all horses are different, and I don’t think we would have been able to get through some of Ze’s barriers without her help. Collaboration is key, and the more we can help each other help these beautiful horses, the better off the horses will be.”

Beauty and her boy

Love. 🙂

Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Adoption, Advocacy, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Ze

More Asher

1 12 2011

I’m going to break these up into two posts from my recent visit with Tif and her mustang boys (and other boy and girls). Ended up with a lot of photos I wanted to share.

Be sure to check out this article about Tif and Asher in the Cortez Journal!

The indomitable Mr. Asher. A blessed boy is he.

From Tif: “The last few weeks have been difficult. I’ve had many milestones and some setbacks with my boys, it’s been amazing.”

“Let’s start with Asher … what a pistol!”

“I finally felt comfortable enough, and knew he was strong enough, to put him with all of my horses together. I was a bit concerned about Mimi, my ‘alpha’ mare, as she wasn’t too fond of Asher in the beginning. Asher needs the discipline, though. He is so strong, so smart, always seeing what he can get away with.”

Here’s Asher with Pepper, with whom he bonded right away when Tif brought him home, and Mimi behind them.

“He now runs during the day with my other four horses, his new ‘herd,’ on about 30+ acres, and he absolutely loves it. To see him running and bucking, jumping over bushes, chasing my daughter’s dog, it’s hilarious!”

He DOES love to run!

The boy is NOT shy with either mama Tif or strangers!

Baby-butt scratches are – of course – required!

Sure and that’s ecstasy!

“I still give him two quarts of milk twice a day, morning and night. I lock him in at night, in a fairly big enough indoor/outdoor area, because I want to be sure he gets his pellets. He eats several pounds of pellets, milk transition and creep feed high performance, in the evening and during the night. He’s eating me out of house and home!”

Asher with long-suffering Sundancer (she’s 30 years old!).

Luckily (for Sundancer), Pepper also is within easy reach!

Looking toward Ze in his round pen and Quest and Mimi in the big yonder pasture.

And he’s through the gate!

“I can’t believe his strength. He’s had his vaccines, his first trim on his hooves, he’s halter broken, loves to go for walks, but I think he most enjoys being with the other horses.”

“This is not to say that he doesn’t still follow me when he gets the chance! Discipline is in the forefront and always something we hand out when we need to, just like my horses do. He deals with it well and will appreciate it when he’s older.” 🙂