This image was taken while looking for Roja’s baby (who hasn’t yet made her or his appearance). It was a happy diversion!
Above: Gaia with her own big-girl baby, Cassidy Rain.
This image was taken while looking for Roja’s baby (who hasn’t yet made her or his appearance). It was a happy diversion!
Above: Gaia with her own big-girl baby, Cassidy Rain.
It sprinkled today, but you’d never know it. Gaia-girl and Storm, along with Cassidy Rain and Roja, were at the Sorrel Flats pond. Walking to the east-pocket pond (to the north) were Seven, Puzzle, Shadow and Tesora. That’s a little change of location for them. There was a lone pronghorn with them when I first saw them, but it didn’t follow them to the pond.
Roja is due to foal in a couple of days, but she doesn’t look imminently due. She lost her foal in 2012, so I’m basing her due date on the approximate time she should have foaled last year.
Some high, thin clouds allowed some light to filter down during the early evening, and it rims the girl in such a lovely way.
And because we can’t forget Miss Cassidy Rain:
She pops up over a little hill, and she gives ME the schnortle! She’ll celebrate her first birthday in early June.
Storm checking in with Cassidy Rain, Roja and Killian. Gaia was just to the right. They were above the pond but kept looking at the hill beyond, even after they drank and left. My poor human eyes couldn’t find what was so interesting over there, but the horses knew it!
All but three of our 10 ponds have water. Of the three that don’t, one still is on the list of priority ponds to be dug out (set by Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners and BLM in 2008), one was dug out last year, and one was started last year and about half dug out before rain hit. To date, only two ponds haven’t been dug out since 2009.
Storm and his band are seen here drinking from the main double pond (both have water, but only one was dug out, so I should amend my earlier statement, but only the main pond holds water reliably). From left: Gaia, Storm, Cassidy Rain, Killian and Roja. Do you see the ice still on the pond?
So dainty!
The lovely Gaia and her gorgeous daughter, Cassidy Rain. They’re in Storm’s band with Roja and her almost-2-year-old colt, Killian.
It was a cloudy, stormy-looking day, but no moisture for Spring Creek Basin. The band was near the roller-coaster ridge pond, which has water, and closer to a big arroyo, which has water trickling downstream. And there’s still a bit of snow in that area (and mud on my boots to prove it!), which is reassuring.
Our herd manager, Kiley Whited, has moved on from BLM to a job with NRCS, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
He leaves big shoes to fill, as we valued his management style and always-positive demeanor. We couldn’t have been happier with his friendliness, level of professionalism and genuine interest in the Spring Creek Basin mustangs. We were able to get the fertility control program started with his involvement. It will continue in no small part because of his encouragement. He also championed the future use of bait trapping as a safer method of gathering horses in this small herd.
Our Cassidy Rain – possibly a great-granddaughter of Traveler – was named in tribute to Kiley’s baby daughter, Cassidy. These photos were taken earlier this week.
She’s as dark as her sire, Cinch, with none of his spots.
With “auntie” Roja.
Sassy girl flirting with the afternoon light. On the hill behind her is some of the snow we got Sunday.
Lovely girl.
We wish Kiley and his family well, though we will miss him!
Finding water is serious business for wild horses. But there’s always time for a little fun!
See Killian (yearling) and Cassidy Rain (6 months old) drinking in an arroyo.
See Killian and Cassidy Rain play!
See Killian and Cassidy Rain, beautiful babies!