Positively pony time

13 05 2010

Remember this?:

That was last week.

This is now!:

Welcome, Gideon, to your world! (from Emmy Lou Harris’ “Red Dirt Girls”) This is the first time Luna has had a colt since I’ve known her – and no, he doesn’t match the colt of my dream …

But this little one almost does:

I found Kestrel first and her nearly-brand-new buckskin filly! I named her Winona, which means “first-born daughter.” Coincidentally, she may share her birthday with my grandpa – my dad’s dad – who lived with my grandma in a town called Winona all their married lives.

Yesterday was simply gorgeous from about daybreak till about 2 p.m., when the clouds just took over and hogged the formerly turquoise sky. No rain till about midnight last night, though, which was good for my visit … but a real bummer for the dozen or so people who had signed up for the wild horse tour today as part of the Mesa Verde Ute Mountain Ute Birding Festival. We did see a little yellow bird (goldfinch?), but, because of rain, we couldn’t even drive into the basin and therefore didn’t see a single horse. Last year, I was so happy to be able to show folks all the “northern” horses … but this year, it just wasn’t to be. Interestingly, the very first time I went out to see the horses, it was with a smallish group, and it also rained, and we also couldn’t even drive in and didn’t see horses. I went back later by myself … and the rest, as they say, is history!

Hopefully, if any of you are reading this after the fact, you’ll be able to “virtually” see some of the horses I saw yesterday and early this morning.

Kestrel’s was the first new foal I saw yesterday, but her group wasn’t the first of the day. Pinon was leading Ember and Hannah along a ridge down by Spring Creek … and Hook was nowhere to be seen. I couldn’t believe he’d gone off and left them, but that’s exactly what he did. Where did I find him? Running circles around Kestrel and filly, fended off by Comanche, with Sundance, Mahogany (close but not yet), Sable, Mouse and Aspen right nearby. What a goofy boy. Like he has any chance of getting one little mare of two mares guarded by four stallions! This morning, he had reunited with his flock, and all was well.

Isn’t she divine? Almost the spitting image of her mother – and her grandmother!

Just a little bitty thing

She doesn’t seem to have a speck of white on her unless it’s just hard to see right now on her light coat.

Kestrel has never really taken on any babysitting duties that I could see, but she is a doting mother.

So where was Steeldust? Well, the Steeldust-led big band is no more. Not only have youngsters Pinon, Ember and Hannah gone off to seek their fortunes with Hook, Steeldust and Alpha and Storm have followed Luna and Butch. I’m not sure who Winona’s sire is … possibly Mouse, who I noticed was very interested in Ember last year. Kestrel never seemed to draw the same attention, so daddy is just unknown.

But I am assuming Steeldust is Gideon’s sire, as I assume he’s at least Hannah’s sire and possibly Ember’s.

The little guy is the same color as Tenaz, Piedra’s son. The edges of his mane and tail look dark here, so I’m guessing they’ll darken – like their legs – and both boys will be bay.

Grey/Traveler’s band was close by …

… as was Bounce’s band. No baby yet for Alegre, and she doesn’t look like she’s close, despite being a week past her due date. All the bands were very cordial of each other, and there was no interaction at all.

Seven’s – I saw later – also were in the vicinity. I watched them nap this morning, but no pix because I couldn’t get into position to take pix without suddenly “appearing” on them, so I didn’t take any and just crept away. Right after that, I realized I was in trouble of getting rained upon – I did – so I boogied out of there! But that was today.

Here are more pix from yesterday:

The always lovely Alpha …

Alpha and her almost-2-year-old son, Storm sharing a scratch …

Storm looking for a little snack while Steeldust looks on … but I think that free lunch is about at an end. The PZP-22 did work on Alpha (and only on Alpha), so we may be looking for another July baby from the girl.

He’s just as sweet as can be …

!! And look how big her “baby” boy is!

Gideon nursing with Terra, Gemma and Houdini in the background.

Speaking of Gemma, here’s the 3-week-old girl:

To give you an idea of her size, here she is with mama Houdini:

She’s a big girl!

Daddy Grey/Traveler with his 2-year-old “baby” girl, Terra.

Gideon

He’s going to be cheeky, like big sister Hannah … I can see it coming.

And he’s off!

Keep those legs untangled, mister!

Didja see me, Mama? I was RACIN’!

Every growing little boy (and girl) needs plenty of milk …

… and plenty of shut-eye.

🙂

Babies have lots o’ itchies!

No question this little girl will turn grey.

Big sister is going grey, too.

Daddy, of course, is pure silver!

Isn’t he gorgeous??

I took some also of Bounce’s family members, and at the end of the day, I found and took pix of Chrome’s band. I’ll have those up later.

It’s still one-day-spring, the-next-day-winter in Colorado on the Western Slope (and I think the Denver area got slammed Tuesday with snow?), so these babies have to be tough right out of the womb. Good thing they have excellent mamas watching over them. 🙂


Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Bounce, Gaia, Gemma, Gideon, Grey, Houdini, Kestrel, Liberty, Luna, Steeldust, Storm, Terra, Whisper, Winona

Wind, bad – babies, good!

29 04 2010

Well, folks, the ides of March have followed us to April – almost to May, to be sure. Southwest Colorado had its second major wind-dust storm of the spring yesterday. It was fairly miserable. We had four or five last year … they were miserable, too.

Toward the end of the day yesterday, visibility finally got really bad (as opposed to fairly, just plain kinda bad).

Today it snowed.

Truth in advertising?! Summer, it ain’t – yet! And I think we need to have a little chat with Ma about the fact that it is – in point of calendar fact – spring. The sign (usually) reads: Summer maintenance only. 🙂

I’m never upset about moisture. 🙂

First, the spoiler:

So follow along, kids: That’s Luna (and ever-present Butch) … and that’s the belly. Ya can’t miss it, right? She’s past last year’s due date. She’s past last-last year’s due date. She’s past 10 days past last-last year’s due date! My goodness, the lady is keeping us waiting this year.

Before my visit, I told young visitor Rochlia that I thought it wouldn’t be long before I had a better opportunity to photograph Duke.

Duke at home right above Spring Creek (which is basically a dry arroyo with tiny places where water sometimes collects and sometimes seeps to the surface). You can see by his nearly horizontal tail how strong was the wind.

After Duke, the next horses I saw were Hollywood’s … and, my goodness, what’s that at Piedra’s side? They were at a distance, and I think they could see Duke, and Piedra was nervous … and Sage was VERY jealous, and Baylee and Iya were curious, so I deduced baby was – without being able to see too closely – just a day old, two at most. Piedra took them up into trees on a hill, and she kept them there all day. Smart – they were probably somewhat protected from the wind there. And from curious-as-all-get-out two-leggeds such as yours truly. 🙂

Here’s a pic I took at the end of the day:

Baby is reddish with a muley muzzle, but reddish mane and tail, so not bay. Very big star and at least hind stockings. In the pic, left to right: Hollywood, Sage, Piedra and baby, and Baylee – Iya is out of the frame at right.

These lovelies also wanted to see the newest addition to the world that is Spring Creek Basin.

Another pond is dry … I know of two – maybe three – that still have water. Gonna be a long time till August-September when we’re supposed to  have five or six more dug out. We’re getting moisture, but that ground just sucks it all up … and the wind … that wind is not kind.

Saw Bounce’s and Seven’s … and Steeldust’s … but not before I found the basin’s newest band. It’s headed by Hook. (I know what you’re thinking … everything changes. It can; it will. Enjoy it.) I know I haven’t been very good this spring about getting information posted to the blog in a timely manner (or at all), but Ember and Pinon have been hanging out with Hook lately (the past several weeks … since March?). So they’re all together – separate from Steeldust’s (more on them later) – plus one: Hannah! I alluded to a surprise a couple of posts ago, then never got around to  spilling the photographic beans. A couple of weeks ago, I found her with Hollywood’s band! She clearly wanted to go “home,” and Holls just as clearly wanted to make her the newest member of his band. Did I mention Hannah is bold? Fearless? I can see it: The bands are close together … Hannah goes out to say hi … Holls is his usual charming self … then the bands aren’t close together anymore, and Holls is pinning his ears, and Hannah can’t get back to mama. She did end up back with the band, though. Now, she’s with sister, and all is calm.

But before I found them: a couple of white “dots” and a red dot … and an extra!

The “whites,” of course, were Grey/Traveler and Houdini, the red, Terra, and the extra:

Look how tall the baby girl is! And yes, it’s another daughter for Grey and Houdini! And, by the way, this is (at least) the fourth-in-a-row daughter for Houdini. She’s darker red than either Terra or Iya, but she has already-grey legs like Iya had, and the rings around her eyes are dead giveaways that the girl will go – surprise! – grey. 🙂 (I meant “no” surprise!)

Two girls and their mama

Daddy and one of his girls. The birth of the newest little girl means we have at least three of his offspring in the basin. Given the number of offspring he must have sired in his years, it’s a little crazy that most of them are at least unknown.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say he likes being a daddy. A little bit anthro … a little bit observation.

I love her face. This lovely will have a birthday in just another day (definite, not guessed). Sister Iya was born April 27 (also known). Houdini was right on time! And master Sage was born today (again, known), so if Piedra’s newest was born two days ago, she’s also right on time! One young, one not so young. Now … about that Luna … 🙂

Two more … my favorites:

Mama and her big girl …

I love spring. 🙂

Welcome, babies, to your world.

More to come of Steeldust’s.


Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : Baylee, Butch, Duke, Grey, Hollywood, Houdini, Luna, Piedra, Sage, Terra

Happy birthday, Iya!

27 04 2010

Iya was born about a week later than I estimated Two Boots was born the previous year (both are daughters of Houdini and, I think, removed stallion Junior). She apparently needed that extra gestation: Iya was huge, right from the beginning.

Look at those curled little ears (they straightened out) and grey legs – those long, long grey legs!

🙂

This is the great big girl last summer (yearling).

Last fall among the rocks on – appropriately! – Filly Peak.

By October, Chrome had stolen Jif and Hayden, and Iya was wavering between going with her friend Jif and staying with mama Houdini and Grey’s band. By November-December, Chrome also had Two Boots and Cuatro, but Iya stayed with mama. By January, she wasn’t with either Grey or Chrome …

In February, I found her with Hollywood’s band, which includes young mom Piedra and her colt, Sage, and Baylee, also acquired by Holls as a 2-year-old.

Baylee, Iya and Shadow are the only fillies I’ve seen so far leave their bands. (Shadow was taken by David as a long yearling when the southside boys bachelor band kicked Bruiser out of the pinto band.) That is to  say they’re the only immature fillies – young mother Two Boots, then 2 – and her colt – were taken by Chrome in the fall after Cuatro was born.

Dear Iya will never win the contest for beauty, but she has her mother’s level-headedness (as well as that noble Roman profile), and although Piedra warns her who’s boss mare in Hollywood’s band, she has made friends with both 3-year-old Baylee …

… and almost-yearling Sage. 🙂

She may be in her duckling phase …

But soon she’ll be a swan. 🙂

Happy second birthday, becoming girl!


Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Houdini, Iya

Spring Wind

23 04 2010

And moisture!

So – oddly enough – for the first time in weeks, I have a full trip report! (Because I had to wait out the rain at friends’ fantastic cabin nearby, I had time to go through the day’s limited photos!)

I saw just a few horses – and NOT Steeldust’s band. It’s odd that I don’t see them, and with Luna PAST due to have her baby, the worst thing I can say about the rain was my timing in not getting to the basin soon enough to find her. I did dream about her a few nights ago – and her foal. I’ll let ya’ll know if I’m about to list “medium” on my resume. 🙂

When I got to the basin, I had time to go once ’round the loop. The horses are starting to move toward what I call the “east pocket” – it’s usually the first to green up. It’s a lot of cheat grass, and once it’s grazed and/or spent, the horses generally leave the area for the rest of the year. This is a trend I’ve noticed during the past three seasons. The timing of their migration back to the pocket varies. It was around March in 2008, I think, as early as February last year, and end of April this year!

Although I spent probably less than 30 minutes in the basin – because of the rain – I am THRILLED with the moisture! Maybe the ponds that already have gone dry and the ones close to going dry have a bit more time to serve the ponies.

Hollywood and his band were the first ones I saw, followed closely by Seven’s band. But Holls isn’t looking at Seven here …

Can you see? The boys in the trees are Roach and Poco. Remember when they set to following Holls’ band last year? But now they are “home,” and everybody else is visiting.

Baby Spring following brother Ze and mama Roja.

A flash of white caught my eye, and my first thought was Alpha … but it wasn’t. It was clever Houdini.

Around the trees, Terra and Grey/Traveler came into view. Given how windy it was, they were smart to seek the relative shelter of the trees!

Roja and Spring. I think Spring is a filly, but I’m not guaranteeing that yet! No markings that I can see.

Spring’s tail is very light at the upper edges.

Ze and Seven following along … but who do you see in the background? Do you see all three?

Spring sees them … 🙂

Now do you see who was nearby?

There was a little of this …

… and a little of this …

… and a little more of this … before Bounce – with a great toss of his head, trotted back to his band.

Seven gathered his troops …

… then they were away with Bounce hot on their trail!

I’m not sure why he pursued them. They went the way I was going around the loop, but even though I was starting to get particularly nervous about the western darkening sky, I thought it more prudent to wait. Sure enough, Bounce came trotting back like a victorious king. I inched on up the road … and saw Seven’s grazing not far from the road not too far on. To pass or not to pass? They were quiet, and that sky … so I crept forward … and past … and they weren’t bothered! That was pretty awesome.

But it turned out that they were almost the last horses I saw that day. To be safe, I drove out of the basin to the county road. Sure enough, the rain came – and hail – then it stopped, but curtains of grey still were coming … more rain … more hail … I waited for a couple of hours, then decided to call it quits and headed on south.

Guess who I saw right inside the fence just past the county line?

I couldn’t believe they were back down by the road! Mister David is taking his daddy duties very seriously.

Luckily for me, Shadow must have thought the arroyo, at least, was a comforting barrier. Wind is his name, so blessed by the person who first saw him, who said it was very windy that day. Appropriate! I don’t know whether it’s coincidence that every time I’ve seen him nurse it has been from this angle … Whatever works, eh?!

He’s not very big, but he’s a cutie! You can see his left hind sock (I thought it was a stocking on my first sighting and from the other side …?), and he also has a small star.

To make a short story shorter, I awakened the next morning to about 2 inches of snow! And sunshine! It rained and rained the rest of the day and night … The sunshine was a welcome sight, but conditions were still too wet to drive in, so I walked in. But given where the horses are now, I just didn’t get that far. I did spot Chrome’s band – way too far for pictures – but I always enjoy a sighting of little red Hayden. And the others, of course!

The clouds were coming up over the eastern ridges as I hiked out, and if the skies from home were any indication, the basin got even more moisture later in the day. All welcome and much needed!


Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Baylee, Bounce, David, Gaia, Grey, Hollywood, Houdini, Seven, Shadow, Spring, Terra, Whisper, Wind, Ze

Shades of Grey

28 03 2010

From my visit with Steeldust’s band, I spotted Grey/Traveler and his mare, Houdini, and their daughter, Terra. They were closer than I had seen them in several visits, so I took the opportunity to walk out for a visit.

You can’t see the girl’s big belly too well in this one, though, so how about this view:

Not toooooo bulgey yet … but she has at least a month to go. 🙂

Love to “capture” their faces.

Also love to photograph them against the (La Sal) mountains!

My gorgeous, high-desert boy, sleepy in the sunshine.


Comments : 13 Comments »

Categories : Grey, Houdini, Terra

Mudders

5 03 2010

It was April 3 last year before I reported in my notes that I did not see cattle in the basin. Shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that some cattle remain in the basin past their deadline to be out again this year.

That’s the herd area boundary fence. I’m on the road, just before crossing the cattle guard into the horses’ home.

She looks dark  – she’s dark red. No calf. The other cows I saw both have calves.

This was just one of those stellar kinds of day. It included horses and hikes and back to the Earth, staring wide-eyed and grateful at clouds in the turquoise heavens. Can you imagine it? It was warm, but there was a nip – still – to that returned March wind (ooh, yeah, it’s back). Perfect day to be walking around the far-out outback, a place filled to the brim with wild still-muddy magic.

So it’s a bit messy … life ain’t perfect. 😉

Steeldust’s mob were the first visible, so I made for them. They were napping as early clouds gave way to sunshine. Aspen and Hook are still hanging on. Storm, Hannah and Alpha were lying down when I arrived; Comanche, Pinon and Kestrel laid down while I visited. Ol’ Steely Dan has a few new scars. He continues to stick close to Alpha; Storm continues to take advantage of the mommy bar.

Nap time (back, left to right: Alpha, Storm and Steeldust; front from left: Sundance, Mahogany, Sable, Luna and Pinon)

Did you see this in the background of the above pic?

Then there was this …

How familiar does this look? (Notice Comanche giving them a wide berth in the background as Steeldust guards Alpha.)

Boy’s got it bad for the girl. 😉

Ember’s hanging out with big boys Aspen and Hook.

Kestrel and Mouse

Sleepy tired boy Pinon

The sun finally cleared the clouds, and I left the ponies to their naps (Butch makes an appearance here, behind Luna; SunnyD is beside her, Kestrel behind them).

All hills make for good mysteries – what’s over the summit? What’s around the bend? In the basin, the potential for horses to be around every bend, on the other side of every hill, below every ridge, is enormous.

Seven’s were out on the saddle, relaxed and soaking up the shine of late-winter sun.

At first glance, they were alone, but guess who was around another bend – or three … a ridge or two?

Pinto ponies

And look who else was closer:

Bruiser …

David and Shadow (oops! I thought I had put their picture into the post but realized later I didn’t) …

… and Cinch and Twister!

It was great to see them, but our visit didn’t last long. They decided they’d rather be on the other side of that hill, and I just didn’t have the oomph to continue on through the mud in the “away” direction. So I went back to share lunch with Seven’s.

OK, so they weren’t interested in what passed for my lunch, but we shared a little stretch of real estate between hills, bounded by ridges, together under the sun.

They were as relaxed as I’ve ever seen them, OK with me sitting on a branch, elevated above the mud.

They’ve been playing in the mud fields …

I might feel compelled to eat my shoe if I ever found out he was NOT a son of Grey/Traveler’s. If he was aged correctly, the boy is 10 this year (hard to believe, eh?). He certainly has gone grey-er in the past couple of years. Handsome, handsome mister … just like daddy.

Speaking of, two white “dots” sandwiching a dark speck way out yonder turned out to be my boy and Houdini and Terra. Seven decided to take a nap under a tree, so I hit the trail.

Headlights caught my eye, flashing as the truck to which they belonged popped over a hill on the road out yonder. The road was a little soft, a little dry, a little damp … I was surprised to see it. But before long, it stopped … hit reverse … discharged a camo-clothed passenger … swapped end for end, re-admitted the man and headed back the way it had come. I found their ruts later.

Bounce’s band came into view … then Hollywood’s. Then … Jif! She was walking up out of an arroyo kind of between me and Bounce’s band, and pretty quickly, Hayden and Cuatro, then Chrome, then Two Boots followed her. What a wonderful surprise! And a reminder how easy it is for horses to be out of sight very nearby.

Hayden is nursing.

Cuatro grazing with stepdaddy Chrome.

Cuatro grazing with stepbrother Hayden!

Fuzzy-fuzzy!

See the white dot, the dark dot and the grey dot “above” Jif? That’s Grey/Traveler, Terra and Houdini.

Sweet, sweet day in the company of many of those I hold dear. Always a wonderful way to spend a day.


Comments : 19 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Bruiser, Butch, Chrome, Cinch, Comanche, Cuatro, David, Ember, Gaia, Grey, Hannah, Hayden, Hook, Houdini, Jif, Kestrel, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, pintos, Roja, Sable, Seven, Shadow, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Terra, Twister, Two Boots, Whisper, Ze

‘Once around the sun’ in Spring Creek Basin

22 01 2010

With humble acknowledgment of the book with the title Once Around the Sun in Yellowstone, I thought it would be interesting, if slightly late, to share some pictures from (mostly) last year.

Every year since I first moved to Colorado in 2001, I’ve done a little calendar for my family. They started out as images strictly from Colorado, but then there was the year when I moved from Colorado to Montana and back to Texas before returning to Colorado on Jan. 2 the following year, so that was a mixed-image calendar. And then last year was, literally, the year of the horse, and family got all mustangs, every month. This year is no different – and I’m late in selecting images – again – which also doesn’t break my typical pattern.

But one difference: I thought I’d share the images I selected here on the blog, with a brief explanation of why I selected each – a memory of the day/moment. I think most of the images have appeared previously on the blog, with maybe a couple of exceptions, and all were taken last year except December’s boy, which was taken this January, and all except the October image were taken in the month it represents (October’s was taken in November).

We’re in the middle – maybe trending toward the end – of a blizzard, so I’m homebound and looking back through pictures of my beloved wild ones … as if I needed an excuse. 🙂

Enjoy!

Cover

This shot of our littlest wild ‘n wooly, Hayden (thus named because I was in Yellowstone, one of my other favorite places on the planet, when he was born last fall), makes the cover because it was the day after Thanksgiving, and I was having a lovely end-0f-day visit with him and his mama and his new stepdaddy, Chrome. The coyotes were singing and the moon was plump and I didn’t yet know about Molly … and because he gave me this look, full of baby-curiosity. Hayden is the son of Grey/Traveler, which careful readers know is my beloved favorite ( 😉 ), and he has had my heart since I first laid eyes on him. I hope he long carries on his daddy’s legacy in the wild heart of his western Colorado home.

January

Speak of the handsome devil, here’s Grey/Traveler as Mr. January. You can see that last year’s January doesn’t begin to compare with this year’s snowy January. The band was on the west end of the corral hill – almost to the boundary fence. You can just see the base of Filly Peak at right, and in the far background are the La Sal Mountains of Utah (on the other side of which is Moab). I love starting off the year with my boy!

February

Ahh, happy days. Duke and Chrome were still bachelors last February, still part of the even-then loose-knit Bachelor 7, and they were shadowing Steeldust’s band this day, back in the area southish of the roller-coaster ridge. Sometimes, I have to see the pictures at full resolution on the computer screen to know what I have, but with this moment, as it happened and as I hit the shutter, click after click, I knew I had something special – the capture of a bond between stallions, friends, before the spring frenzy. I had walked out to the band and was sitting on the ground enjoying the visit while they grazed … and then they walked toward and past me, bringing the sounds of their lives with them – hooves on ground, lips and teeth nibbling, gentle snorts as they came – and went – and me, near-breathless at the seeming miracle of their wave on wave. As it happened, Duke stole Raven and her filly, Corona, in late April and had them most of the year until Kreacher stole them back and injured Duke in the process, and Chrome ended up dogging Grey’s band around the end of the summer, persistence that finally paid off when he stole Jif and Hayden about three weeks after he was born … and then acquired Two Boots and her colt, Cuatro, and now presumably has Iya as well.

March

Well … what can I say? 🙂 This image has been my desktop image since then. A magical combination of roselight and gorgeous grey and wild life. Shot across an arroyo as he came up from water in the bottom.

April

This picture was taken after I knew Bones was gone. Roach (pictured) and Poco were grazing alone on a ridgetop. I hiked out, hoping Bones was just over the edge, just out of sight. She wasn’t, and I knew. I walked the whole ridgeline, looking hard on both sides, still, just in case. When I walked back, Poco was leading the way at the base of the ridge, toward an arroyo. I waited till they were on the other side, then followed while they stood there, facing me, watching. On the other side, he led me farther into a narrow valley until he stopped again and faced me again and watched me again while I watched him back, then sat, then got up and explored among the trees. He never moved. Behind him then, motion – a golden eagle launched into the air, and I found what I had dreaded: Bones and her partially born foal. Indeed one of the saddest times I’ve had in the basin. I couldn’t bring myself to use a pic of my bonny Bones, so I used this picture instead, a beautiful picture. It reminds me, though, and that’s enough.

May

Oh, this one I love. This was a day or two before the wild horse count by the Four Corners Back Country Horsemen, and I was out till the very end o’ day, captivated by young master Sage, racing the wind, testing his legs and lungs and baby muscles running circles around Auntie Baylee. Then it was back to mama for celebration, dinner and a nap, and there he is, after sundown, all at peace, Piedra calm, watching over her firstborn son.

June

I tried not to repeat horses (too much), but I couldn’t pass this one by. That’s Sage and his Auntie Baylee. She was just 2 last year and a great playmate and babysitter to her sister’s (I think) son. It was a dry spring, and a windy one, and I love the greens and greys and their wind-tousled manes and tails, not to mention their obvious bond.

July

If ever there was an image that said “I am wild … I live in Spring Creek Basin,” this is it, I thought that day. Duke and his family I hoped he’d have forever, napping in the summer light, McKenna Peak and the unnamed – but absolutely recognizable – promontory in the background. Saltbush and mustangs and eroded hills, jutting buttes and clear blue sky … it could be mustangs anywhere, but it’s Spring Creek Basin. Duke’s always-home … and now, hopefully, Raven’s and Corona’s, too.

August

If you had such a subject, no doubt he’d appear multiple times in your calendar, too! This was early in the time when Chrome started following Grey’s band, and this image happened when Grey chased Chrome away – toward me. Chrome broke off when he realized I was sitting there, and Grey trotted back to his family.

September

Toward the end of last year, the ponies started appearing in high places, on hill sides and tops, places I had rarely previously seen them. Untouched forage, maybe … maybe a breath of cooler air above the basin floor. Houdini and Terra pictured. Iya was just to the left out of this image, and Two Boots and Cuatro – and Chrome – were higher to the left. Grey/Traveler and heavy-pregnant Jif were napping at the base of the hill, and Kreacher and Mona and Kootenai (Raven and Corona still with Duke then) were wandering, grazing, between the hill and the road. Unique placement made for unique – to me – photos, and, on their own, reminds me of Little Book Cliffs terrain.

October

What a fine morning this was (actually in November)! First-thing-in-the-morning sunshine gave way soon after this image was taken to high clouds, but this was quite a lovely morning. Chrome had stolen Jif and Hayden by this time, and Iya was vacillating between her band – very close by – and Chrome’s. So many images to choose from for this month, from this morning alone, but this was the one. He’s so much like his daddy.

November

Another beautiful morning (and cold) … but this one, tempered by sadness. This was the morning I realized Molly was gone, when I found her filly Liberty, right, with Bounce’s band. Here, she’s with yearling Gaia. Molly and Liberty spent at least a few days with Bounce’s band after they left Seven’s (Liberty’s sire), and I was hopeful they would adopt her when the time came. I am happy to report that as of at least earlier this month, Liberty still has a place with wise Bounce and his young mare, Alegre, and her babies, Gaia and Whisper.

December

Surely you’ll recognize handsome Hook! This was taken most recently, in early January of this year. This was the day I realized former bachelor Hook had stolen Hollywood’s lovely mare Piedra and her colt (and Hollywood’s son), Sage. I had had a wonderful visit with Steeldust’s band just earlier, then spotted these horses farther away … then made the surprising ID. Cloudy, snowy, wintry. Wild in winter.

Again, I wish all of you a wonderful year, filled with horses and kindness, and I hope that in December, you all have a year beautiful to look back on … another “once around the sun” … and may it be filled with more light than shadows.


Comments : 13 Comments »

Categories : Baylee, Chrome, Corona, Duke, Gaia, Grey, Hayden, Hook, Houdini, Liberty, Piedra, Raven, Roach, Sage, Terra

Deep in the heart of winter

9 01 2010

Do you see what I see? Steeldust’s band (mostly stretched out from left to center) and cattle (mostly at right) and snow, some clouds, some blue skies. Winter in Spring Creek Basin.

The day was beautiful with some clouds. I had been watching the forecast extremely closely – and snow in the forecast – again – had me threatening postal actions if it kept me from the horses – again! Someone must have been listening (!) because it was a lovely day and fairly warm, and I was able to drive quite a way into the heart of the basin before I started my hike-about.

As you can see from the above photo, snow covers the ground fairly uniformly in the basin, even though most of the upper Disappointment Valley was just spotty with snow – again. Brown across the vast sweep … until the western rim of our small wonderland, tucked up against the eastern ridges.

Shades of blue and grey and red-going-grey.

But before I saw Grey/Traveler and Houdini and Terra … I had a Duke sighting! He was napping, so not moving, and he was far enough away that I couldn’t see details about his condition, but it was great to see him.

And I saw three horses, even farther away – mostly likely Seven, Roja and Ze, though it was hard to tell for sure with the sunshine glaring against the bright snow.

Daughter and Daddy

Stepping in sync.

And this was the first change: Iya is not with Grey’s band now … likely with Chrome’s, but I couldn’t confirm that because I didn’t spot them this visit.

Some of the cattle have ranged out to the east-west hill, and that’s where I found Steeldust’s band. Aspen was with them …

… but not Hook.

Comanche (above) and Mouse are still with the band, of course, and Mouse is finally interested in Kestrel.

I’ve been waiting … 🙂 But she seems to be making him wait, too. We won’t know for sure until later this spring whether she’s already been bred, but from his interest, I’d guess not, even though it seems unlikely at her age (3 this spring). Then again, she’s still with her natal band, which also is fairly unusual.

Sable-girl is still nursing.

Luna looks fabulous as always!

And so does her littlest girl. She had just settled down for a nap, and I was preparing to move sideways to get rid of the bush in the foreground and the manure pile behind her … but she had caught the attention of someone else …

Lift your right hoof up and shake it all about!

Lift your left hoof up and shake it all about!

That didn’t seem to have the desired effect, though, so he regroups.

He starts his new approach … sweet nuzzlings …

Until he finds something sweet to nibble.

Take that! For whatever reason – maybe it would have put her off balance – she didn’t crane her neck back and bite him in the schnoz!

He is not deterred, and she is getting mad.

What? he asks. He’s the very picture of innocence!

And finally she can’t stand it anymore! What a little schnitzel, that Storm!

He’s a growing boy – look how big he looks next to Steeldust. He’ll be 2 this summer.

Steeldust with Storm’s mama …

Isn’t she a lovely, lovely girl!

What do you suppose Sundance is thinking?

Ember and Comanche lagged behind as the horses crossed a shallow arroyo toward a group of cattle, but they caught up quickly. Comanche has never been quite as outgoing as Mouse, but he’s pretty comfortable with the youngsters. He was first through the arroyo and stopped to wait for her … but she tossed her head at him as she passed. Well, in another year, she may feel differently … 🙂 She’ll be 2 in April.

Dancing Mouse

Three of the ma-moos sharing the basin for the next less-than-two-months. Heavy pregnant (should be), but they’re sure in good shape, eh?

Ahh … this is the better view, eh? Mahogany and Hannah … and a familiar background …

When the horses walked this way, they directed my attention to three horses farther on, at the base of Knife Edge. My mind was on Hook, most recently known to be with Aspen, and my first thought was Hook and – little reddish-grey with a star – Twister – back together? But who was the third horse? Could have been a mud-covered spotted boy (Cinch or Bruiser) with the other one out of sight … could have been a mud-covered Roach (looked bigger than Poco) with Poco out of sight … But while I was trying to identify the third horse, I finally realized “Twister” was, in fact, Sage! Which meant Piedra. So then I thought, OK, it’s Hollywood, covered in mud and looking grey. I headed toward them … and made the ID.

Did no one figure out – from the post below – it was Hook, with McKenna Peak in the background? 🙂

Welladay, isn’t that a surprise?

Not a sign of Hollywood and Baylee … presumed still together.

She looks concerned, doesn’t she. One day at a time … it’s a good lesson for us all.

Well, you see how I could have mistaken him for Twister … from a distance … Don’t worry about the strange look of his lower side and back leg – it’s just wet from lying in the snow.

Knife Edge in the background.

Look wintry enough for ya’ll?

I think Sage got his daddy’s ears. 🙂 And look how fuzzy they are! I’m still thinking Sage is turning grey, but he still has a dorsal stripe. And lest ya’ll forget it’s high desert in far-west Colorado, check out the yucca behind Piedra.

His namesake hook-snip has faded, but he’s still a handsome boy.

We get used to the families, but their families are dynamic, and dynamics change. It’s natural for the young bachelors to seek their own families, and in the few years that we have between roundups, we start to see some of the natural dynamics more easily seen in larger herds – all the more fascinating and amazing.

The more things change … some things still stay the same.  On my way back, I saw Bounce’s family … which still includes little Liberty. A sighting to feel great about! Too far for pictures, and my time was growing short (as always), so I stored the memory in my heart and continued on.

Just before I got back to the Jeep, I came over a hill and found Grey/Traveler again. Moments after that, the sun dropped out of the clouds … moments before it slid below Filly Peak. So I leave you with the very last picture from my memory card … but, of course, not the last image of my memory …


Comments : 4 Comments »

Categories : Alpha, Aspen, Comanche, Ember, Grey, Hannah, Hook, Houdini, Kestrel, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Piedra, Sable, Sage, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Terra

Snow stomp

17 12 2009

The desert is snow-bound. The ponies are as adapted as you might imagine, very fuzzy and rolling with the seasons. However, despite the water in frozen form all around them, at least some still prefer the liquid form and worked hard to get it from a little hoofprint puddle melted on the edge of the Flat Top pond.

The cattle are in now, of course, and though most don’t seem to have ventured far from their entry point – all across the northwest hills – a handful have made it to the finger hills. It’s easy enough to differentiate them from horses, but my eyes – first seeing dark specks in the distance – want to see horses.

From the top of the switchbacks above Slickrock, I was surprised to see nearly the whole upper portion of Disappointment brown and seemingly devoid of snow. Where the snow line seemed to start was back against the eastern ridge – above the basin – to my mind, at least, the valley’s heart. The snow was less than I expected but still significant – the snow was more than the mud. It made for easier walking but not easy.

The first band I saw was Grey/Traveler’s band – oh what a welcome sight! When I first saw them, they were just dark specks, even through the binoculars. White-faced Iya was the first one recognizable … then Terra and Houdini … then the silver boy, standing a distance away, facing away … no Two Boots and no Cuatro. My hunch – and yours, too, I bet – was later confirmed, but first I walked down the ridge to see whether Grey was looking at them around the end where I couldn’t see. Nope. I did scan the hills for Duke, but all I saw were bovine bodies.

Note the bits of hair missing. Probably from the scuffle that led to Two Boots and Cuatro going “missing.”

He gets this oh-so-blissful look on his face when he eats snow. 🙂

Houdini is weaning Terra from nursing. Terra is not happy about it.

Iya knows just what she’s going through.

Steeldust and his band weren’t very far away – close enough that I considered walking on to visit with them – but I could see that they were all accounted for (Aspen and Hook have gone off on their own again), and I wanted to find our little autumn baby. And from a higher vantage, I did. Lucky for me, going over to visit them didn’t require a farther-interior walk.

Two Boots and Cuatro are quite well … who’s that in the corner?

You’ve already guessed:

Chrome and Two Boots went to the puddle they’ve obviously started, and Jif went around the pond.

Two Boots bravely tried to drink right along with Chrome, which he tolerated for a little bit before he got irritated and started warning her – and Cuatro – away. It was disheartening to see them trying to drink that little bit of muddy water with all the snow around them.

He never actually kicked either of them, but he threatened several times.

The basin’s newest band. Sad to see my Grey-boy lose another mare, but I couldn’t feel too bad about it, watching Cuatro and Hayden race each other on the way to the pond. Naturally, Hayden won. 😉

I didn’t have my camera out when they started running. Jif was leading the way to the pond on the north-south road, and I was on the road to Flat Top. Poor Little was lagging behind, and it seemed like he was as tired of walking through the snow as I was. Jif paused once but didn’t wait long. Cuatro trotted up to Hayden, which seemed to infuse him with energy, and they started galloping in circles. Then they hit the straight-away, and Little H really revved the engines, sprinting for the “finish line,” which was mama, of course. He won by a mile, flagged his tufty tail and looked back over his shoulder to make sure mama and his new big brother witnessed his victory! I sure wish I’d been able to get pictures of that, but it was a blast to watch. I didn’t have the opportunity to see them playing again … they spent a good 45 minutes at the pond trying to get water.

Cuatro makes a face after eating a mouthful of snow.

Hayden thought he’d give it a try, too.

Here he’s checking out some mud on the ice. Only Hayden ignored the water – I have seen him nibbling on plants, but he’s still mostly relying on mama’s milk. The little water left at the center of the pondbed is frozen solid.

By the time the little misters interacted again, they were nearly behind Jif, and within seconds, Chrome walked over to block them even further. Sheesh. 🙂 Look how grey Cuatro’s face is already.

Then it was less than an hour to sunset, and I left the ponies, still trying to paw for sips of water. Rippled high clouds in the west lit up like the gates of heaven after the sun dropped below the horizon. To say it was stunning is an understandable understatement.

I was lucky enough to spot Seven, Roja and Ze just at the edge of daylight. Even from a distance, there’s no mistaking Roja’s rotund figure. She reminds me of a pony I grew up with … 🙂 The deer were out, too, and I followed elk tracks through the snow. I imagined, by the size of his tracks, that he was a big, beautiful boy. A fitting end to a day in the wild.


Comments : 10 Comments »

Categories : Chrome, Cuatro, Grey, Hayden, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Ponds, Terra, Two Boots

Love anyway

28 11 2009

Any Martina McBride fans out there? Her song “Anyway” came up on the mp3 player when I was about 20 miles or so (nearly there) from the basin on Thanksgiving Day, and it got me thinking. Despite the supreme frustrations we wild horse lovers endure in the battle to keep our mustangs wild and free, and despite the heartaches and breaks they inevitably bring us along the way – from the magical way they melt into our hearts from first sighting – we must love them anyway. I don’t know about you all, but I’m helpless to do it any other way.

This visit wasn’t without some personal heartbreak – Molly. But it was with so much more: the horses and me and the deer and the wind and the light and the hills and song dogs howling and hope for the future in the shape of little faces and fuzzy coats, winter-ready.

Hunters gone, I had a long-awaited visit with the pinto ponies. Stout Milagro is so fuzzy, he looked like a pony next to daddy Copper.

Oddly, he and Liberty are the same dark muley bay. Maybe a genetic connection on their respective trees.

Here we have Shadow as bonnie mountain goat and David playing it a wee bit safer. I spotted them from the county road, but the pintos were hiding a bit.

The horses – including matriarch Kiowa – were relaxed and grazing, and they paid hardly as much attention to me as to the visitor walking the trail below them …

I’m happy to report that although the vast contingent of hunters finally left the valley, the deer did not. In fact, they are much more visible now, including at least two magnificent “granddaddies” to this young buck.

Mama Kiowa and baby Milagro; Corazon at left and Spook at right.

Mesa is still the outside man, but Ty and Corazon are right in the thick of things, to no great concern of Copper’s.

Corazon; Kiowa in the background.

Reya is the same age as Shadow; they’ll be 3 next spring.

Sisters Reya and Spook (May 1, 2008).

And baby brother Milagro (July 1, 2009). Can you see how fuzzy he is?

In the “front country” of the basin, Steeldust’s band was enjoying the last light of day … and I enjoyed the light creating halos around them …

He does seem to be sticking close to Lady Alpha these days.

Luna and Hannah

Mahogany grazing; Sable seeking attention from almost-3-year-old Kestrel (yearmate of Shadow and Reya).

A little past, a little different angle o’ light. Comanche in the background. (Aspen and Hook are still with the band.)

I took some pictures in passing, but my attention was really farther ahead: Chrome, Jif and little-man Hayden.

This image may be actual size? That’s Hayden’s teeny hoofprint in the soil of his home … Can’t express, really, what this image means to me.

It seems to me (stand by for anthropomorphization) that now-family-man Chrome is a little befuddled by the recent attention showered upon him – former bachelor that he is – well, in his vicinity. I am thankful for his care of his little shadow …

This one just makes me smile. 🙂

Little is fuzzed-up and bearded for winter … so soon … He seems to show the faintest hint of grey high on his cheeks, but right around his eyes is red. What color will the mister be? He’s so much like his daddy, Grey/Traveler.

Now the secret is out: BLM’s next “issue” is the incredible proliferation of over-populating wild ants! No end in sight! How WILL they manage this new “problem”??

Evening with a view …

So thankful …

I took this photo of the moon during my visit with Hayden and Co., song dogs setting up a chorus in the background. Not sure it could have been more perfect.

At that point, I didn’t yet know about Molly.

In the morning, before sunrise, it was 15 degrees in the basin. The morning star was glittering like a droplet of  ice on the eastern horizon while the sky grew steadily lighter. In the dim light, I had a sighting that made my heart leap: Duke. It was hard to see him because it was not yet exactly light and because of the distance, but he looked a little off – still. More on him to come.

Mornings in the basin will make you believe in something other than yourself … and if you already believe … it will reaffirm your faith in something humans will never take away. It is still. It is clear. It is hopeful. It is magic. You can almost hear the collective breath holding, waiting for that first light on the far ridges across Disappointment Valley, waiting for a long column of light to illuminate, first, Filly Peak, then widen and lay down its path across Round Top and Flat Top.

Steeldust and his hangers-on were single-file from the pond to the base of the hill. Far away.

I was looking for horses to put between me and the camera and the hills, surrounded by that sublime light. Did I mention how cold it was?

Hollywood and his girls and his youngster found me, grazing quietly in the pre-dawn light down a line of hills below the road. I hadn’t spent much time with them lately, so I put my down coat on top of my jacket and 14 other layers, wrapped my ear-band around my head, readied my gloves, put extra batteries close to my heart … and waited and watched the creep of light.

Have you ever watched – really watched – sunrise? It can’t be described. Especially, maybe, in the great – intimate – expanse of the basin; there are just too many places to watch the rising sun touch hills and ridges and swells with that sweet golden light. And before I knew it, sunlight had replaced shadow surrounding Holls and the girls and Sage. I zipped up and started walking. Baylee, watching me waddle toward them, thought – apparently – I was the abominable snowwoman – or Michelin Woman? – come to life.

The “Bundle Woman” cometh.

Piedra apparently eventually recognized me, but Baylee’s expression didn’t change much in the other photos I took. Steeldust’s band didn’t know what to think last fall, either, the first time I wore my down coat, until I started singing to them … the only audience that can withstand my “singing.” 😉

Sage still treats auntie Baylee like a playmate … and he still seeks reassurance from mama.

Hollywood

Sage’s winter coat is brown again. He looks like a little Mouse.

Relaxed

I hadn’t seen Grey/Traveler’s band the day before – and I hadn’t seen Bounce’s since the weekend before last – so I decided to head on to look for them and see if the golden light would hold.

Saw the silver boy and his band … and as I approached the Round Top intersection, I saw horses nearly straight ahead. It took a second to identify them against the light … and it took a second after that to pick out Liberty, grazing close to Gaia. I didn’t have to look for Molly; I knew she wouldn’t be there. Even expecting to see what I saw, I couldn’t stop the tears from coming. There’d be no heartbreak if there wasn’t first love.

Gaia and Liberty

Bounce

Whisper and Alegre

Maybe a little surrogate-mothering going on …

Liberty is our third orphan since I started the documentation of the Spring Creek Basin herd. My introduction to Twister was when he was already orphaned, possibly during the roundup. Shadow’s dam, Ceal, died sometime over the winter of 2007-08. Liberty is 6 months old, and she’s a tough little thing. I think she’ll be OK.

I walked from them back over to Grey/Traveler’s band.

He is my healing magic.

Cuatro was hanging out, napping on his feet, a short distance from the band. Then he decided to put on a show:

Such a big trot for a little boy!

Flying!

He must have learned this move from his muley pals. 🙂

He hit the brakes, and Terra came up out of the arroyo. Two Boots never looked up from her grazing. She’s a veteran mama at the ripe young age of 2. Watching Cuatro, it suddenly became apparent to me that his sire has to be Twister; he looks just like him.

Grey and Houdini

Terra and Cuatro

Iya (April 27, 2008) and Terra (May 1, 2009); La Sal Mountains in the background. They were born the same color; look how dark Iya is now!

Fuzzy, furry silver boy!

Thus emotionally armed, I went back to find Duke.

He looks all right … but he is thinner than when he had Raven and Corona – and, briefly, Kootenai.

He’s still limping, but he’s completely mobile, and he’s putting weight on his injured leg (right hind). See all that sky behind him? This is Spring Creek Basin’s version of “top of the world.” The difference between here and the Pryors is that here, if you step off that edge … well, let’s just say it really is an edge, and I really would recommend NOT stepping off!

Love his handsome face.

He’s a crazy horse to be walking up and down mountains (to and from water) on his healing leg, but he’s a tough boy!

Love, always. 🙂

Thankful days don’t wait for calendar dates. No matter what’s going on, I – and you, I bet – have things in your life for which to be thankful anyway. I think the ponies don’t know how much they give of themselves to all of us who admire them so; it’s the least we can do to ensure their continued protection – any way we can.


Comments : 20 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Baylee, Bounce, Chipeta, Chrome, Copper, Corazon, Duke, Gaia, Grey, Hannah, Hayden, Hollywood, Houdini, Jif, Kestrel, Kiowa, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Mesa, Milagro, Piedra, pintos, Reya, Sable, Sage, Shadow, Spook, Steeldust, Terra, Two Boots, Ty

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