Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Comanche

Kestrel and Juniper

Peeking ponies looking gorgeous on a perfect spring morning!

What do you think he’s saying?

Nice teeth, pal. 🙂

Like daddy, like daughter! (Take care of those pearly whites, Juniper!)

Mama Kestrel was her usual calm self. Who do you suppose is there in the background? Clue: How many grey horses do you count?

Seems like forever since I’ve been in to see the ponies. I’ve missed them. It felt *good* to sit on the hill with the setting sun shining on us, horses grazing, birds wheeling, pronghorn watchful. Wonderfully simple and natural and normal. Wonderful and beautiful.

The horses had a few other visitors. People soaking up springtime and mustang magic.

Comanche is devoted to Kestrel. He won her quietly, after she had Winona last spring. She was with Mahogany at the time, with Sundance with Aspen and Comanche trailing. While Sundance focused on Mahogany and Aspen focused on them, Comanche smoothly established himself as protector of Kestrel and her new filly. And protect them he did, even after the family grew this spring to include Juniper. Winona ended up with Grey/Traveler right before the roundup … I’d love to know how that happened.

For quite a while – even before the roundup – they’ve been hanging close to Hollywood and Piedra. One of the most interesting dynamics going.

Comanche and his baby girl, Juniper.

Mama Kestrel and her baby girl.

Juni is close to her first birthday.

Mama carrying the next generation – will it be a brother or a sister for Juniper?

Handsome daddy. 🙂

Comanche – love this big guy! The light patch on his shoulder is his breath. It was only slightly below freezing, but there was enough moisture in the air that our breath was visible. (Did you notice it in the pic of Shadow in a previous post?)

Tall, dark-eyed and dappled – wow! 😉

How handsome is he?

It was while I was photographing him and his extended family – right close with Hollywood and Piedra still – that I realized I had left all my extra memory cards at home. I had just come from a visit with Grey/Traveler’s band – one direction, McKenna Peak and the unnamed promontory, the other direction, the La Sals. I used up about two-thirds of the card’s capacity just on them. But no problem, thought I. I’ll poach the card from my other camera. Except that’s the camera I used when I took pix recently of Ze and Asher and Skipper – and obviously hadn’t replaced the card yet. And I had spotted Sundance’s, Aspen’s and Storm’s bands when I found Comanche & Co. in a little swale between hills. Oh, how I hate rationing photos.

Let this be a lesson: Always carry extra memory (!). And “be prepared.” What can I say? I was in a hurry to get out to the ponies! At least I remembered to grab extra batteries, keeping warm in my pocket (and I did need them). 🙂

With his girls: Juniper and Kestrel. I don’t think of Juni as so big until I see her with mama. She’s a bit on higher ground, but still. Isn’t she a big, beautiful girl? Definitely takes after daddy, this one!