Kiowa | Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

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.

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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

Taking a long view

6 09 2009

Last weekend, the weekend after Dan and Karen’s visit, I was still riding the high from my previous visit. The goals (yes, yes, never go with an agenda in mind) were to find Jif and to check the ponds for dig-out activity. No and no on both counts.

Taking to the heights was Grey/Traveler’s band – still with Chrome but not Aspen – way up … well … can you see where they were?

Mountain goats

Sorry for the long, far distance – can you pick ponies out? Can you tell where they are? That’s right up above Spring Creek canyon. The white dot is Grey/Traveler – see him? And far to the right is Chrome.

It took some long moments of watching, but I finally determined that Jif did not have a foal at her side.

Follow the leader

Kootenai and Mona following Kreacher. His legs aren’t really cut off, he’s just demonstrating the ability of this seemingly flat landscape to hide whole or partial ponies.

At the catchment trough

They followed the trail that comes up at left rear of this image and walked right on past the smaller of the two troughs. You can just, just barely see the top of it above Kootenai’s back.

Duke, Raven and Corona also were playing at being mountain goats, way up high above the “road” to Klondike Basin. I’m sure horses did once wander up there, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen horses that high – “above treeline” for what we have in the basin, so to speak.

Bounce’s band was in the east pocket toward the road from the pond. They were partially obscured by saltbush clumps, so I didn’t get any pix.

From the section of road between the dugout intersection and the boringly named second intersection, I stopped to watch Steeldust’s band, right on the west-side loop road! In addition to Aspen, Hook and Twister also were with the band. I guess Aspen got a little worn out trying to keep up with the old man …

Had four visitors in two vehicles (well, five in three, if you count me) last weekend. Non-hunters and extremely well-behaved. 🙂 I was able to talk with D&S for quite a while as we watched Steeldust’s band and bachelors in the distance.

Kreacher’s were up by Filly Peak on the way out, and Hollywood’s turned up close to the first curve from the entrance boundary (including, yes, still, Poco and Roach). Only far pix of them, and we were leaving because of the lightning strikes and lazy thunder rolls along the northeastern ridge, so it was darkling by then.

You get back from the edge this instant!

Is your stomach churning? I’m not afraid of heights, but I understand a parent’s fear seeing their child on the edge of a canyon (which I do all the time; sorry, Mom). Hmm. I guess you can’t tell from this pic or the previous one just how high they are, how long a sheer drop it is to the bottom of the canyon. That’s the canyon used by the contractors during the August 2007 roundup to collect the horses. It doesn’t look so bad in this picture because the foreground seems to run right up to the rim of rocks … but it doesn’t. Between the gentle-seeming foreground and those rocks is a steep-sided (especially on the far side, under those rimrocks), deep canyon. The horses aren’t in any danger of sliding off the edge … but good grief. You get back from that edge this instant! 🙂

Down the hill at a run

Hmm – maybe they DO listen to me! (Or not.) In the lead is Chrome, followed by Grey/Traveler, Jif (sans a foal-shadow), Houdini and Terra, Iya and Cuatro and Two Boots. Heading down to water in the Spring Creek arroyo is my guess. (Pic taken from the curve at the road to the old trap site.)

But that’s not all. On my way to the basin earlier, I had seen the backs of what I took to be Chipeta, Ty and Corazon from the Disappointment Road. So, chased out of the interior of the basin by threatening storm clouds, I went home the back way, too, hoping to see them again with a clearer view or hike in depending on the weather in that part of the herd area.

David and Shadow

Ponies heading to water.

Ponies in the sage

So to speak. I’ll wait while you count. Got ’em? Don’t miss little Milagro, nearly hidden by a saltbush or greasewood almost as big as he is. Starting at left: Kiowa and Spook, Chipeta, Copper, Milagro, Reya (Milagro is almost directly “above” Reya’s hip), Corazon and Ty. One missing … from the picture. Mesa was just to the right, out of this image.

It’s very strange doing posts so far behind. And then you, the reader, will see the most recent posts first … Almost like seeing the future of the recent past? Whew. Stand by for the next, which you already will have read by the time you get to this post.

It turned out that the only horses I didn’t see were Cinch and Bruiser and Seven’s band – and I can’t even spill the beans because you’ll already know I saw them after reading the next post, which you’ll read before this post unless you read this post in the time it takes me to write the next – first – post!

Confused? This is how the ponies seem to perpetually keep me. 🙂

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Categories : Chipeta, Copper, Corazon, David, Grey, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Kiowa, Kootenai, Kreacher, Milagro, Mona, New girls, pintos, Reya, Shadow, Spook, Steeldust, Terra, Two Boots, Ty

Bad news first

25 08 2009

Because there’s more good news, and I want to get this out and move on.

After a truly marvelous weekend, the very last thing I saw – that I didn’t see, more accurately – put a damper on the whole thing.

Low visibility

On my first pass down the Disappointment Road, showing our visitors the herd area boundary, I saw Cinch and Bruiser, then what looked like the pinto band walking away out of some trees … except that as they got into a more open area, I could see that Chipeta, her colt, Ty and Mesa were not right with the band. It became apparent that they weren’t just lagging behind, either.

We got to the cattle guard where the boundary ends, turned around and went back. I stopped at dysfunction junction to hike up a hill overlooking the road to see if I could see Kiowa’s group better and get a broader look downward.

Kiowa, Milagro and Spook

They were heading up this ridge when I caught up with them, and yes, that is a stormy sky in the background. I’m hopeful the basin got more rain (part of the good news). Milagro got his name this weekend, simply by being a tiny, minor, extraordinary miracle. They all are, of course … Spook is Kiowa’s yearling daughter. Also with this band is Kiowa’s 2-year-old daughter, Reya, bay band stallion Copper and black-and-white pinto bachelor Corazon.

At the top, they disappeared into the trees. Chipeta and her beau “appeared” close to Cinch and Bruiser – who had wisely moved up a hillside on the other side of the arroyo to watch the goings-on from a safe position – and David and Shadow … and finally Mesa. The first picture is how I first saw them, mostly obscured by greasewood and other brush. So I still didn’t know at this point where her colt was …

Then David, in the background of that picture, crossed the arroyo, and when he came up, Chipeta spooked … and I could see that the foal was not immediately at her side. And then it was just a matter of confirming he was not there at all.

Chipeta

And that confirmed it; her colt is missing, presumed dead. Now I know I didn’t see him last weekend in the one quick flash of open ground they crossed because he wasn’t there to see.

Chipeta and her colt

He was likely 2-3 weeks old; this photo was from my only sighting of him, on Aug. 2. Chipeta got the PZP; she wasn’t supposed to have a foal. But she did, and so his was a life to be valued as much as any of them. Posthumously, I named him Joven, which simply means “young.” Rest in wild peace, little one.

Honeymoons over

Ty chased David away – and Mesa – then “urged” Chipeta away across the hillside. Moments later, Mesa was with them, and they were perfectly calm. My gut feeling is that with all the stallions around, little Joven may have been accidentally trampled. As far as I know, he was Chipeta’s first. She’s a terrible flirt anyway, and she probably couldn’t protect the youngster in the chaos. Now she seems to be in heat.

As you can also see from the first pic, Ty is definitely grey in the face, but his body is still remarkably dark.

Cinch and Bruiser

The spotted pair were back in the south – they’re on the hill, watching the action below. All the horses were in this area because of a tiny seep in a corner of the arroyo that is part of the drainage down from the (dry) pond behind Round Top. Never much water in that area – WSA – of the herd area.

David and Shadow

These two followed Ty and Chipeta and Mesa, and in this pic, they’re looking on while Ty drank at the seep, guarded by Mesa. Chipeta stayed in the arroyo next to Ty after she drank first.

So we’re back to 10 foals … and I’m spoiling the next post.

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Categories : Bruiser, Chipeta, Cinch, David, Joven, Kiowa, Milagro, pintos, Shadow, Spook, Ty

Long time no see

4 08 2009

And a not-so-surprising (for the last couple of months, anyway) delivery.

The time just gets away from me trying to keep up with these ponies. There were a couple of highlights that came Sunday. Seven’s band made an appearance! They were at a distance, so I hiked in to them. It was so great to see Ze and Liberty – and their mamas and daddy, of course.

Liberty and Molly, Roja and Ze

Look how tall Ze is. He’s almost as big as Roja. He’s almost 4 months old.

Seven

They drank from a wet spot in the arroyo between Lizard Mesa and Knife Edge, and then they were headed over the south-ish end of the east-west hill.

Ze, Raja and Seven

Ze looked a little “light” to me, and I wonder if he’s going to end up grey like daddy. He’s looking back at Molly and Liberty.

Molly and Liberty

Old Molly doesn’t look too bad for an old gal, and Liberty looks just fine.

Are you wondering how our mamas-to-be are getting along? I’ll end your suspense; we’re waiting only for Jif now.

Chipeta and colt

He’s a colt and pinto and cute as a button! Can’t be unhappy about a new life when you see all the long-legged cuteness right in front of you, but I’m pretty disappointed by whatever happened with the PZP in our “trial.”

Hey, little you

As far as I know, this is Chipeta’s first foal.

Guardians

Mesa, looking very scarred these days, Ty and the new mama and baby.

Kiowa and colt

Here’s a look at Kiowa and her little mister – yep, confirmed as a colt. That’s Corazon at right and Copper in front of him. Speaking of scars, the boy with the heart on his side had some fresh wounds on his neck and inside his right hock. When I saw them, they were all peaceful under the trees. Spook and Reya stayed mostly out of sight.

I got to them by hiking out around the east side of Round Top, then out to the hill southish of the dry pond. They must be drinking from some little seep somewhere. There hasn’t been water in that pond since early last spring.

This was a great weekend for seeing horses; Sunday, I saw all but Chrome and David and Shadow. Chrome was with Traveler’s band Friday, but Aspen (alone Friday) was with them Sunday, and Chrome was nowhere to be found. Not great for water, of course. Still waiting on some ponds to get dug out in the hopes that they’ll actually hold water when it rains, but it might happen before the end of the month.

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Categories : Chipeta, Copper, Corazon, Kiowa, Mesa, Molly, pintos, PZP, Roja, Seven, Ty

Baby girl hurt

15 07 2009

Don’t panic. But it’s been on my mind and will be till I see her again. Terra-love was limping on her right hind leg this weekend. I couldn’t see any obvious injuries or swelling, but binoculars never give you a close-enough view when that’s what you want to see.

Stiff

Not a good image, of course, but can you see how “humped” she looks? Think good thoughts for our little girl, people. Thanks-a-bunch.

Artist Karen Keene Day was back in the basin to visit the horses. While she was inspired by the wild ones for future artwork, her husband put inspiration to canvas during our weekend trip.

It was another good day for seeing horses. We even saw David and Shadow! The horses are staying close to the water, in this case Wildcat Spring. The small pond off the road to the old trap site still has water from the latest rains, but I haven’t seen horses drinking there. Kreacher and the girls are taking full advantage of the catchment, but they seem to be the only ones. Wildcat Spring is the current “neighborhood watering hole.” Bruiser and Cinch are still up with the northern gang.

It’s warm, and afternoon rain is always something to be aware of. The bugs are out – but not as bad as last year. They seem worse in the south than in the north. The cheat grass also doesn’t seem as sticky. Something to look forward to, I guess!

Corona

Isn’t she a stunning little girl?

Most of the bands were east of the section of road between the intersections. We came first to Duke, Raven and the beauty above. Then Steeldust’s band strolled by us like a wave.

Daddy and baby

Steeldust and Hannah.

Mama and baby

Mahogany and Sable.

Buckskin and bay

Luna and 2-year-old Kestrel and Mahogany and yearling pinon.

Mamas and babies

Luna and Hannah, Mahogany and Sable.

Ember

How she’s changed. She actually looks quite a bit like her big sister, Kestrel, except for her color, of course!

Coupla boys

Aspen and Chrome following the big band.

Wait for me!

Hook-at-the-trot. While we were watching Steeldust’s band walk past – and Aspen and Chrome follow – we looked over to see Hook, apparently forlorn at having been left behind.

Horses and hills

Still le petite Jif hides her treasure from the world. Terra is lying down by Houdini.

The misters

Daddy and Sage. Aren’t they handsome fellows!

Family bonds

Daddy Hollywood stands very nearby as Sage takes an afternoon snack from mama Piedra.

Admiring the scenery

What does he see out there? Does he see something faraway? What’s on his mind? Lizard mesa in the middle distance; the east pocket beyond.

As we drove out, not only were purple clouds rising over the western hills but thunder was rolling, and lightning was striking – not near(ish). We were privileged to see David and Shadow off the county road near dysfunction junction. I left Karen at our lodging and went back to look for the pintos.

Kiowa and baby

Did I say I thought the foal was a filly? Then I thought it was a colt. But as it turns out, none of my pictures were close or clear enough to really determine, so baby’s gender remains a mystery. And a little more research into the timing of Copper’s take-over makes it very possible – and given the foal’s color, likely – that he is baby’s daddy.

Surrounded by spots

The little holds his or her own.

Mama-to-be?

Wouldja lookit the size o’ dat belly, la! Time will tell.

And such was the day. We didn’t see Bounce’s or Seven’s. I hope to not see Terra limping this weekend.

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Categories : Aspen, Chipeta, Chrome, Corona, Cuatro, Ember, Grey, Hannah, Hollywood, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Kestrel, Kiowa, Luna, Mahogany, Piedra, Pinon, pintos, Roach, Spook, Steeldust, Terra, Twister, Two Boots

Some lovelies, some fun

3 07 2009

Agendas. Who needs ’em? Experience has taught me to chuck out any idea of an agenda when visiting the wild ones, and my latest visit was no exception. I had two goals: Find Jif (belly watch) and find the pintos (check the mares). Well, I found the pintos!

Lovelies

First pony sighting (I drove in the herd area first) was Duke, Raven and Corona up on a hill by the second intersection, but first close pony sighting was Kreacher and the girls, right by Filly Peak.

Dun and grey and blue

From the road, looking southeastish.

Earth and sky

Mona, Kootenai and Kreacher – always love to see them!

Spotted Steeldust’s band – with Aspen, Hook and Chrome – way up in the northwest valley by the road. Hollywood and his mob were on the flats north of the first Spring Creek crossing (dry as a bone). (Pond by the road to the old trap site still has a bit of water.) Duke and the girls a little higher on the hill beyond the second intersection.

Closing in on the Wildcat Spring area, I looked over to find Bounce and family near the road – coming from water there?

Alegre, Whisper and Gaia

Prepare yourselves for an overabundance of cute-Whisper images.

Daddy and his boy

Look how light his face is already becoming.

Little brother, big sister

The youngsters.

Now, prepare thee for chuckles!

Silly face

Whisper trying to get Gaia’s attention – caught in mid-bite.

Nya nya

Whisper shows what he thinks of the photographer. 🙂 What a personality this little mister has!

Shade tree

Daddy used this tree for shade and to get away from the gnats (beware: they’re back), and Whisper kept going back to see what Daddy found so interesting about it.

More lovelies

Only sweet bright-penny Gaia missing from this shot.

Sleepy

Cropped in – sorry Bounce.

How much cuteness can you stand? I finally left the ponies and continued on.

Seven and his family were very calm back beyond the east-pocket pond. Darkish clouds were rising to the west, so I didn’t stop to check the status of that pond; presume it still dry. No Grey, nowhere. Cinch and Bruiser (!) on the crest on the eastern end of the east-west hill. Kreacher and the gals had moved to the very slope at the middle of Filly Peak as I drove out. There were two “columns” of rain up in the Disappointment, but what really looked threatening was coming over the western hills. As it turned out, those columns – which looked so innocent and were not my main incentive to driving out of the basin – turned to full waves of rain all along the northwestern, northern, eastern and southeastern length of the basin!

Shut out on my goal of finding Grey/Traveler, I was hoping to see the pintos from the road to have a better shot at hiking in right to them as opposed to hiking in and wandering around trying to find them. I was thinking about last year, when I could almost always count on them being on or near their “favorite” hill, and how that hasn’t been the case this year … when I found them on the slope of their favorite hill! I saw the baby right away through the binoculars, so I parked at dysfunction junction and hit the dirt, rain jacket in my backpack (I remembered), just in case. I never needed it, but it did sprinkle on us while I was waiting for Mesa to pick his one spot clean and join the others. I never knew whether they saw me … have to think they did? Took some long shots and headed back to the Jeep – in full sunshine.

In line

Kiowa and the baby leading, Spook, then Chipeta (check out that belly), Copper and Corazon. Reya was right behind them, and Ty and Mesa brought up the rear.

Wide-angle zig zag

Same basic composition as in the previous post, but baby is so little, she kinda gets lost in this shot.

Happy Independence Day, everyone. Hope you all have a safe weekend!

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Categories : Alegre, Bounce, Chipeta, Corazon, Gaia, Kiowa, Kootenai, Kreacher, Mona, New girls, pintos, Spook, Ty, Whisper

Surprise, two

3 07 2009

Before my vacation, I visited the pintos, who were in the southern-most meadow of the herd area – in the WSA – across from the Black Snag Road. I posted pictures, and I hinted at surprises to come. Well, I found the first surprise today.

Kiowa and Spook and baby makes three

Your eyes don’t deceive you. That’s a baby for another mare that got the PZP, and nope, not a spot in sight. She’s a little muley bay that could be Liberty’s twin. Copper, the current band stallion for this group, is muley bay, but the time line doesn’t fit. The bachelors didn’t kick Bruiser out until late August. Kiowa is mama, and Spook is her yearling filly.

Bush baby

Dumb bush, gettin’ in the way of baby. 🙂 But I like how Spook is checking out the new little.

Mama leads

Based on baby’s size and angles and curled ears (!), I think the foal is new, just a day or two old. So I’m giving her – I think it’s a filly – a birthday of July 1.

Zig zag

Mesa, bay, and Ty, black or grey, bring up the rear as Kiowa leads her band into the hills. The rest of the band is out of the frame to the right.

I stayed well away from the band to keep Kiowa from feeling like she had to run. When I first saw them, I was on the road and saw the horses heading up their hill. Rain along the eastern boundary of the herd area and more coming from the west. Naturally, I parked and headed in. (To clarify, there was no lightning or thunder.) When I got up on the hill, I stayed on their trail and saw them through the “island” of trees. They were grazing on their way east. I got to the edge of the trees, and they disappeared over a hill. When Mesa finally cropped the final blade of grass from his spot on the hill and followed them, I went on up and saw them walking on. I’m still not sure where they’re drinking. There’s a big arroyo that drains down to the road below their hill; maybe there are some puddles there (the side arroyos I cross to get to their hill were totally dry). In the above pictures of them walking, they were going closer to the hills, so not to water. I took some long-distance pix and slipped back down my side of the hill. Plenty of time to see the baby when she’s older so Mama doesn’t get worried.

Chipeta has a belly … Chipeta also got the PZP. Are you starting to wonder, like me, whether we got a bad batch of PZP?

But a new life is something to celebrate, and so we do. 🙂

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Categories : Kiowa, Spook

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs