Hollywood’s girls walking away from the trickle. Also there were Comanche’s band and Chrome’s band.
From left: Mona, Shane, Temple and Piedra.
We have a considerable amount of haze in our air the last couple of days. Apparently not from any local fires. It’s clear we need our monsoons to step up their moisture production, however. Places are getting rain, but the basin and surrounding Disappointment Valley area are not those lucky places!
A week ago, Hollywood’s, Comanche’s and Kreacher’s bands were on what I call the roller-coaster ridge. Bounce was out below the east end of the ridge. Some of those ponies do like to stick together.
From left: Mona, Shane, Temple and Piedra. Mamas and daughters. Hollywood’s girls.
Comanche’s girls were behind them, and Kreacher’s were heading down toward the pond (dug out in 2010 and one of the three that didn’t go dry this year).
Some good lookin’ girls Mr. Hollywood has. 🙂
Heading for water.
Hollywood’s band in Spring Creek, Spring Creek Canyon, Spring Creek Basin.
Shane, Temple and Piedra at the trickle at sunset.
Mama Mona and daughter Shane.
Hollywood, in defense of his family.
Love that light. Love that color.
Love those ponies!
Before I could post the update about Hollywood’s band …
…
I already have another update:
Who’s that extra girl?
The original update was that Hollywood stole Mona, Roja and Killian from Aspen. The updated update is that Kreacher has stolen Roja and Killian from Hollywood. I didn’t see the horses themselves, but I saw images of them on the LCD of a camera owned by someone who DID see them!
Maybe it’s the angle, but I didn’t realize how much bigger Mona is than little Roja. But I do very often have the impression of Roja as a Thelwell pony. 🙂
Here’s something: We watched Aspen breed Mona – twice – on Sunday. Mona, who should have been due to foal in four months. Mona, you may remember, who was due to foal the day the roundup started last fall. Mona lost that foal at some point, but it took me until October to realize it. Her only baby to date is Shane, a year and a half old, who is now with Hollywood’s band.
Contrast Mona with Kootenai, due in August, about a month before Mona was due:
Looking very round.
Mona, giving a reluctant Roja some lovin’. 🙂 Roja moved her head about as far as she could without actually moving her feet. That’s Killian at left, looking at bachelor Duke. The two girls have been together since right after Shane was born, and they seem to be fairly well bonded.
Interesting contrast, eh.
Baby distraction – that’s my excuse!
Young mister Storm does, indeed, have mistress Mona. He’s hanging out in the territory he basically claimed last year with Baylee and Tenaz – the east pocket.
The odd thing this year is that because of our mild winter, no one is back to share it with them! Grasses are coming up spread out all over the basin, and so the horses are spread out this year as well. That’s a good thing! A few ponds already are dry, but BLM plans to dig out another three with some of the Director’s Challenge money we got.
A while back, I promised more pix of Seven and the horses with him, but then came the distraction of baby Mariah! And now Aspen is – or was recently – alone. I haven’t seen Mona – or Storm. Bounce and Tenaz had left the bands, too.
He doesn’t lack for handsomeness, does he? 🙂 Mr. Muscle!
He definitely has Roja (and their son Killian) back, and he chased Mona back to Aspen at least a couple of times. Roja is definitely pregnant!
Mona with Aspen.
Better light on the pretty girl.
Storm, growing up and shedding out! When I confirm his whereabouts – and Mona’s – you’ll be the first to know!
Hadn’t had a sighting of these horses in a couple of weeks. Thought they must be the first back to the east pocket – and there they were!
From left to right: Seven, Killian and Roja, Mona and Aspen, and Storm. Not seen up the hill to the right: Bounce and Tenaz.
Tenaz gave me a massive scare earlier this day; I found the horses – except him. I spent a fair bit of time with them while they grazed their way from an arroyo to some hills and over – not a sign of him to be seen. The photo in the previous post of Poco and Roach I got after walking out to see if he was with them and I had missed him when I saw them first – from a distance. (He wasn’t.) But when we came back around a few hours later, there he was, unscathed and perfectly fine. No idea where he was earlier.
Seven seems to have Roja and Killian back – which I thought was the case when I last saw them, from a distance. Seven actually chased Mona back to Aspen a couple of times. Bounce and Storm are fending each other off, and Tenaz seems to stick close to Bounce (which he has been doing for the last several months, and which is why it gave me such a scare to NOT see him).
I’ll have some more pix of these guys, but this one shows most of them together. Bounce is fairly lean and has quite a few new scars. Roja is just as pregnant as all get out. She’s not due till May, but until last year, she had been my first foaler (early April).
When I take people to the basin to see the horses, or when I tell them about visiting the basin and the horses, I always make sure to tell them the first rule of the basin: No agenda.
Part of the basin’s magic is that it will give you amazing gifts – if you’re open to receiving them. If you’re closed – if you go with an agenda, with things to do and things you *must* see and a time by which you *must* leave – the basin will close its magic to you.
I didn’t make this rule, but I learned it right away. I forget it from time to time … and then the basin graciously re-teaches me the lesson, and I gratefully accept.
Aspen
Mona
Shane
I spotted these ponies nearly as soon as I drove into the basin. I didn’t know I was looking for them, but I was. 🙂 Saw a few more from a distance, but although there’s not much snow, there’s enough that parts of the road are pretty muddy, especially past about 9:30 a.m. So I walked out to Aspen’s band and hung out with them for a bit, then climbed one of the twin buttes to look for whoever else might be in view to be seen. Found a great rock upon which to perch and enjoy some strawberries while I glassed the great yonder. Heard a squeal behind me. Thought it was Aspen again trying to love on Mona, but I got up and looked over the edge …
Remember last year, when I found Corona alone? For whatever reason (known only to her), she wandered away from her family and teased Storm (still with mama Alpha then) for about a week, maybe, before she went back to mama Raven and family.
The week before last, Corona’s wanderlust hit again, and she wandered off. Alone.
This last week, she’s back.
The squeal? Grey/Traveler courting Miss Shane. 🙂 Oh, that lover.
She’s not ready to leave mama yet, though.
Lesson: Be open to the gifts available. 🙂
Forget the birds and the bees. Humm and buzz. Ponies, though … fascination.
After their initial flirt, he grazed his way back up the hill. From the butte, I could see Gaia and Aurora at the top, Houdini on the other side. He disappeared over the top … then reappeared – barely – and stood there, seeming to nap. Shane, with the curiosity of the young and the can’t-help-herself of her filly nature, went up, up, up … And he waited for her to come to him. Are men so patient? Are women? 🙂 Is he awesome or what?
Oh, yes, he did eventually tire of waiting and turned to pursuit.
Besides horse beauty … what are you seeing?
Rather – NOT seeing?
Proof – there’s still some around.
Snow, aye?
Handsomest.
Prettiest. I had been sitting up on the saddle of the hill when beautiful girl came into view.
Aurora …
… and Gaia were lovely in the light.
Houdini was visible from twin butte but not from closer. I walked up over. I walked around. I didn’t see her again until I was leaving – hi, girl! – and off she went to join her compadres.
Grumpy Corona back with the family.
Aurora, fuzzy and furry.
Like daughter, like mama!
Baby needs her mama still.
He amazes me.
She awes me.
She delights me.
She fascinates me!
Aspen wasn’t at all worried about Shane, and he never made any move toward Grey at all … but he stayed quietly by Mona, who quietly grazed. How I wish I could interpret all the equine language that must have been flowing!
He’s harmless, eh? Mmhmm.
The sun was sinking, sliding, slipping and disappearing behind the hills, the one we were on, the one farthest west.
Light that made the north hills glow like autumn in January. (I don’t know why she always seems to look so grouchy!) Nice wee belly, eh?
And a last shot of the mister.
Best medicine for what ails ye – for whatever ails ye.
Best lessons are best learned over and over again. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 