Dapple light

20 05 2010

Had a simply gorgeous time in the basin … despite the forecast that called for – you guessed it – rain/snow – again – right smack dab on my weekend. The forecasters were wrong! (Please forgive my wicked glee!) The sky looked threatening the whole way out, but then it was sunshine and layer upon layer of thick fluffy white clouds from here to the horizon. Ma Nature brewed her dark clouds over the La Sals to the northwest, and assistant Wind dutifully carried them east and south, but Storm’s corridor was just along the northern and eastern ridges and on down to the far southern reaches of Disappointment Valley and beyond, leaving the basin just a paradise on the edge of the world.

An example – this patch of sunlight illuminated the finger hill Bruiser, Twister and Cinch (reunited) were standing on while the ridge behind them stayed in shadow. They were looking down on Hollywood’s band, who eventually went north, while the boys moseyed down off the hill and across the arroyo and up onto the bench that carries the west-side loop road toward Round Top and points east.

Even more is blooming now – late this year. I’ve been keeping track, but – crazy! – I haven’t stopped to photograph the flowers yet. The paintbrush has been trying its best to find the sunshine and warm breath of spring, and more is blooming every week. Prince’s plume started last week … the globe mallow was out just this week – not so much in the basin but very much along the private road leading to the basin. Hardy phlox – white and pink – has been out for weeks and still blooms, some of the petals looking a bit windblown. Loco weed also pops up in places. Some isolated yellow daisies-something-or-other. The cheat grass is still green but starting to flag.  Greasewood is greener than green (it’s possible) and was budding last week. Water holes are dry or very shallow. One pond holds decent water, and a couple of bands are in the vicinity of Wildcat Spring. At least one band is using the catchment, but they have to range far for forage because it’s just not that great in that area. The claret cups are tightly furled within their nests of thorns … not blooming yet. I saw a couple of bunches of lupine (my very favorite wildflower) near Dolores, but that was it. We don’t typically get lupine in the basin (I’m so jealous of the opportunity on Pryor Mountain to photograph babies in fields of blue lupine!)), but there are spots along the Dolores-Norwood Road where they’ve been insane in past years. Given the great snow we had this winter, I’m looking forward to a great show of wildflowers here in Colorado this year.

The horses are mostly shed out now – last year’s youngsters still fuzzy in most cases. Nights still dipping into the 20s (occasionally) and 30s (commonly). The temp reached at least 72 while I was out. Just beautiful.

The first horses I saw were Chrome’s: Jif, Hayden, Two Boots, Cuatro and Chrome, taking his time, bringing up the rear. Can you tell that Jif is slick while Hayden is still fuzzy? Oddly enough, because he was born so late in the year, I’ve never seen Hayden shed out. His face is starting, though, and I think he’s going to stay sorrel – he’s going to be just as handsome a devil as his daddy!

Two Boots is starting to look a little closer … Can you see the little hunks of hair Hayden is trying to shed?

“Wait for me!” They walked on by and down the hill on a horse trail, then Chrome looked up from his lolly-gagging (grazing) and decided he was being left behind, so he went galloping after them.

I saw Seven’s close to Grey/Traveler’s close to Bounce’s, who turned out to be close to Kreacher’s who were close to … Luna’s. (Some stallion weirdness I’ll explain in a minute, so for now, it’s Luna’s band because everyone is following her!)

Didn’t take pix of Seven’s or Grey’s. Seven’s were very close to where I saw them last week. I just sat in the Jeep and watched them. Roja grazed and watched and watched and grazed for about 10 or 15 minutes, then oh-so-casually led her family away. She is so wary and so protective, and because I’ve witnessed them being chased (a couple of summers ago, after which I never saw Molly’s filly Starla again), I just don’t have much heart for even attempting to get too close for her comfort – which isn’t close at all.

Grey’s were moving toward the road on which I had stopped, so I enjoyed my vantage of being able to watch them as they grazed their way closer and eventually crossed to where Seven had had his band.

Who’s who? Doesn’t Whisper, left, look just like daddy Bounce? He’s going grey, though … I love seeing the resemblance.

Gaia and Liberty

And this girl is pulling a Luna on us – two weeks past her “due date,” and she barely looks pregnant at all. Even with her most recent spa treatment in evidence, isn’t she just beautiful?

Raven and Kootenai. You may remember a few posts ago, I referred to their mid-morning nap … here we are smack in the middle of their middle-of-the-afternoon nap!

Corona – no, she is NOT white! – Mona and Kreacher. I know she looks white – she’s blown out, too – but she’s not. She has this very unusual flecking of her palomino color … like Ma Nature couldn’t decide what color to paint her.

All but Mona, who was just off to the left.

And there’s baby Gideon with Mama Luna and Butch, Storm and Alpha at right. Steeldust was nearby but not too close.

Steeldust

Who could resist this gorgeous matriarch? One of the great grand dam(e)s of Spring Creek Basin.

Storm and Alpha watching Kreacher’s band. (And yes, he’s still nursing.)

While I was watching this, I kept one eye on Steeldust, who watched but never moved a hoof. Butch has bred Alpha in the past, but he didn’t now, though she’s clearly in heat.

Butch did a little dance (like a very slow motion passage) over to Steeldust, who didn’t go after him, but neither did he back down. It did provoke him to mark his territory, and Butch went back to Luna, who took the opportunity to walk away …

… followed by Alpha …

… to the very shallow nearby pond. Here’s Steeldust at left – rear – while Butch leaves a territory marker as Luna leads Gideon and Alpha and Storm around the pond – effectively separating Steeldust from the mares.

Luna walked around the pond, but Alpha stopped. Butch continued after Luna, and Steeldust stopped with Alpha.

Think that looks terrible?

How about this?

The good news is that BLM is supposed to have several more ponds – hopefully including this one – dug out because they’re all very shallow (because of the highly erodable soil). The bad news is that neither of the two ponds dug out finally last fall have water right now (I was so optimistic), and the ponds to be dug out aren’t even on the schedule until August or September.

Here’s Butch getting great enjoyment out of his “spa treatment”! Check out how he’s tilted his head and closed his eyes to avoid splashing mud. 😉

He splashed a few times, laid down just so his cheek appeared to touch mud, then got right back up again.

Kreacher, Mona and Raven watch Luna lead the band away from the pond. Butch is looking back at Alpha and the others.

They’re really all quite polite with each other. Whether that’s something conscious – “don’t want to get involved in THEIR drama” or “I think I have enough …” – or bonds keeping them together, who knows? The girls from Sand Wash Basin seem quite content with their boy.

Alegre napping at the base of the hill while the babies (not “babies” anymore!) graze in a bunch. Bounce was down a bit watching the two bands.

He has such a presence, but he’s really not a very big boy in size.

Our very own wild black stallion. He has a heart of gold.

Mahogany, Sundance and Mouse …

Kestrel, Winona and … Comanche, still guarding the girl and the babe!

Notice anybody missing?

There’s Aspen at far right …

Notice anything else, hmm, “odd”? Kestrel and Winona in the background … and in the foreground, Mahogany (front), surrounded by boys, left to right behind her: Mouse, Sundance and Aspen. And not quite ready to present her baby … but close …

Comanche … Hey, who’s that behind him?

Do you see? Recognize? Now do you see who was missing from Mahogany’s band?

Hannah and Sable. When I saw Mahogany – without Sable – I hoped fervently that she had joined her yearmate and big brother Pinon older half-sister Ember with Hook. This kind of thing makes me wonder how “off” our herd dynamic is with massive roundups that take most of the horses every two to four years. Hannah and Sable are yearlings. In a normal environment, I don’t think they’d have left their dams this soon. In both cases, they left before their mothers had even had this year’s foals.

Left to right: Pinon, Hook, Sable, Ember’s head, Hannah

Kestrel

I thought she was going to put on a show like Gideon did last week …

…

But this wee girl is more reserved than her uncle.

Mama and first-born daughter

Snack time

Love her expression here … *drinker of the wind*! Trying to catch a whiff of this weird two-legged.

Baby girl laid down when Kestrel was grazing with her head hidden from me by a greasewood bush. But then Kestrel grazed her way around her like this, and it looked to me like a little “hug” of the baby – a cocoon of sun-warmed grass and mama’s protective presence.

Comanche grazes by Kestrel as she stands over Winona. The other horses were never far away. I wonder whether Kestrel will continue to follow Mahogany or whether she and Comanche will eventually split off on their own.

Baby napping under guardian legs. Could anything be sweeter?! (Don’t answer that, and if you’ve made it this far, more sweetness is coming …)

With all those boys together, there’s bound to be a little of this. Mouse, left, and Sundance.

And then Hook had the audacity to strut up the hill from his little flock toward Comanche, Kestrel and Winona. Kestrel never looked up, and it didn’t – immediately – interrupt Winona’s nap – but Comanche took immediate notice. And Hook got a little shock:

He took off after him – HARD. I had started to leave them, so I missed the beginning stages of this chase with the camera.

So Hook, former lowest man on the bachelor totem pole, has a band of four now, and Comanche, former first sergeant for Steeldust’s band and then low on the bachelor pole that developed when SD’s band split, seems to have acquired a mare and her foal … and former Lt. Mouse seems to be still in that position – to Sundance, who seems to have been born into and at least grew up in the band? – with Aspen at the low end of THAT heirarchy. Following in the footsteps of low-man Kreacher and low-man Copper … Smarts, not necessarily brawn, with this group?! Or is the bottom of the heap the place to be when it comes to “acquiring” those that lag behind (whether youngsters or a mare that goes off to foal)? Always a myriad to ponder …

Hollywood’s band was almost the last I saw (I saw Cinch, Bruiser and Twister again, far off). Not too far from the road, and I was able to get a nice look at Piedra’s newest son.

No lupine … and greasewood doesn’t quite have the same luminous quality, but baby in a sea of green appeals just as well to my heart.

Piedra and her little boy – see how his star makes a heart at the top – like Hayden’s? Or another upside-down aspen leaf …

Baylee and Sage

After a bit, he got up to nurse, but I loved this look he’s throwing back over his shoulder.

Then Piedra decided that was enough exposure to a two-legged, and she walked down to Hollywood. Iya in the foreground. She turned to follow them, and I wish I’d been about five steps to the left or right because Holls bent his neck around to greet his son for a few seconds before Piedra turned and walked a bit farther before settling back to grazing. The whole moment was blocked because I was behind Iya in a direct path. Oy. As much as I love to capture the interactions between the mamas and their babies, I love to capture that between the stallions and babies – just more rare to see. They like to portray this stoic tough-guy front, but they’re big softies when it comes to babies! Just like all of us!

The Four Corners Back Country Horsemen’s annual wild horse count is this weekend – I hope you folks see all the horses and new babies and have weather as great as mid-week!


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Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Bruiser, Butch, Chrome, Cinch, Comanche, Corona, Cuatro, Ember, Gaia, Gideon, Hannah, Hayden, Hollywood, Hook, Iya, Jif, Kestrel, Kootenai, Kreacher, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Mona, Mouse, New girls, Piedra, Pinon, Raven, Sable, Sage, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Tenaz, Twister, Two Boots, Whisper, Winona

Two in one

2 05 2010

Happy May 2 – snow on the ground!

On to Steeldust’s band … which is kinda splitting at the seams these days. For the sake of convenience, I’m still referring to them collectively …

I think I mentioned that Hook – as of last week – was perfectly content and quite separate with Ember (2-year-old filly), Pinon (2-year-old colt) and Hannah (yearling filly). Hook had been a bachelor for as long as I’d known him. He appeared briefly this winter with Piedra and Sage (Hollywood’s mare and yearling son), then back with bachelor pal Aspen as hangers-on to Steeldust’s band.

I will take the opportunity to mention that this is at least the third time I’ve seen the “low man on the bachelor totem pole” end up with a band of his own (Copper took over the pinto band, Kreacher got the introduced girls; Duke was sort of in the upper ranks of the Bachelor 7 when he got Raven last year). However it worked, it worked.

Mouse and Comanche are still with “Steeldust’s band,” but Mouse is now apparently Sundance’s lieutenant keeping Aspen away, and Comanche is low man – as he was before Aspen and Hook came back. (Poor guy … but maybe some of the low-man luck will rub off on him!) Butch is glued to Luna, who stays with Alpha – or vice versa – they stay together – and Steeldust is glued to Alpha – and Storm, of course, still is glued – quite literally – to mama (he’s still nursing!).

So there I’ve *told* you what’s going on (via my observation; no doubt to the ponies it’s much more). Ready to *see* it?

I first saw them down in a “valley,” then Luna started walking along the arroyo. They went out of sight, and I waited awhile but didn’t see them reappear, so I walked out to the edge of a hill and found them like this: By a dry section of arroyo. One little puddle of water. It seemed as windy there as anywhere else, but there they were, napping. Front left, Luna; front right, Butch. Back left to right: Steeldust, Alpha and Storm.

And here’s Sundance and the gang, just to the right of Steeldust’s. Left to right: Mahogany, Kestrel, Sable, Sundance, Mouse and Aspen.

Then I saw this critter:

He was on my side of the arroyo from the horses, and I think he saw me just a second before I saw him – we looked at each other for another second, then he was off!

I like to see the pronghorn antelope. They sometimes act as sentinels for a band. One “barked” at me once, to alert the horses I was there. I think that was Steeldust’s band, too, and they weren’t worried, which seemed to bother the poor prongs.

The horses are watching the pronghorn, but Luna is watching something else …

… something that made SD a little restless. I also included this pic because I love the “frosted” effect of Storm’s winter coat as he sheds his baby red for big-boy grey.

Off he went across the arroyo to tell Comanche in no uncertain terms that his proximity was unwelcome!

And trotting back to his lady before Butch could get any ideas (too late for the ideas part …). And I included this photo in part to show how scarred Steeldust is. I’ve seen pix of grey stallions from other herds looking mightily battle-scarred, but not so many of our stallions show that degree of scarring – except this boy. (Mesa, the solid bay stallion with the pintos, shows a fair amount of scarring, and Aspen does, a bit, too, but they really show up on SD.)

Comanche was unperturbed and settled in for a nap of his own.

You have to use your imagination here a little, but he is definitely nursing – she finally took a step forward, raised her hind leg when he tried to go back for seconds – and he smacked his lips while enjoying up the last delicious yumminess of mama’s milk!

Love this. 🙂

Different angle on SunnyD’s: Aspen behind Mouse, Sable, Mahogany facing away, Kestrel and Sundance.

Butch and Luna at left; Sable, Mahogany, Kestrel, Sundance and Mouse clustering against the wind, and Aspen.

Together … separate.

Instead of getting kicked out of the band, Butch and Sundance seem to have figured out ways to stay … We’ll just have to stay tuned, won’t we!?


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Categories : Alpha, Aspen, Butch, Comanche, Kestrel, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Sable, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance

Stallion circus … then naps

1 04 2010

Spring is in the air, but it hasn’t quite sprung … as evidenced by the fresh coating of snow we have this morning. And the ponies are all still quite fuzzy, so I knew we were not quite done with this long winter.

The following pictures are from my visit last week with Steeldust’s band. The stallions were kicking up quite a fuss from the time I saw them initially to a few minutes after I arrived to visit them … then they apparently came to some agreement, and it was nap time!

Here we have Butch guarding Luna with Steeldust, Storm and Alpha in the background. I can’t quite explain the behavior here, even if Butch is NOT a son of Luna’s … because Luna hasn’t even foaled yet. However, she should be quite close. She’s “due” next week. Steeldust and his little mini-family were, with a nod to Storm’s name – the eye of it – they barely moved during the whole visit, even with stallions and the other horses swirling, literally, around them.

Daring Aspen, walking quite close to the band. Aspen isn’t even one of the two semi-permanent bachelors attached to this band. That’s Sundance, possibly Butch’s brother, trying to fend him off.

Now that’s Mouse in the background, and although it looks like he’s after Sundance, he’s just hurrying him on his way (after horses you’ll see in the next image) so he can deal with Aspen.

Sundance was happy when he got back with the girls – Kestrel, Mahogany and Sable.

Sundance and Butch were likely born into this band, and, for whatever reason, Steeldust seems to have no interest in kicking them out. So they have a free pass to wander within the band. Mouse is the lieutenant …

… and Comanche has his back as first sergeant. The pix are a little out of chronological order now, but it illustrates the hierarchy. Here, he’s chasing Aspen, the bay, and Hook, the grey at left. Aspen outranks Hook (but it should be noted that they both have stolen lovely Piedra from dun Hollywood – in two separate years). In the back at right is almost-2-year-old Pinon, still too young – mostly – to join in stallion games.

Hook. This pic and the next were taken before the above “chat” between Comanche, Aspen and Hook. Hook was minding his own business on the very outskirts of the band. Two youngsters were keeping him company … or he was keeping them company …

Ember, left, and Pinon are yearmates. Ember is about a month older than Pinon, and she calls the shots (her mother also outranks his mother), but one of the things I love about watching wild horses is evidenced right there in that image. It’s quiet. It’s not obvious, but it’s right there. It’s a deep bond between two horses that have known each other their entire lives, have grown up together, surrounded by adult horses that feed them, teach them, nurture them, include them. It’s a beautiful thing. It IS obvious.

Notice how Steeldust, Storm and Alpha have barely changed a step since the first photo. 🙂 Behind them: Kestrel, Sable and Mahogany. In the middle: Hannah and Sundance. Luna and Butch at right, and behind them, Mouse. They’re starting to settle down.

Sisters Kestrel and Ember, almost 3 and almost 2.

Luna, Hannah and Butch, shortly before Hannah laid down.

Baby girl down. (She’ll be a year old next week!)

Sundance standing with Sable and Mahogany. Sable will be a year old in a month.

SunnyD and Mouse

SunnyD at left, Sable lying down, mama Mahogany standing, Kestrel behind her, Aspen in the back.

Kestrel down … and here you can just see Ember’s ears behind her and Sable.

After SunnyD laid down.

Wider view … (no Aspen)

Four-square faces. 🙂 (And just the edge of Ember’s.)

Storm-chaser and his mama … my, what a big boy you are! He’ll be 2 in July. For the first time, I saw him make a half-hearted attempt to nurse, but she backed away from him, and he stretched and abandoned the attempt.

Sleepy Storm

Steeldust and mama Alpha

These next two pictures are the ones I “stitched” in Photoshop:

Left side …

… right side.

Luna is due next week … did I mention that? 🙂

Lovely Luna

I eventually got chilled by the relentless wind, so I tiptoed away. At the top of the ridge, I found a small group of muley does. I stopped, but when I moved again, they realized I was “not native” (!) and took off!

Down the other side, they found Bruiser, Cinch and Twister for me! From the top, I watched them, then saw the pintos … and watched Mesa go out for a chat with the boys. Ty was napping with Reya standing over him … Hmm … When he got up, though, they walked back toward the band. I’m kind of expecting almost-3-year-old Reya to have a baby this year. I didn’t go down to them for a closer look, though. I noticed water in the dugout pond, and by that time Steeldust’s band was grazing their way toward the ridge, so I thought they might be coming toward the water. I took another trail back to the base of Round Top.

An hour or so later …

While I visited with Grey/Traveler’s band, this was my last view of Steeldust’s band, on the ridge from which I saw the pintos, out on the other side. 🙂


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Categories : Alpha, Aspen, Butch, Comanche, Ember, Hannah, Hook, Kestrel, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, Sable, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance

Steel-o-pan-o-rama

27 03 2010

While the horses in Steeldust’s band were still napping, I tiptoed away, then turned back to take this pic – actually, these two pix. Then I let Photoshop stitch ’em! The horses were so quiet and still, they apparently didn’t move a hair! So my first attempt at a panorama of animals has turned out better than any series I’ve ever stitched together of inanimate objects!

Go figure. 🙂

From left: Alpha and Steeldust, Hannah and Storm (yes – note the slightly redder hue of her coat and the browner hue of his – they’re lying flat out 🙂 ), Sundance behind Mahogany, Sable, Kestrel, Mouse behind Kestrel, Ember, barely a bit of Comanche and Aspen!

It’s so hard to get all the horses in one picture close enough to identify them and not have them be just a blob of horseness out in the distance. While they were quiet, it was cool to take a couple of pix and combine it later. Not in the picture are Luna and Butch – to the left – and Hook and Pinon, hidden in a bit of a draw behind these guys.

I’m slowly but surely getting through the pix and posting stuff as it moves me – hope that’s OK!


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Categories : Alpha, Aspen, Comanche, Ember, Hannah, Kestrel, Mahogany, Mouse, Sable, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance

Hannah at rest

27 03 2010

When I started my visit with Steeldust’s band this week, the young stallions were on active alert. Butch was guarding Luna, Steeldust was the eye of the storm with Alpha and Storm, Sundance didn’t really know what to do, Mouse was snaking Kestrel and Mahogany all around, Ember and Pinon were hanging back with Hook, on the outskirts, Aspen was trying to exploit a hole, any hole, especially those created by Sundance, and Comanche was circling the group trying to keep him away.

But pretty quickly – to me – they settled down and went to sleep! Eyes closed, lips droopy. Butch and Alpha overtly watched me; the others seemed to ignore me as I sat down and fell into the lull of their lowering energy. At one point, about half of them – all the youngsters and Sundance and Hook at least (that I could see from where I was) – laid down!

Little Hannah was one of the first.

Going down … front-end first. Butch at left, Mouse at right.

Just a little doll!

Mama Luna at left, Butch center.

Head … so … heavy … 🙂

Sweet dreams, wild little filly love …


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Categories : Butch, Hannah, Luna, Mouse

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.


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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

Big band on the prowl

22 02 2010

During last week’s visit to the horses, I was able to drive deep into the heart of the basin – and I was able to walk in even farther. I parked near where I found Hollywood’s band, but because they were all lying down when I arrived, I set out on a roundabout walkabout in search of some other ponies I hadn’t seen for a while: Roach and Poco, Bounce’s band … whoever else might appear.

As it turned out, all I saw on my loop were bovines (at least six calves) until I came around full-circle to the dun boy’s band (oh, and I also saw a LOT of elk up on the north hills). Really never expected to not only find Iya with them but to find that he had regained Piedra and Sage from Hook! But it’s not the first time Holls has lost his favorite, and I suppose it won’t be the last.

Early on, I caught sight of Chrome’s band out on the saddle between Round Top and Flat – little red mister is surprisingly easy to identify! Then, when I was walking down to Hollywood’s, I spotted Grey/Traveler nearer on the saddle between Flat Top and Round … but didn’t see Houdini or Terra.

My visit with Hollywood’s band ended when Piedra caught sight of Steeldust’s band coming around the end of the roller-coaster ridge basically toward us. Maybe she knew Hook was with them and didn’t want to take any chances because she came completely alert from her relaxed grazing and trotted resolutely away, everyone following in her wake.

Luna had been leading when SD’s band first came into view, but as they paused to watch Hollywood’s band vacate the vicinity, Alpha took the lead and led her charges through the big arroyo and straight up a not-so-straight spiney ridge  toward the base of Knife Edge – and that’s where I had a lovely visit with the many lovelies of the big band.

Kestrel, almost 3, and her little sister Ember, almost 2, walking the ridge.

Storm. He’s 20 months old. Wait’ll you see what he’s still doing.

Young Pinon also is almost 2 years old, and that’s Hook with him.

Handsome Pinon. He looks a lot like his big sister Baylee, eh?

Mouse, left, dropped back to have a chat with Comanche.

Comanche, right, responded with a half-hearted little rear …

And Mouse decided he was OK with that response. Here, he’s looking at Aspen, who is watching the goings-on from the background.

These two seem to have developed quite a little friendship. Since the day I witnessed Storm pestering Hannah while she was trying to take a nap, when I see them, they’re never far apart.

There’s Storm and Hannah, Sable, Comanche and Ember at back right.

My experiences with the wild stallions and babies of Spring Creek Basin have always been illustrated by this very scene: Curious and tolerant of the youngsters, whether theirs or otherwise. I have, of course, been very lucky to have witnessed very healthy babies. Comanche is a bachelor, second to bachelor Mouse in the hierarchy of Steeldust’s hangers-on.

Now back to baby drama: What prompted this little action? Storm is just to the left … and baby sister Hannah got snippy with big sister Ember!

And then poor Sable, right, who was just walking along …

… became a victim of the trickle-down effect!

All’s well that ends well.

My goodness … it’s getting close to baby season again, isn’t it? 🙂 Mahogany – Sable’s, Pinon’s and Baylee’s mom (at least). Luna in the background.

I just love these lovely ladies! From foreground right: Mahogany, her daughter Sable, Luna and Alpha. I love how Luna and Alph are grazing with their eyes practically closed.

Who’s the ginormous baby boy still nursing at 20 months old!? 🙂 I’m starting to think I’m going to see him at some point down on his knees to reach under mama’s flank. Steeldust in the background.

Aspen and Hook bringing up the rear. These boys share another similarity now: They’ve both stolen Piedra from Hollywood … and they’ve both lost Piedra back to Hollywood!

One more:

Whaddya make of this? This little stealth plane zoomed over us during my visit – on a basic north-to-south trajectory – pretty low. But where the horses totally freaked out when the helicopter chattered over them last year, they didn’t seem to mind these fellows (two people in the cockpit?) at all. Can you read the USAF on the left wing and the U.S. Air Force on the nose? Another bit of a puzzle.

Before I headed back to the Jeep, I spied the back of a dark horse way out yonder on the north side of Flat Top. Couldn’t see Grey anymore on the saddle, but I couldn’t see enough to ID Terra positively. But I know it was her because I did finally see all three – Grey/Traveler, Houdini and Terra – later on my way out.

This is the end of the day’s “chapter 2” and represents the farthest I’ve gotten on tweaking the day’s photos! Visits with two more bands are to come! All’s well that starts slowly … and all’s still well with one particular little band that took in an orphan late last year … 🙂


Comments : 4 Comments »

Categories : Alpha, Comanche, Ember, Hannah, Hook, Kestrel, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, Sable, Steeldust, Storm

Duke following

18 01 2010

Had an amazingly welcome sighting on day two of last week’s visit – Duke! And not alone. 🙂

He’s shadowing Steeldust’s band (which still includes Aspen after his buddy Hook went and stole himself a little family). He’s keeping a pretty respectful distance, and he’s still limping, though not even as much as when I saw him last (I even saw him trot!). He looks OK, as you can see from his photo. Thin but not terribly so.

It was a welcome relief to see him feeling better that he’s showing signs of wanting company again – and able to pursue that company.

Some other images from the quick visit:

Big-boy Comanche and not-as-big-yet Pinon

Sleepy Mahogany and Sable

Luna has to lift her head high now to accommodate growing girl Hannah, who was looking for a mid-morning snack. Alpha at right.

Mouse and Ember, Sundance and Kestrel.

I do think they’re brother-sister … Very sweet. 🙂

Mouse only barely on the outskirts. He and Sundance had a little scuffle a little later, but it lasted just seconds, and they were right in the middle of the band with nary a disturbance. The dynamics are amazing.

Also saw Hook, Piedra and Sage, still together; Grey/Traveler, Houdini and Terra; and way out, Kreacher and his girls.

And I almost forgot about these critters, outside the herd area:

There were at least three bucks with the large group (maybe two dozen?).

I SO lucked out coming along to get pix (from the Jeep on the Disappointment Road) of them with the La Sals in the background! This is looking northwest across the northern end of Disappointment Valley.


Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Alpha, Butch, Comanche, Ember, Hannah, Kestrel, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, Sable, Sundance

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

Searching

10 11 2009

Last weekend was about searching for horses, in particular Duke, Molly and Liberty, Poco and Roach and baby Hayden. I found Hayden and Poco and Roach.

The end of the third rifle season was Friday or Saturday, depending on which DOW schedule was right, and I mostly had the basin and the horses to myself – ah, peace. I haven’t seen the pintos since the start of hunting season, I think, probably because of pressure from the road, close to which is the only water source I know of for them.

One of the bands that has NOT been hard to see recently – Kreacher’s – was briefly sighted up by the northwest road, then not again. I did get lucky and saw most of the others both days I was out.

Grey/Traveler was babysitting his youngsters – safely tucked into the saltbush taking their afternoon naps – while mamas and Iya were out grazing. Chrome and his new family were nearby, baby Hayden also taking his nap.

It was pretty windy both days (very still and nice until Saturday mid-morning) but mostly sunny and perfect temperature. Still some shade in the very shadiest of the most-north-facing hills but otherwise totally dry – except “the squish” on the loop road down from the roller-coaster hill, but not a problem to drive through.

The first clutch came when I found Steeldust’s band near the north-south road north of the Flat Top pond (which continues to shrink). Hook was with the band, and Aspen, but Twister was not with Hook. Maintaining my practice of not letting ya’ll share (some of ) my worry, he’s with Cinch and Bruiser! Not too much of a surprise, given they were all out on the Round Top-Flat Top saddle the previous weekend. AND the very first time I ever saw Mister Twister, he was with Cinch and Corazon.

Comanche and Mouse were napping on the far side of the band, and only Aspen and Hook gave me the eyeball while I visited (I don’t think Mouse moved so much as a hoof). Steeldust was hanging out with Alpha on the other far side of the band, and he apparently was completely unconcerned that Aspen and Hook were closer to his ladies and babies (except Alpha and Storm) than he was. Is Alpha in heat? There was no activity to suggest that; they were very quiet, sharing each other’s company in the sunshine. I just like to speculate. Storm-chaser is holding onto baby-hood as long as he can.

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Hook and Ember napping. They weren’t as close as they look in this photo. That’s Hollywood’s band way out in the distance on the east-west hill.

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Sundance roused from his nap long enough to greet Aspen and Hook, and after a couple of squeals and sniffs, went right back to the band.

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Is it just me, or is Mouse getting stocky as he grows up?

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Handsome curious boys

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Front: Mahogany and Sable. Back: Ember and Pinon.

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Sleepy, sleepy babies: Ember, Pinon, Hannah and Luna

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A little after the previous photo, Hannah laid down. In the “near” background is the east-west hill – that’s where Hollywood’s band was hanging out both days.

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“Baby” Storm is still nursing. Mama Alpha still lets him. Steeldust was just to the right.

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Comanche.

Whaddy’a think? They look sleepy … and they look fantastic, eh? 🙂

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You all, of course, know the Twister “mystery,” but I didn’t yet at that point. This pic was taken from the west-side loop road looking back at the band. Those crazy ponies didn’t even move in the time it took me to drive around there – well, Storm walked over to the main group. Lower left: Steeldust and Alpha. Looming weirdly hugely in the background is Filly Peak.

Seven’s band was between the Round Top road and roller-coaster ridge pond, Bounce’s was between the pond and the ridge, and Cinch, Bruiser and Twister were out between Round Top and the weird guzzler. No Molly and/or Liberty to be seen. Bounce’s were right at the base of the ridge, so when I drove over, I decided to walk down and around them to get better light. But before I got “better” light, I got light that loved Alegre.

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Love that rim lighting on her forelock and tail as she stands over her baby Whisper, who is growing up into a fine young boy.

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Handsome handsome!

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Just like daddy Bounce!

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Sweetest bravest curious-est girl Gaia 🙂

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She’s still baby-clacking.

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While I was visiting with and photographing Bounce’s band, Seven was curiously and calmly watching. Then he walked down to get a drink from the pond, just a little bit in front of him, out of this frame.

I checked the hunter camp on the hilltop overlooking Wildcat Spring. Except for four ribcages, four mule deer heads (antlers cut out) and hides, two gut piles and three entrance routes to the hill from the main road, the only speck of trash I found was a bottle cap. I guess I get leaving the leftovers for the ravens (they didn’t seem to find the stuff till the next day, making me wonder how recently the hunters left) and coyotes, but did they have to dump it down the hill on the side of the spring/canyon?? And the three routes they drove in – I hope – illustrates the need to prohibit off-road travel in an area of limited forage. How long will it take for grass – or anything else – to grow back in that poor (poor as in not very fertile) soil the horses depend on?

The sun was close to the horizon (I always forget how early it comes when we turn back the clocks) by then, so I headed out, hoping to find Grey’s and Chrome’s still in the flats. Oh, lucky me … but the long shadows were growing longer by the second.

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You can see that the shade has overtaken them by this point … See that white-ish blur at upper left? That’s Grey/Traveler. His band was out to the right.

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Hayden looks back at me and Chrome takes the opportunity to investigate the little mister. That’s Grey’s butt between his ears; an unfortunate angle, but I didn’t want to move and lose the moment! Remember how I originally described Hayden’s star as diamond-shaped? What does it most resemble now?? Be still my so-lost heart.

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This is how close they were … and how calm. Still in the sunshine, barely. Jif and Hayden were to the right; Grey/Traveler was over to the left as far back as his band. In the background, from left: Iya, Houdini, Terra and Cuatro. I think Two Boots was closer to Grey.

Lovely day and evening. 🙂


Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Chrome, Comanche, Cuatro, Ember, Gaia, Hannah, Hook, Iya, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, Sable, Seven, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Terra, Whisper

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