This little charmer was by far the most curious of the three foals in this band, often grazing her way oh-so-casually into the view of the camera. 🙂 The bay filly in the background might be her big sister; they were often close to the same mare (not pictured).
Pretty mamas and babies on Green Mountain.
This is a band of 13 in the same meadow as the band of three previously pictured. Rocks are scattered throughout this beautiful meadow in the forest, and a few of them served as perfect perches during my visit. I’d love to know more about the geology that caused the placement of the rocks, but mostly I was happy to just sit and enjoy the scenery!
This was my last close view of the little family as I turned my attention to the bigger band toward the end of my visit. I love how baby girl is sandwiched between mama and daddy, completely and totally safe and protected.
I did say he was stout!
To be clear, I’m not sure whether he is, in fact, the filly’s sire, but they were clearly affectionate with each other. 🙂
This is the stout, hunky stallion with the sabino mare and sorrel filly in the previous post.
All that hunkiness … and look at his lovely white eyelashes. 🙂 What a dreamboat! 🙂
This pretty sabino mare and her lovely filly are with a stunning dark-grey stallion on Green Mountain.
By the time I’ve shown a number of photos of these gorgeous ponies, I’ll have run out of adjectives!
Many wild horses share something in common from range to range: Curiosity. 🙂
This youngster is with a beautiful band on Green Mountain in Wyoming.
When I think of ranges in the West where wild horses roam (as) freely (as possible), it’s hard to imagine a place so completely different from Spring Creek Basin than Pryor Mountain, which straddles the Wyoming/Montana border (drawn, of course, by human hands and machinations).
And then I visited Green Mountain, in central(ish) Wyoming.
My first visit, last year, wasn’t too crazy different, but I was, only briefly, in one very small spot of the whole herd management area. That small region of the area was wide open, and I saw a lot of horses during that visit, and of course, it made me eager for another opportunity to visit.
THIS year, blog reader and friend Prairie Girl (Lynn H.) gave me directions to a different part of the range – the top of the mountain! – saying that’s where I’d find the horses at this time of year, not down below, where they’d been the previous spring.
As it turned out, I found many more human beings (and their RVs and campers) than any four-legged wildlife (one elk cow and a handful of deer, as well as a couple of chipmunks), but in the very last place I looked (after taking in amazing (seriously – AHHH-MAZ-ING) views from the top of Green Mountain), I did finally find horses – right where Lynn had indicated on her map that there are “always” horses! 🙂
The horse pictured above is a stallion (I think), and he was with another stallion (I think). I spotted them at the edge of the trees at the edge of the road, and the above pic is the best I could get of him, from my Jeep, before he and his buddy slipped silently deeper into the forest.
It’s not easy (!) to spot horses in this amazing forested landscape (yes, this is a BLM herd management area), but it’s incredibly rewarding when it happens.
Huge thanks to Lynn for the directions and other information about finding these mustangs that are very near and dear to her!
Family members and friends of Pati Temple drove into Disappointment Valley yesterday to celebrate a woman who changed all our lives for the better. To her, we dedicated the now-officially named Temple Butte.
David Temple led the ceremony with Marona, the first mustang he and Pati adopted. She’s a Spring Creek Basin native. 🙂 Pati’s sister Marcie is in the striped jacket, and long-time family friend Mark is in the yellow jacket.
Long-time friend Sara Staber (in blue) speaks about Pati, telling the story about how Pati successfully fought to return Traveler to Spring Creek Basin after he was removed during the 2007 roundup.
Kat Wilder talked about the impact Pati had on her … though she never met Pati.
Former San Miguel County Commissioner Art Goodtimes served with Pati years ago on BLM Colorado’s Southwest District RAC. He spoke about how she inspired everyone with her passion for public lands. She was Art’s introduction to the mustangs of Spring Creek Basin.
(Note: Temple Butte is in San Miguel County. It’s just outside Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, which straddles San Miguel and Dolores counties.)
Marona, about 21 years old, loved the attention.
The feelings were mutual. 🙂
Our sincere thanks to everyone who came from far and wide to honor Pati Temple and her dedication to Spring Creek Basin’s mustangs!
A special dedication to a special lady.
Today in Disappointment Valley, we’re having a ceremony to dedicate Temple Butte in honor of our dear and much-missed friend – and friend of mustangs – Pati Temple.
Last year, just before Christmas, we learned that the U.S. Board of Geographic Names had granted our request to officially name Temple Butte. It was an arduous application process, and we are tremendously thankful to Ann Bond for her commitment to the paperwork and seeing it through to the successful end.
San Miguel County commissioners (Kris Holstrom, Hilary Cooper and Joan May) wrote a letter of support for our application, and we thank them, especially past and present members who knew Pati personally.
Pati worked tirelessly with local BLM employees to get things done for Spring Creek Basin’s herd, and Wayne Werkmeister, herd manager in the 1990s who played a vital role in the creation of the Colorado chapter of the National Mustang Association, wrote a letter of support for Temple Butte. He’s currently the associate field manager at the Grand Junction Field Office (out of which the Little Book Cliffs herd is managed). At Pati’s insistence (one of her best traits was her absolute refusal to take no for an answer!), Wayne was here for our 2011 (last) roundup, during which we implemented our PZP program.
Mike Jensen, current Spring Creek Basin herd manager who also knew Pati, had this to say: “I really see it as fitting to have that beautiful butte which looks down on the HMA named in honor of Pati. Her passion for those horses was a driving force in where we are today in the management of the HMA.”
During her many years of involvement with Spring Creek Basin and its mustangs, Pati made sure that we partnered with BLM instead of fighting with the agency. That philosophy continues … and look at the good it has generated for our mustangs!
Pati touched the lives of humans and animals alike during her life, and it is fitting for those of us who knew her to continue to advocate for all those who need a helping hand and a word of encouragement.
Thank you, Pati. Thank you to all who made this happen.
