So many photos, so little time to get them posted!
But here’s a recent pic of Raven, in all her big-belly glory!
Raven and Mysterium. This picture doesn’t do Raven justice. The lady is very large.
Corona looking much less pregnant even than previously, and Gaia showing a bit of her growing middle. The girls are watching Sundance’s band.
Just a matter of waiting. Mama knows best!
Mysterium gives mama Kootenai a nuzzle. Who can resist that sweet baby?!
I hung out with these ponies for a while – it was mostly sunny, and it was warm – just enjoying being in the basin with them. Then I walked on around Round Top to look for the pintos. I didn’t find them, but I did see David and Shadow. The last time I was in that area, the last time I saw David and Shadow, it was snowing! Spring is here, and it is wonderful!
… cheeky monkey do!
Mysterium watched big brother Apollo walk through this little juniper to scratch an itchy belly. She must have decided that looked pretty clever, so she spent several minutes walking through and around it!
Students rock!
Thank you a million times for coming to Southwest Colorado for your spring break and putting your muscles to work on behalf of our Spring Creek Basin mustangs!
This week, among other projects, students from the University of Missouri rebuilt a big section of fence on one of the basin’s boundaries where places were cut before last fall’s roundup. The students hiked in and out (a mile and a half or so one way) with fence materials and equipment to complete the project. No motorized help in McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area! And at the end of the day, they got to see some of the wild horses their work benefits!
Forget college spring break cliches. These motivated students raise money to travel here from Missouri and work hard while they’re here. In addition to Spring Creek Basin, they will work at Mud Springs at the base of Sleeping Ute Mountain and at Lowry Pueblo north of Cortez. They may go home with a tan (that may have started as a sunburn), but it’s not from lounging on the beach! Guaranteed, they’ll go home with memories of an experience they’ll be proud to share!
Alternative spring break here is a partnership between San Juan Mountains Association, BLM’s Tres Rios Field Office, the Forest Service (Dolores Public Lands Office), Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, the two local Back Country Horsemen groups (Mesa Verde and Four Corners), National Mustang Association/Colorado and other locals and local businesses to bring U of Mizzou students to the area for work projects on San Juan public lands. This was the 12th year of partnership!
Thank you to local volunteers Tif (MVBCH and NMA/CO), Joan (SJMA) and Bob (4CBCH), high school student volunteer Laura (who has been involved with this project for several years and will head to college later this year!), SJMA folks Kathe and MK, the Forest Service’s Tom and Ben – and pack horses Trapper and Zip! – and, never least, BLM’s Tom and Kiley!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the students. Your hard work is so much appreciated for the safety of our mustangs. Have fun with the rest of your visit, and come back soon! As Kathe said, there is a special place in heaven for all of you. 🙂
Mysterium the sweet.
Cannot even stand the cuteness of that squiggly baby mane!
And the lines above her eyes … they’ve stood out since she was born. Mama Kootenai has them, too, but they’re not nearly as out-standing.
Day of love and hope and optimism. I hope it finds all of you – all of it.
Apollo and sister Mysterium.
Happy Valentine’s Day. 🙂
WARNING! Serious attack of cuteness coming your way!!!
I mean it! Prepare ye all to smile – if not outright chuckle with delight!
Ready?!
Is she not the most amazing doll of a baby girl horse you’ve ever seen?!
I’ve been dying to share this image with you all. Little Mysterium, of course. I was sitting on the side of a hill, and the horses walked past me away from the commotion of Storm and Shadow. And I got this delightful look from the sweetheart – look at those delicate nostrils! And that fluffy, spiky, every-which-way mane! Those teeny pricked ears! That LOOK!
Continue now with your daily business – smiling, smiling, smiling! 🙂
Light loves the baby.
Loves stepdaddy, too. 🙂
Dear readers,
I know I have been seriously lacking in the blog department for a couple of weeks now. But the ponies are fabulous. We even got some snow today – first in a month?! Very un-Colorado-, un-January-like. Mother Nature, we’ll forgive you – if you keep it coming. Wet, gooshy, slushy, sloogy snow – just what the dry, exposed soil and veggies (as in vegetation) need.
Only one minor change to report: Seven is currently with Duke and Kreacher. That, of course, could change at whim. He was still with Bounce and Tenaz … then Aspen brought his remaining girl (Mona, and her daughter, Shane) into sight – and sound – and that unleashed the most activity I’ve seen in awhile. And though Seven obviously didn’t regain Mona and Shane, he has two new compadres. No pix, though; I was showing friends … sans camera. Just enjoyment. 🙂
Randomness (from when I DID have the camera):
Seven, trotting over to (try to) greet his lost lady-love, Mona. I say, how gorgeous is he!
Meanwhile, Bounce thought he might take advantage of Sundance’s flirtation with Shane to pretend a little stand for Kootenai and Mysterium. Tenaz, at right, shadowed Bounce like his little brown, well, shadow.
Speaking of shadows (har) …
… there she is – Shadow – trotting off toward Mona while Aspen and Seven have a disagreement in the background. And what interest a mare when there’s boy-play to engage in? Storm breaks off from his pursuit of Shadow to harass Seven and Aspen.
Later:
I’m not sure where she wanted to go, but he didn’t want her going there.
Have you kept track of the bands? Aspen’s, Sundance’s, Bounce-Tenaz-and-Seven and Storm and Shadow.
Ah ha!
Sorry, girl. Can’t help you! Silly filly.
I will try to post lots of photos over the next couple of days to make up for the “dry season” – sorry! Hopefully we’ll get more snow, and our upcoming dry season won’t loom so terrifyingly dry. Did you note the appalling lack of snow in these photos??
Apollo and Mysterium are half-siblings, sired by Kreacher.
Apollo is 7 months old now.
Mysterium is 4 months old.
Little feisty wily girl has figured out that she can play with big brother … and that mama is nearby if he gets too rough!
It starts with a bit of nibbling on the shoulder …
About halfway through the game, he decided he could rear up, too.
She did a lot of this …
… and a little of this, but she never actually kicked out at him.
A little more teasing …
… some more near-synchronized rearing …
… and the warning from mama Kootenai (you can just see her pinned ears) …
that led to this:
!!
But it was all good in the end …
And they lived happily ever after. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 