Seven’s band – and friends

2 10 2011

Seven’s were with their shadow, Aspen, and Hollywood’s and Comanche’s bands when I spotted them the second day of my visit last week. They were pretty close to the road, so I decided I could sit in the Jeep and wait for them, or I could try walking out and see what happened. As it turned out, it was one of my best visits ever with Seven’s wary band.

Hollywood’s and Comanche’s are particularly comfortable with each other, so maybe that made a difference, even with Aspen dogging Seven.

This was toward the end of the visit, but that’s Comanche at left, Hollywood closest and Piedra at right. Kestrel was to the left, Seven’s band were to the right, and Juniper was wandering between them all.

Killian, who is practically the spitting image of his big brother Ze, and mama Roja.

Seven would graze, then walk his “perimeter” between his family and Aspen. I’m not sure what the unspoken code was, but he was not in the slightest worried about Hollywood or Comanche or their mares.

Yearling Shane (born Sept. 15) and mama Mona; you can see Aspen in the background.

Aspen. He has previously stolen (at least) Piedra and Mahogany, but he didn’t hold either for long.

Seven and Shane

Shane and Mona. It was harder than you might think to get pix of the belly! Shane would block her or she’d linger behind a big greasewood … After a while, it got to be kind of funny. I had a great seat under a big juniper – not the best for the direction of the light – and it was pretty high and harsh anyway – but it was perfect for observation.

Mona and Roja

Juniper (near) looking at Shane …

This was when Killian and Shane came moseying up to try to have a chat with Juniper. I didn’t have a great angle – but I didn’t want to move!

Sweetheart. 🙂 She looks so much like daddy, but certain times, I catch her looking like big sister Winona.

Cute Killian – such a sweet baby face.

Talk about reminders. I’ve been thinking about all the horses so much lately (!) … going through past photos to send adopters … thinking of all the past visits … Roja reminds me so much of Molly. I thought Molly was Roja’s dam – the resemblance is right there. But I’m glad it’s looking like Killian got his daddy’s fine head! 🙂


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Categories : Aspen, Comanche, Hollywood, Juniper, Killian, Mona, Piedra, Roja, Seven, Shane

A place in the grass

29 09 2011

The light was just starting to turn into that golden shower of color. I had been sitting in the Jeep at the east end of Wildcat Valley for a bit, taking notes and watching horses, waiting for that light …

Then came the pintos, and everybody scattered.

Hollywood and Comanche and their bands came out beyond where I ended up sitting in the grass … stopped … looked back at some others … and off they went.

Handsome Hollywood

Lovely Piedra

This was when I knew for sure that Comanche still had Kestrel and Juniper, even though they were so close to Hollywood and Piedra. You can see Traveler’s band in the upper right corner.

Wowza – that Comanche has big strides!

Comanche’s daughter, Juniper, floating on light.

Juniper’s mama, Kestrel. Another beautiful girl.

Seven and Aspen were visible, too. Piedra and Kestrel are looking back at Traveler’s and/or Sundance’s, and Comanche is turning to look at Seven and Aspen (Hollywood was just to the left, and he was already looking at them).

Piedra, looking.

Seven later chased Aspen back across to where the other horses had come from. He spent a lot of time and traveled a pretty good distance to try to shake Aspen, but when he finally returned to his band (out of sight for most of the chase), Aspen followed right behind.

Seven’s band (Shane, Mona, Killian and Roja) shortly after they had come into view and he had gotten back to them (they’re looking at him).

So after waiting for that golden light with bands all around … the ponies were scattered like the wind and out of reach. 🙂 Wouldn’t ya know.


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Categories : Comanche, Hollywood, Juniper, Kestrel, Killian, Mona, Piedra, Roja, Shane

Killian and family

28 09 2011

Killian, son of Seven and Roja, baby brother of Ze, who was adopted locally to an incredible home.

I had one of the best visits ever with his band yesterday. That’s Shane’s hip at right – and they’re pretty much attached at the hip. Cutest thing ever to see Killian walk hesitantly up with Shane to introduce themselves to Juniper. Little guy using big “sister” to bolster his curiosity. Juni wasn’t quite ready to play, though she gave them both a sniff, and then Piedra urged them back to their own mamas.

Wait, did I just mention horses from three different bands? 🙂

Piedra and Hollywood are reunited, and Juni and mama and daddy, Kestrel and Comanche, are reunited, and the two bands are as close as they were pre-roundup. They were grazing in a little “meadow” very near where Seven’s were napping under some trees when I spotted them. Seven ran Aspen like a crazy horse the evening before, but Aspen was napping right with them.

Mona and Roja. Mona doesn’t look terribly close, does she?

All three bands, from left: Mona, Roja, Shane and Killian, Seven, Hollywood, Piedra (Comanche behind her), Juniper and Kestrel, and Aspen at far right.


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Categories : Aspen, Comanche, Hollywood, Juniper, Kestrel, Killian, Mona, Piedra, Roja, Seven, Shane

Now

21 09 2011

All the BLM folks have been amazing. I’m not sure whether I should name them because I don’t want them to be targets any more than they already are, but they were excellent in all regards. We couldn’t have done anything that we did – and have done – without them. JD, WW, CC, TR, LA, JG, SB, LB, SW, JJ, MJ, HP, KW, SM, AB … thank you so much for your support and calm and level-headed approach – and for always thinking of the safety of the horses and humans. We appreciate you more than we can possibly express. We’re so grateful to have achieved what we have with your partnership, and we look forward to achieving our future goals with your help.

BLM has plans to re-seed the trapsite area, and that could happen as soon as next week.

Monday, after everything was over and everyone else was gone, I went back to basin.

If you go out looking for horses, be patient, use your binoculars, scan slowly and in seemingly unlikely places – and some of the same – and you will find them.

I saw Aspen almost right away (though I thought initially he was Duke, right in his home territory). Then Seven’s … Then black and grey – Bounce and Alegre?! Horses in trees … and below them … and nearby …

Bounce sticks out here … but he’s not with Alegre – he’s with Houdini. She’s right above the “C” in Creek.

While I was looking at them, I spotted another pair:

Right by the brown guzzler, Chrome and Hayden.

I went back around to where I’d seen horses in the hill, and that’s where the wild magic started to work its healing.

Traveler (back right) with Alegre (grey), Gaia (sorrel) and baby Aurora.

Tenaz and Corona. Tenaz was almost caught … Baylee was caught (she’s awaiting adoption – big, beautiful bay girl), and Storm gave observers a show when he galloped away right past them on the hill above the trapsite.

Watching the pintos …

Left to right: Reya (4), Maiku (1), Puzzle (1) and Chipeta. They’re a long way from “home” territory. Chipeta is the dam of the foal that has now been adopted. We don’t know how they got separated. The helicopter pilot was excellent about not even targeting the horses we asked him not to. That’s why he left the bunch alone when he realized they were with the youngest foal. What a story that foal could tell … I’m not even sure who the horses were that were with Chipeta’s band when the pilot did see the group. So all the pintos (and their hangers-on) are accounted for except stallion Corazon.

Here they are with Ty, who is now dominant over …

Copper, who is sticking with them.

I finally left them to find Seven’s and see whether Mona had had her foal yet. The pilot had seen “the pregnant mare” and of course left her alone. (We did see Kreacher’s band before the roundup even started – they ran across what would later be “the observation hill” with SUNDANCE immediately behind them and Kreacher following (?!). Chrome broke away from his band to follow them … leaving his band separated for quite a while (they were later captured all together). People were camped farther north on that hill at the time … we didn’t see the horses again. I am very eager to find them.

From left: Roja and Killian, Seven, Mona and Shane.

The lone bay turned out to be Aspen.

I also saw Shadow the end of the day Sunday – alone. But if I had to guess in normal circumstances where she might be, she was right there. Wind and Coal came to the trapsite with Iya and Cougar. Have not seen David.


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Categories : Alegre, Aspen, Aurora, Bounce, Chipeta, Chrome, Copper, Corona, Gaia, Grey, Hayden, Houdini, Killian, Maiku, Mona, pintos, Puzzle, Reya, Roja, Seven, Shane, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Tenaz

Mona bulletin

20 08 2011

While I was out, I also had the opportunity to get a good look at Mona, who is due Sept. 15.

Unfortunately, that good look doesn’t translate as well to good, illustrative photos, but these give you an idea of how she is progressing.

Seven with his girls and little boy. His mane is growing out, and he now looks “ready for the show ring” with it looking “pulled” and lying nearly flat on its regular left side of his neck. He’s still Mr. Wild, though. Although they let me get this close and were OK with me sitting there, I was unwilling to move – to get better photos of Mona – lest I break the spell. When the boys later crossed the arroyo and up over the flank of the finger hill in the near distance, that was enough for Roja, and she led her family away. Bruiser, having lost Spook to Cinch, is back with 2-year-olds Sage, Ze, Cuatro and Milagro.

That’s Mona at left, and her almost-yearling daughter, Shane (sired by Kreacher, and I was thinking how much she looks like him), Killian (Seven’s son) and Roja. Isn’t Shane a big girl? Being born in mid-September doesn’t seem to have hurt her one bit.

Because Mona is an introduced mare AND is due to foal the day the roundup is scheduled to start, this band will likely NOT be targeted for roundup at all. The same is true of Kreacher’s band – which contains Raven and Kootenai, also introduced with Mona, and will likely contain Kootenai’s new foal by the time of the roundup. I’ve also suggested Chipeta’s small band not be targeted because she also will have a very new baby.

We’re having a meeting next week with BLM and the volunteers who will be serving during the roundup, and then I’ll post some info about the roundup and adoption.


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Categories : Killian, Mona, Roja, Seven, Shane

Pictures from a tough day

3 08 2011

It felt like a betrayal to even lift my camera to take pictures after what happened to Twister … though, when I saw the BLM truck leave the basin, I felt unmistakable relief. Like when I drive by Bones Valley, I think of Bones and her foal … I’ll probably always now think of that hill above Wildcat Spring as Twister’s Hill. This is what attachment and memories and love do to us, I suspect. Life.

It wasn’t until I walked out to Iya’s band later in the day, though, that the guilt of continuing seemed OK, better than OK … what I still need to do. I’ll have those pix in a separate post.

Bounce with his kids: 2-year-old son Whisper and baby daughter Aurora. Whisper had just risen from rolling – and Bounce was rolling earlier – you can see the ground right under them. Is it just me or does young Whisper look bigger than his daddy? He gets that from his mama. Aurora and Whisper are very close, despite their ages, and I suspect Whisper gets that from his big sister, Gaia. A few weeks ago, I found Alegre, seemingly alone. She looked up from her grazing, regarded me for a moment as I sat in the Jeep, then returned to grazing. Bounce appeared to see what was up, and a few moments later, Whisper came trotting out of the trees, Aurora stuck to his side like glue. I wonder how many older siblings are mistaken by observers for mothers in those kinds of situations.

Perfectly proportioned.

Zoomed out to show him on the bank of a pond that recently went from dry to water (it was dug out last year).

Mama Alegre had already left the pond and was grazing among the greasewood when ‘Rora found her for her own mid-morning snack.

Those were all taken from the Jeep.

Back around under the north hills, I found Seven’s and Spook and Bruiser where they had been the day before. They like this area because of the proximity of water (Wildcat Spring) and the grazing and the trees to seek when the gnats are just too much. I parked the Jeep almost exactly where I had the day before with Grey/Traveler’s band and just watched them for a while. Seven’s band were immediately off the road, and Spook and Bruiser eventually crossed the road.

Roja, Killian, Shane and Mona

Seven, Mona and Killian. They drifted farther from the road when Spook and Bruiser crossed, and I took this as I drove by. Roja grazing while I’m near represents a major leap in her behavior. Seven still watches for quite a while before he goes back to grazing.

Spook, one of only three true black-and-white pintos in the basin (Raven, from Sand Wash Basin, and Corazon are the others).

Bruiser

Spook and Bruiser. Seven’s are actually closer to me – they’re what Bruiser’s looking at.

Iya’s turned up deeper in the valley, on the north side of the arroyo that runs along the base of the north side of the east-west hill – basically down left-ish of Spook and Bruiser. Quite a distance from their normal territory. Unlike most of the horses, Poco and Roach have mostly stuck to a particular location in the basin, though they occasionally go wandering. And it may be Iya’s influence that has them wandering here, though both double ponds had water (both had gone dry; one was dug out in 2009).

Twister is up, way up, to the right … a guardian now, joining the others that have gone before.


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Categories : Bruiser, Killian, Mona, Roja, Seven, Shane, Spook

Seven’s

10 06 2011

We had a nice little visit with Seven’s band, and although there were two of us two-leggeds and another band close by, they were wonderfully calm:

Mama Roja teaches Killian all the good things to eat. I love how he’s imitating her! Perfect!

Mama Roja with baby Killian and Mona’s daughter Shane (bay filly on Roja’s right) walking past Seven. Shane is just about 9 months old now, and you can see her size compared with Roja, who is not a very big girl at all. 🙂 And that little hunk of a baby is definitely daddy’s boy!

Shane with stepdaddy Seven.

Seven. What a hunk he is.

I’ll have to add one of Mona. She was being independent off by herself, closer to us, actually. I’ll have some more of them from the next day. And I can’t wait to show you a pic of Seven’s son Ze, with Sage (Hollywood’s son). What handsome boys.


Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Killian, Roja, Seven, Shane

Killian

3 06 2011

While I was visiting Spook and Bruiser, Seven’s band came to the pond below us and then moseyed on out. Even that close, which wasn’t close, was too close for wary mama Roja, and off they went. I do love the pic of them trotting through a particularly lush stand of prince’s plume, though! The bay filly is Mona’s and Kreacher’s daughter, Shane.

Roja’s and Seven’s newest son has a new name, courtesy Lynn and Kathy, who braved our crazy weather to visit Spring Creek Basin’s mustangs and were the first to spot the little guy … drum roll, please …

Killian!

I love this name for one of our newest herd members!

Welcome – again – to your world, little Killian. We’re so happy to have you gracing our planet!


Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Killian, Roja, Shane

Some of Seven’s

9 05 2011

Seven’s, Kreacher’s and Grey/Traveler’s bands were hanging out pretty close to each other on my last visit. That can be good in that you can hang out and just watch lots of horses from one vantage point, but it can be a little nervous with multiple families together – especially at this time of year. Unlike some, I don’t really enjoy seeing some of that seasonal chaos between stallions. It’s natural – sure – but it makes me nervous with worry! And with Seven’s being one of the most wary bands in the basin, I wasn’t sure they would be OK with the addition of me to the other bands.

As it turned out, they were fabulous!

I just sat with them for a while.

Roja is by far the most wary, and she stayed the farthest away, but she never appeared worried, and this and a couple of others are the only pix I have of her looking at me – mostly, she grazed!

And though this is what most folks would consider a “blah” photo … it’s a snapshot of triumph to me: Seven and Roja, quiet, calm, grazing, not worried about me.

Shane with them. Like most of the foals, she’s closely attached to her – in this case – stepdaddy.

I love this one of them!

Sigh. What a hunk! 🙂

Have you spotted the weirdness? What the heck happened to his mane and tail? His mane typically hangs on the left side of his neck; now he has just two dredlocks hanging, and the rest of his mane is in very short wisps! And did you spot how short his tail is? Is it all the result of rubbing? I would have said I’ve never see anything like it … but Kestrel lost most of her mane a year or so that is growing back nicely. It wasn’t maybe as obvious because she’s much younger and didn’t have a long mane to begin with. And Roach – was his roached mane and sparse tail the very first time I saw him natural?? I assumed it wasn’t, but maybe it was.

Just something more to make ya go “hmmmmm.” I think you’ll agree, there’s a lot more to make you go “ahhhhhhh”! 🙂


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Categories : Mona, Roja, Seven, Shane

Some miscellaneous

9 05 2011

In an effort not to bogart images from my most recent visit, here are some highlights.

Bruiser with his lonnnnnnggggg mane …

He and Milagro are still together. Interestingly, the pintos (including Milagro’s mama, Kiowa, and his little brother and big sisters) were just behind me over the ridge … well, not all the pintos. Chipeta, Puzzle and Ty (an “honorary pinto”!) have split off on their own – a move that has been coming for weeks. Those horses and Chrome’s band were the only ones I didn’t see.

Corona. Look at that wild and wooly mane on that little girl!

Shane – Mona’s and Kreacher’s daughter. Doesn’t she look big and beautiful? She’s almost 8 months old. Most of the youngsters – as usual – are still sporting fuzzy coats, though most of the adults have shed out (though some still have bits of fuzz clinging), and no wonder – the temp Thursday morning when I rolled out of the Jeep at o’dark-thirty was in the 20s!

Sisters Terra and Gemma – Gem-baby was obviously having a glorious time at the Wildcat Spring & Spa!


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Categories : Bruiser, Corona, Gemma, Shane, Terra

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