Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Shadow is another little lady who might have to step a bit higher than her slightly taller band mates.

Hayden provides the color; Ma Nature provides the moisture.

What could be better?

Maia seems to give an air of someone caught at the fridge at midnight. 🙂

Without all that snow piled so deep, it wouldn’t seem like she’s down in such a hidey hole, snatching vegetation her mates haven’t found yet!

The days are getting longer every day, but that ol’ winter sun still likes to stay fairly close to the horizon, where it casts long, long shadows at the end of the day.

Who knew we had an Arabian show horse in the wilds of Spring Creek Basin!?

Oh, it’s just (just!) Cassidy Rain, showing off her bold gorgeousity. 🙂

One of my snowshoes squeaked in the snow when I turned, and Cassidy Rain was off like a shot, tail flagged and head high.

Oh, isn’t she marvelous!

It’s no joke to say that the horses depend on – and even like – greasewood, even in its prickly winter phase. (Actually, it’s never not prickly, but in the warm months, at least it has a little succulent-type “bud” or “leaf” that makes it (maybe?) more palatable.)

Even winter snow ponies get itchy bellies now and then and need a handy greasewood on which to scratch! This was at least the second greasewood so abused by Seneca while I visited. Meanwhile, Killian thought they served better as forage than as a scratchy stick (he was eating the twigs). 🙂

The beauty is nearly blinding, eh?

This is what photographers call a “high key” image, where the whites are blown out and have no detail. Interestingly, that’s also what a foot of snow looks like under a cloudy sky when you’re snowshoeing through a meandering arroyo (because it’s “flat” and presumably easier to walk through): There is NO depth of field, and you really just hope there’s solid ground there under the snow at the same basic depth as the previous step because you’re too exhausted to do anything but fall if it’s not solid. (Ask me how I know.)

Pretty Spirit shines as bright as the snow. … Also, I asked her if the deep snow was harder for her to get around in than it was for her taller compadres, but she had no answer (and she kept up just fine).