Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Gorgeous Gaia and her daughter, Cassidy Rain, at sunset. Don’t their thick coats look warm and beautiful? It has been warm lately (40s and 50s!), and lots of our snow has melted. Our forecast snow hasn’t yet arrived.

Something was lurking in the grass under the snow. Something I never saw. Something whose danger level apparently melted as Winona walked by. This was one of the only shots I got of her with her head up. Apparently, I wasn’t enough of a danger to merit a raised head. 🙂 She’s such a lovely girl.

Look at that fat belly on Mr. Comanche! He’s well-padded and well-“furred” for winter in western Colorado. The La Sal Mountains, on our northwestern horizon, rise from the canyons of our neighbor Utah. It’s good to see them mantled again in white. The more white stuff we get during winter, the more green stuff we can look forward to during the warm months.

And have you heard … 2014 is the YEAR of the horse? It’s about time. 🙂

Interestingly, the resolution originally was sponsored by then-Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado.

About the horse sign in the Chinese zodiac, according to Wikipedia: “These three signs [includes tiger and dog] seek a true lover, and are like-minded in their pursuit of humanitarian causes. Idealistic and impulsive, the Tiger, Horse and Dog follow the beat of their own drum. Defiant against injustice, these three signs wilt without large amounts of physical affection and loyal support for causes. They are productive, enthusiastic, independent, engaging, dynamic and honorable. They can also be rash, rebellious, quarrelsome, hot-headed, reckless, anxious, moody, disagreeable, and stubborn. Although these three signs are loyal, they can be very protective when lied to.”

Just an interesting bit of information. I don’t claim any knowledge about tigers, but some of these characteristics seem particularly human rather than might be attributable to animals!

Enjoy your horses if you have them, give them an extra hug, and think good thoughts for all our mustangs, wherever they are.

Winter has come to Southwest Colorado and left its mark on Disappointment Valley and Spring Creek Basin.

Mustangs are well adapted to handle the rigors as well as bounty of their wild life. But it’s still good to see them taking the cold and snow in stride!

This is Chrome, looking back at his band on another hill. The low light was just right to warm up the late golden grasses against the blues of the shadowed snow and Chrome’s silver coat.

Oh, so handsome.