Storm

Storm saga

20 11 2011

I’m taking advantage of more time this week to post lots more photos … I really didn’t get a lot posted from the previous week’s visit. That was the week I found Bounce, Tenaz, Seven and Storm together – a welcome change (to this human anyway) from Seven and Storm being alone. But Storm was fairly standoffish from the other boys, though, collectively, they were all fairly close to Hollywood’s and Comanche’s during my visit.

Another wow moment this week: Spotted Storm … then David … where’s Shadow? Oh, there she is – with Storm! Or rather, with Storm between her and David. This, I told my visitor, is one of the reasons I go back every week – to see what changes in the lives of these horses in the last few days! And to at least ask these kinds of questions (I’m not sure I’ll ever have answers):

Why, when David loses Shadow, does he hound them still, trying to get her back?

Why, when Seven lost his band, did he seem to lose all interest, not even in the same vicinity of his band, now led by Aspen?

Length of time?

David stole Shadow as a long yearling in the late summer/early fall of 2008.

Seven stole Molly and Roja from Kreacher when Grey/Traveler stole Houdini, Two Boots (H’s daughter) and orphan Twister from him in March 2008.

Injury?

Seven did have a small, seemingly minor wound on his right gaskin, but it wasn’t bad enough to hinder his movement … shouldn’t have made him give up on his band?

Neither David nor Storm appears to have any injuries beyond minor cuts.

Bond/connection?

Well …? That’s maybe the better question … with no measurable answer.

Seven is still with Bounce and Tenaz. This marks the longest Aspen has had a band since I’ve known him. (He stole Piedra briefly from Hollywood a winter or two ago – that lasted a few weeks, I remember; he stole Mahogany and Eliana from Sundance for all of about a week this spring before he lost them to Hollywood.)

Shadow – the prize.

Storm – the current victor.

David – down, but don’t count him out.

And watching from the sidelines (almost):

Aspen, center, Roja and Killian at left, and Mona and Shane grazing at right.

Shadow didn’t try to get back to David, wasn’t trying to leave Storm. Storm followed her wherever she headed and stopped frequently to discourage David – and chased after him a few times to discourage him further. Didn’t work. The above photo of Storm is him trotting back to Shadow; the photo of David is him following.

Aspen, left, and David had a brief sniffing discussion (literally just seconds long) before David turned to follow Shadow and Storm, who had moved on to graze some distance away. Aspen’s band is back to the left.

One very interesting thing that I couldn’t capture with the camera because they were never close enough while I was there: the obvious size difference between Storm (3 in late July) and David (probably 8-10ish or older). This was easier seen Wednesday (when I didn’t have a camera – crazy, I know) – even from a distance, it was apparent. Storm looks compact, and David looks long and lean. Both are true, but Storm is noticeably bigger – taller, wider, stouter. An advantage of PZP-22 (it worked on Alpha alone of the mares it was administered to in 2007) and/or good genetics/nutrition/better forage from removal of some horses and less pressure on the basin? Never know. 🙂

(Clarification: We’re using native PZP here now, not PZP-22.)

Stuff to make ya go “hmmmm” … and keep me going back to follow their amazing lives. Most times quiet … sometimes, quite a saga.

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Categories : Aspen, David, Killian, Mona, Roja, Shadow, Shane, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Storm

6 11 2011

Storm wasn’t too far from Poco and Roach. I’m never sure how aware they are of other horses, close but unseen, or if the same obstacles – landforms – in my way stymie them as well. How big a role plays their superior eyesight, smell, hearing – being?

He was alone and napping, looking as robust as ever – clearly no physically worse for wear since his parting from Shadow (at the, err, hooves of David).

Can’t get over how much he grew this summer.

He stood for a while, watching me across a little arroyo, then apparently got bored! …

… and moved on to grazing. Do you love how he matches his surroundings?! Late-fall basin grey with snow patches – is that a new horse color we can register?

He kept an eye on me. 🙂

Handsome

He has moved a bit out of what had become his territory this summer – not surprising. Maybe he’ll take up with Poco and Roach … or not.

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Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Storm

Storm’s band

29 09 2011

Storm’s band was brought to the trapsite during the roundup, but only Baylee was captured (she’s awaiting adoption now at Canon City). Storm galloped past observers on the hill to the northwest, and Tenaz hid on the backside of Filly Peak. The day after everything was done and everyone was gone, Tenaz showed up with Corona. Unfortunately for the youngster (he’s 1), Traveler made short work of that liaison, and now he has Corona (back – he stole her originally in the spring).

But Tenaz managed to make his way back home, where he’s now reunited with Storm.

When we left everything Sunday, we passed Shadow … If I could have told someone where to look for her under normal circumstances, there she was. I thought David might find her there, but apparently not. She’s a fair distance from there now, and I did not find David.

Though Shadow and Bounce are both black (Bounce has a right hind fetlock marking; Shadow doesn’t have a speck of white), they’re pretty easily identifiable from a distance. Shadow is little bitty (which explains why her foals, Wind and Coal, were among the smallest of the youngsters).

Storm’s usual territory this summer is exactly where he’s back to hanging out. Bounce also called that area home quite a bit this year, and he was close to the little band.

In 2007, Bounce was aged at 20. This year, he was aged at 14-15. I think this year’s check is probably more accurate. He looks pretty darn good, eh?

My first glimpse of Shadow, Tenaz and Storm as I walked up the trail.

Now I readily admit that Storm is a big boy, but the size difference is considerable. He turned 3 in late July.

Here’s Shadow – who is 4, by the way – with Tenaz, who is a yearling.

They were all very comfortable with each other.

Tenaz is going to be a handsome boy like daddy Hollywood.

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Categories : Bounce, Shadow, Storm

Changes

13 04 2011

Well, folks, bad news about Spring. I finally found Poco and Roach today – right off the road (of course!) – and she’s not with them. Unless she’s wandering around by herself – not likely, especially after all this time – the poor girl has ascended to a “higher pasture.” I only hope her passing was as quick and painless as possible.

The other big news is that Twister and Cuatro have “lost” Duke – who is back to his lone ways and sticking closer to “home” – but they’ve gained two new compadres: Storm and Ze! Twister is 4 this spring (the lone colt left of 2007); Storm will be 3 in July; Cuatro will be 2 in May; Ze just turned 2. Oh, what havoc will they wreak?! Ha – look out!

I saw David, Shadow (who was due Monday) and Wind – but just behind a hill and for about 30 seconds before they went totally out of sight. I hiked in from the Disappointment Road later than I had intended and then couldn’t find them, so although I *saw* them, I didn’t get a good enough look to see whether a little one is shadowing Shadow’s hooves.

Just checked the weather, and western Colorado is a swath of green (rain). Not much sleep last night but SO worth it! I left work at 10 till midnight, drove to the basin, arrived at about 2:20 a.m., breathed deep the glorious air, reveled in the stars so almost within reach, slept about three hours to be up before sunrise over the east ridges and Knife Edge – which caught me with the REAL reason that made the trip so worth while … coming up.

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Categories : Cuatro, Spring, Storm, Ze

All up

30 03 2011

Also going back a couple of weeks to photos I didn’t have time to tweak and post. A visit to Luna’s was my last of this particular day.

They were napping out past the double ponds. One got dug out two years ago; the other wasn’t because of some sort of problem. The non-dugout one has been dry for a while already this year. I saw tadpoles there earlier this spring (later this winter?), and the one that got dug out is probably dry now (it was down to a puddle last week) – though it did have a shallow bit of water there when the horses were there.

When I walked out, Mouse was off a bit, napping, and the others were almost all in a row. Luna was grazing (baby is getting bigger all the time), but the others were watching me walk up – I had to go out of their view past the lower pond, into and through the arroyo and up the hill – and I climbed up to five amazing pairs of ears – all but Luna’s at first – greeting me!

You may notice I just changed the “banner” pic at the top of the blog. Aren’t they the cutest? I love Alpha and the boys. It may be because of Storm, but Gideon seems to really have become attached to Alpha. I love their big-to-little arrangement … though Storm’s as big as Alpha! Notice Steeldust. Guess where Mouse is.

I dropped to the ground as soon as I came up the hill to this amazing view – just had to take it all in! Mouse here is framed through the branches of the tree on my left. And between him and the band is … you guessed it. Steeldust.

Well, here, I have five ears of four horses … but only two eyes! The wind was blowing really hard from the south. They were somewhat protected here in this little valley – there’s a tall ridge/hill above the arroyo to the right – but it was still blasting. I love to see them so wonderfully relaxed.

Now different eyes, and Gideon’s letting me know what he thinks about the whole thing.

Before I knew it:

I really love it when they’re this relaxed.

Awww … but you know what’s coming …

That’s karma, kid! I couldn’t help laughing about the times he did exactly this to his younger “sisters” in the band.

Ugh – breath mint lately? he seems to ask.

And over he goes. 🙂 Isn’t he adorable? Soooooo sweet and innocent??? Alpha knows what’s coming, though …

… and she’s outta there. Check out Luna’s expression. Gideon had to step back when Storm rolled up – and yes, his forehead is right against Gid’ th’ Kid’s chest.

And what goes around comes around – literally. When Alpha walked behind them, it prompted Butch to move Luna – and there’s Storm about to come to his feet. Poor guy – his nap was so short-lived.

He went over to stand by mama. Look how big he is.

Gideon went to his mama, but she is in the grouchy don’t-bother-me stage of pregnancy. She IS a mama, though – HIS mama – and he did find some comfort:

Just don’t interrupt the girl’s nap. 🙂

And I left ’em to it and tiptoed away through the wind.

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Categories : Alpha, Butch, Gideon, Luna, Mouse, Steeldust, Storm

Portraits

9 03 2011

Lovely, lovely Alpha-mare

Cute-n-curious Gideon

The boy with his mama Luna

When Storm and Twister finally had enough and went their separate ways, Storm came innocently back across the arroyo and up the trail toward mama. But it was also the track straight to Luna, and Butch was charging after him in a flash – not play but a definite warning! Storm got away and came up the hill on the other side of mama – where she was napping still as you see in the photo.

Butch back with Luna – I noticed these interesting curls on the back of his hind legs. How cute is that?

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Categories : Alpha, Butch, Gideon, Luna, Storm

The process of learning

6 03 2011

Relationships matter most …

Duke napping in the early morning sunshine with Hook’s band behind him.

Cuatro with Hook’s in the background. This was the beautiful sunshine we had early in the morning after sunrise before the cloud band came up.

Steeldust’s band – which I’m going to start more appropriately calling Luna’s band henceforth – was off to the northwest – watching Hook’s and Duke’s bands when I first saw them. Another band I wanted to visit was farther east, and I had been thinking about how I was going to visit both (so greedy) when Luna’s started coming toward us. The first evidence of this was Steeldust chasing Mouse.

It caught the attention of all of us:

Hook’s watching Steeldust and Mouse.

Hook’s watching Mouse and Storm bringing up the rear. You can see we’ve now been covered in shade while the east-west hill and north(ish) hills are still glowing in sunlight.

I thought it was particularly interesting that Gideon followed Alpha … mama Luna and Butch were up ahead. Steeldust is most likely his sire, though Butch has claimed Luna since a little before Gideon was born.

Duke and the boys watching Luna and Butch …

… watching Alpha, Gideon and Steeldust.

They came down almost to the bottom of the arroyo … where Luna apparently decided it was time for a nap and everybody stopped.

Then it started to get interesting (!):

Storm caught up and walked down past mama and Luna and the others, crossed the arroyo and headed up toward …

Duke, Twister and Cuatro. Twister waited till Storm was on his side, then walked down to meet him.

Typical first greeting … (and I don’t think this is actually the first time they’ve met) …

Getting right down to business …

Cuatro followed very quickly …

A different greeting with a younger colt …

Twister takes the rear, Cuatro takes the front! From left, Twister is almost 4, Storm will be 3 in July, and Cuatro will be 2 in May.

They started with a little of this …

They know right where to aim, but note their ears – relaxed.

Check out the shoulder-check. This is what I was talking about in an earlier post. Now check these out:

From the shoulder-check, he goes for Storm’s front legs – which causes Storm to “bow” to get away …

Which leaves his back legs vulnerable. Something else interesting – the benefit of just a year or? – Storm doesn’t go for *Twister’s* hind legs – right in front of him – he goes into defensive mode.

Which just allows Twister to come around him …

And get him on the other side! And look how close he stays.

Twister is clearly calling the shots, and Storm is reacting.

Twister comes around again – look how tight. Storm has tucked his hindquarters to avoid bites, but he’s too close to get up the momentum for a kick.

Have you been keeping an eye on young Cuatro?

Now Storm’s going for Twister’s front legs, forcing Twister into defensive posture – but Cuatro’s helping his pal from the rear angle.

Then the action got a little hotter, and Cuatro here is heading back toward big bud Duke.

And yes, there was some of this.

Are you fascinated by the thought process?? Storm is bigger, but Twister is a year older (which means he has a year on Storm in learning these things) and smart – and quick.

Meanwhile, across the arroyo (except Gideon, who’s at the edge) … The only one (actively) paying attention is Butch, and this is still several minutes before he decided to join the goings-on.

Wondering where Mouse is during all of this? There he is at right – grazing on the edge of the arroyo. Another reason to show this – are you getting a sense of the size difference between these colts, one born in 2007, the other in summer 2008? It’s not great, but it’s enough to acknowledge. If Twister wasn’t an orphan, would it be so noticeable? If Twister wasn’t an orphan AND Storm wasn’t the son of an alpha mare who had no foals since Storm (because PZP-22 worked on her) and has been able to care for him exclusively these last couple of years – opposite ends of the spectrum – would it be so noticeable?

As Storm and Twister learned each others’ moves, there was some of this …

… and some of this …

… and eventually a few moments of this …

… and this. 🙂

They were by no means done. Duke waded in not long after this – followed closely by Cuatro – but his main attention seemed to be on Mouse, and soon after, Twister and Storm had apparently sufficiently rested to start again. Butch eventually joined briefly, too, and Gideon, which you’ve already seen pix of.

SO much more to this than the “obvious.” What significant, subtle conversation(s) am I missing? I’d wager it’s much more than I’m able to “see” and/or interpret.

Fascinating!

Comments : 10 Comments »

Categories : Cuatro, Duke, Mouse, Storm, Twister

Jumping, Part II

5 03 2011

This was too cute not to share right away (and then I got carried away …). I was looking back for pix of Gideon with the big boys after I did the last post and found these. He came across the arroyo and was sniffing noses with Twister when Mister Mouse came striding up and sent Gideon went scurrying around to the other side of Storm.

I just adore this:

Mouse sniffing Twister, Twister sniffing Gideon over Storm’s back while Storm looks up the ridge at Hook’s!

Talk about jumping around. And this would probably have made for exceptionally interesting video to really tie it all together as I’m obviously failing to do. This, right here, is how I know without a shadow of a doubt the boys’ “fighting” was play – practice for a year or so in the future when it will be for real – to win or keep or add mares – to prove their strength and courage – and intelligence. That really struck me as I watched them spar. There’s definitely *thinking* at work – it’s not just brute strength – there’s craftiness and cunning – and obviously learned behavior. They circle – closely – shove their shoulders into each other … What do we do when walking behind a horse? We give them a LOT of room – or “don’t walk behind the horse,” parents tell children at the fair – or we talk to them, keep a hand on their side, hip, hindquarter, tail, as we walk right around them – close – too close for a kick to land.

Play and learning, youth and exuberance – a little showmanship? They learn their moves, they learn the moves of their peers. Steeldust is the only one I’ve ever seen with his courbette move – charge – rear – vertical leap. How did he learn that one? Fighting against bigger stallions? It certainly seemed to have helped him (and the chaos of the last roundup, too?). He had the biggest – by far – band after the last roundup.

The “before” pic to the top pic … Mouse approaching while Twister greets Gideon during a break in his play with Storm (behind).

Mouse is the lone bachelor left following Steeldust’s band – which is really Luna’s band. Spoiler: Mahogany, Sundance and Aspen are together – separate. (Only distance pix for documentation.) Mouse has been with the band since before Gideon was born. Gideon has never not known Mouse, though he’s always been on the outskirts – and always protective.

When Mouse got closer, Gideon spooked and ducked behind Storm (who is family) – and then the top photo. I couldn’t tell what sparked that … and what was Mouse’s motive to walk over in the first place? Protection? Curiosity? “Pick on someone your own size”? Though clearly Twister was not threatening the little guy in any way.

A few moments later:

Mouse wandered off again, Storm turned around. Storm and Gideon are the same ages (about) as Pinon and Fierro.

And here comes Mouse again. Isn’t that interesting?

Wide view (how *exquisite* is that light on the far hills!): Mouse and boys in the lower foreground, and above, left to right: Pinon, Fierro, Hook, Sable (Ember and Hannah behind).

I missed the “drama” of Steeldust hustling Fierro back to his band because I was so focused on the interactions of the closer boys, but …

Gideon takes advantage of the action to sneak a sniff of Mouse – they’re watching as Fierro walked past Hook and seemed on his way down the ridge to join the fun … but Luna and Butch and Alpha and Steeldust are at right – Steeldust on duty. Steely Dan put the kibosh to curious George’s track … and then this:

Check out Hook’s look – directly at Steeldust. Is that a “hey, thanks, man, I owe you one”? It appears I wasn’t the only one distracted by the play of boys. 😉

(Again, that light in the background!)

And that’s all I have time for – work calls. More to come!

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Ember, Fierro, Gideon, Hannah, Hook, Mouse, Sable, Steeldust, Storm, Twister

Stallion knot

4 03 2011

What’s going on here?

Yesterday was so full and beautiful and amazing I hardly know where to begin.

It started with sunshine and boys, but shortly after sunrise, clouds from the southeast rose and stretched and covered the sky in a single wide band that just so happened to block the sun. What kind of punch would these photos have had otherwise, eh? The good news is that it didn’t last all morning or all day, which turned again nearly clear, very sunny and very basin-beautiful.

You all know – I hope – that I don’t post photos of stallions fighting just to show pictures of stallions fighting. The above photo is to get you in the mood to see photos of stallions – young stallions – play fighting. It was an amazing thing to witness. Three bands were present – two family bands and a bachelor group – and the youngsters played while the elders observed, took care of business and seemed to “referee” (in Duke’s case). Twister, an orphan colt who will be 4 this year, was at the center of it all.

He’s with elder Duke, whom he seems to respect absolutely, and with youngster Cuatro, his bud. Cuatro will be 2 this year, and though he was intensely interested in what was going on and was frequently in the thick of things, he wasn’t the center like Twister was. Just fascinating behavior. (By the way, I didn’t name Twister as any sort of storm or hurricane reference but after Oliver Twist, orphan).

Hook’s band passed on the ridge above, with Hook observing. Steeldust once sent errant Fierro back to him, and Hook jumped in to snake him back to the band. Otherwise SD stayed out of it. Butch left Luna’s side briefly to engage Twister – then right back to Luna’s side. Interestingly, Steeldust gives Alpha plenty of space; Butch seems to need to be right with Luna all the time – talk about not-so-passive “leadership”! It was Luna who finally decided she’d had enough – maybe a long enough nap – and simply walked away, and that was the end of that. Not. I went on to visit another band, and I could hear squeals every now and then from beyond the ridge. Duke’s boys followed Luna, too … and Kreacher’s ended up close by. Hook’s meandered off on their own.

So do you know who’s in the picture above?

Mouse is in front. I’d guess him to be probably 7-8?

Storm is at left. He’ll be 3 this summer.

Duke is in back. He’s probably at least older than 10 (maybe a few years older than 10?).

Cuatro (2 this spring) has his face in Twister’s cheek at left (Twister will be 4).

They’re on uneven ground, moving, moving, moving … but can you get an idea how big Storm is? He was the first to walk out to meet Twister – Twister let him come and met him just in front of where he, Duke and Cuatro had been watching the band come. It’s not a fair comparison, really. Twister is an orphan (as I found him after the roundup), and Storm’s mother is an alpha mare and has been nursing him until fairly recently (I’m not sure whether that continues, but I don’t think so) because PZP-22 worked on her, and she has had only Storm to care for and nurture these past almost-three years. Healthy mom, extremely healthy colt. How will that affect his chances at stealing – and keeping – mares? Just something to make ya go “hmm.” 🙂

Earlier. 🙂

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Categories : Cuatro, Duke, Mouse, Storm, Twister

Basin wonderland

11 01 2011

The day I took these pictures, it was a little warmer in the basin than it had been the day before – 17 to 20 degrees vs. 15-17 degrees. And you thought I meant a lot warmer!

Steeldust, Butch, Luna and Storm

Steeldust’s band was closest this day, and I broke trail on a little-used road to get to within fairly close walking distance.

Winter is just a magical time. It’s soooooo quiet. Can you see the flakes reflecting the sunlight in the photo above? The ponies go about the business of living like any other time of the year. There were a lot of tracks around the Flat Top pond, but the center was untracked – frozen solid. How much snow do they have to eat to satisfy their moisture requirements? Whatever it is, they seem satisfied.

Steeldust

In the dry months, I look for light spots – the greys – against the khaki desert. In the snow months, I look for the dark spots – then look closer to determine equine from bovine.

Alpha is in her element here.

Alpha

She’s always watchful … curious, though she rarely acts on that curiosity, content just to see what I do, it seems.

I was watching and photographing bachelor Mouse, grazing nearby. I hadn’t yet seen Hollywood’s and Comanche’s bands, but I was watching Mouse graze intently enough that when I saw Piedra and other members of her band pawing through the snow during their grazing, I realized Mouse hadn’t been.

Mouse

Isn’t he a handsome boy?

And then I realized someone was watching, and closer than I had seen her approach.

Alpha

Isn’t she just divine? With her beautiful dark eyes and glowing wisdom, she’s the queen of her environment.

Storm came around for a look, too.

Look at that amazing scenery!

Look at that snow-covered schnoz! How this boy has grown.

Beauty all around.

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Categories : Alpha, Butch, Luna, Steeldust, Storm

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs