Two Boots | Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Meet Rio

28 05 2010

In honor of water and how precious it is – and what a disappearing resource it is every year – I named the newest addition to our herd Rio.

He’s Two Boots’ colt and Cuatro’s brother, and his sire is either Grey/Traveler or Twister … He’s sort of smoky black like Whisper was, and I’m sure he’ll go grey, too. He has just a wisp of a star and a clean little right hind fetlock.

Tall, dark and handsome!

Big brother Cuatro checks out the baby.

Do you remember that Cuatro was sort of an indeterminate brown when he was born? This little fellow is much darker, but Two Boots herself was coal black when she was born!

The Pryors have lupine … we have prince’s plume.

Some favorites to tease you with until I can go through more photos. This is our good news to counter the bad …

Comments : 4 Comments »

Categories : Cuatro, Rio, Two Boots

Dapple light

20 05 2010

Had a simply gorgeous time in the basin … despite the forecast that called for – you guessed it – rain/snow – again – right smack dab on my weekend. The forecasters were wrong! (Please forgive my wicked glee!) The sky looked threatening the whole way out, but then it was sunshine and layer upon layer of thick fluffy white clouds from here to the horizon. Ma Nature brewed her dark clouds over the La Sals to the northwest, and assistant Wind dutifully carried them east and south, but Storm’s corridor was just along the northern and eastern ridges and on down to the far southern reaches of Disappointment Valley and beyond, leaving the basin just a paradise on the edge of the world.

An example – this patch of sunlight illuminated the finger hill Bruiser, Twister and Cinch (reunited) were standing on while the ridge behind them stayed in shadow. They were looking down on Hollywood’s band, who eventually went north, while the boys moseyed down off the hill and across the arroyo and up onto the bench that carries the west-side loop road toward Round Top and points east.

Even more is blooming now – late this year. I’ve been keeping track, but – crazy! – I haven’t stopped to photograph the flowers yet. The paintbrush has been trying its best to find the sunshine and warm breath of spring, and more is blooming every week. Prince’s plume started last week … the globe mallow was out just this week – not so much in the basin but very much along the private road leading to the basin. Hardy phlox – white and pink – has been out for weeks and still blooms, some of the petals looking a bit windblown. Loco weed also pops up in places. Some isolated yellow daisies-something-or-other. The cheat grass is still green but starting to flag. Greasewood is greener than green (it’s possible) and was budding last week. Water holes are dry or very shallow. One pond holds decent water, and a couple of bands are in the vicinity of Wildcat Spring. At least one band is using the catchment, but they have to range far for forage because it’s just not that great in that area. The claret cups are tightly furled within their nests of thorns … not blooming yet. I saw a couple of bunches of lupine (my very favorite wildflower) near Dolores, but that was it. We don’t typically get lupine in the basin (I’m so jealous of the opportunity on Pryor Mountain to photograph babies in fields of blue lupine!)), but there are spots along the Dolores-Norwood Road where they’ve been insane in past years. Given the great snow we had this winter, I’m looking forward to a great show of wildflowers here in Colorado this year.

The horses are mostly shed out now – last year’s youngsters still fuzzy in most cases. Nights still dipping into the 20s (occasionally) and 30s (commonly). The temp reached at least 72 while I was out. Just beautiful.

The first horses I saw were Chrome’s: Jif, Hayden, Two Boots, Cuatro and Chrome, taking his time, bringing up the rear. Can you tell that Jif is slick while Hayden is still fuzzy? Oddly enough, because he was born so late in the year, I’ve never seen Hayden shed out. His face is starting, though, and I think he’s going to stay sorrel – he’s going to be just as handsome a devil as his daddy!

Two Boots is starting to look a little closer … Can you see the little hunks of hair Hayden is trying to shed?

“Wait for me!” They walked on by and down the hill on a horse trail, then Chrome looked up from his lolly-gagging (grazing) and decided he was being left behind, so he went galloping after them.

I saw Seven’s close to Grey/Traveler’s close to Bounce’s, who turned out to be close to Kreacher’s who were close to … Luna’s. (Some stallion weirdness I’ll explain in a minute, so for now, it’s Luna’s band because everyone is following her!)

Didn’t take pix of Seven’s or Grey’s. Seven’s were very close to where I saw them last week. I just sat in the Jeep and watched them. Roja grazed and watched and watched and grazed for about 10 or 15 minutes, then oh-so-casually led her family away. She is so wary and so protective, and because I’ve witnessed them being chased (a couple of summers ago, after which I never saw Molly’s filly Starla again), I just don’t have much heart for even attempting to get too close for her comfort – which isn’t close at all.

Grey’s were moving toward the road on which I had stopped, so I enjoyed my vantage of being able to watch them as they grazed their way closer and eventually crossed to where Seven had had his band.

Who’s who? Doesn’t Whisper, left, look just like daddy Bounce? He’s going grey, though … I love seeing the resemblance.

Gaia and Liberty

And this girl is pulling a Luna on us – two weeks past her “due date,” and she barely looks pregnant at all. Even with her most recent spa treatment in evidence, isn’t she just beautiful?

Raven and Kootenai. You may remember a few posts ago, I referred to their mid-morning nap … here we are smack in the middle of their middle-of-the-afternoon nap!

Corona – no, she is NOT white! – Mona and Kreacher. I know she looks white – she’s blown out, too – but she’s not. She has this very unusual flecking of her palomino color … like Ma Nature couldn’t decide what color to paint her.

All but Mona, who was just off to the left.

And there’s baby Gideon with Mama Luna and Butch, Storm and Alpha at right. Steeldust was nearby but not too close.

Steeldust

Who could resist this gorgeous matriarch? One of the great grand dam(e)s of Spring Creek Basin.

Storm and Alpha watching Kreacher’s band. (And yes, he’s still nursing.)

While I was watching this, I kept one eye on Steeldust, who watched but never moved a hoof. Butch has bred Alpha in the past, but he didn’t now, though she’s clearly in heat.

Butch did a little dance (like a very slow motion passage) over to Steeldust, who didn’t go after him, but neither did he back down. It did provoke him to mark his territory, and Butch went back to Luna, who took the opportunity to walk away …

… followed by Alpha …

… to the very shallow nearby pond. Here’s Steeldust at left – rear – while Butch leaves a territory marker as Luna leads Gideon and Alpha and Storm around the pond – effectively separating Steeldust from the mares.

Luna walked around the pond, but Alpha stopped. Butch continued after Luna, and Steeldust stopped with Alpha.

Think that looks terrible?

How about this?

The good news is that BLM is supposed to have several more ponds – hopefully including this one – dug out because they’re all very shallow (because of the highly erodable soil). The bad news is that neither of the two ponds dug out finally last fall have water right now (I was so optimistic), and the ponds to be dug out aren’t even on the schedule until August or September.

Here’s Butch getting great enjoyment out of his “spa treatment”! Check out how he’s tilted his head and closed his eyes to avoid splashing mud. 😉

He splashed a few times, laid down just so his cheek appeared to touch mud, then got right back up again.

Kreacher, Mona and Raven watch Luna lead the band away from the pond. Butch is looking back at Alpha and the others.

They’re really all quite polite with each other. Whether that’s something conscious – “don’t want to get involved in THEIR drama” or “I think I have enough …” – or bonds keeping them together, who knows? The girls from Sand Wash Basin seem quite content with their boy.

Alegre napping at the base of the hill while the babies (not “babies” anymore!) graze in a bunch. Bounce was down a bit watching the two bands.

He has such a presence, but he’s really not a very big boy in size.

Our very own wild black stallion. He has a heart of gold.

Mahogany, Sundance and Mouse …

Kestrel, Winona and … Comanche, still guarding the girl and the babe!

Notice anybody missing?

There’s Aspen at far right …

Notice anything else, hmm, “odd”? Kestrel and Winona in the background … and in the foreground, Mahogany (front), surrounded by boys, left to right behind her: Mouse, Sundance and Aspen. And not quite ready to present her baby … but close …

Comanche … Hey, who’s that behind him?

Do you see? Recognize? Now do you see who was missing from Mahogany’s band?

Hannah and Sable. When I saw Mahogany – without Sable – I hoped fervently that she had joined her yearmate and big brother Pinon older half-sister Ember with Hook. This kind of thing makes me wonder how “off” our herd dynamic is with massive roundups that take most of the horses every two to four years. Hannah and Sable are yearlings. In a normal environment, I don’t think they’d have left their dams this soon. In both cases, they left before their mothers had even had this year’s foals.

Left to right: Pinon, Hook, Sable, Ember’s head, Hannah

Kestrel

I thought she was going to put on a show like Gideon did last week …

…

But this wee girl is more reserved than her uncle.

Mama and first-born daughter

Snack time

Love her expression here … *drinker of the wind*! Trying to catch a whiff of this weird two-legged.

Baby girl laid down when Kestrel was grazing with her head hidden from me by a greasewood bush. But then Kestrel grazed her way around her like this, and it looked to me like a little “hug” of the baby – a cocoon of sun-warmed grass and mama’s protective presence.

Comanche grazes by Kestrel as she stands over Winona. The other horses were never far away. I wonder whether Kestrel will continue to follow Mahogany or whether she and Comanche will eventually split off on their own.

Baby napping under guardian legs. Could anything be sweeter?! (Don’t answer that, and if you’ve made it this far, more sweetness is coming …)

With all those boys together, there’s bound to be a little of this. Mouse, left, and Sundance.

And then Hook had the audacity to strut up the hill from his little flock toward Comanche, Kestrel and Winona. Kestrel never looked up, and it didn’t – immediately – interrupt Winona’s nap – but Comanche took immediate notice. And Hook got a little shock:

He took off after him – HARD. I had started to leave them, so I missed the beginning stages of this chase with the camera.

So Hook, former lowest man on the bachelor totem pole, has a band of four now, and Comanche, former first sergeant for Steeldust’s band and then low on the bachelor pole that developed when SD’s band split, seems to have acquired a mare and her foal … and former Lt. Mouse seems to be still in that position – to Sundance, who seems to have been born into and at least grew up in the band? – with Aspen at the low end of THAT heirarchy. Following in the footsteps of low-man Kreacher and low-man Copper … Smarts, not necessarily brawn, with this group?! Or is the bottom of the heap the place to be when it comes to “acquiring” those that lag behind (whether youngsters or a mare that goes off to foal)? Always a myriad to ponder …

Hollywood’s band was almost the last I saw (I saw Cinch, Bruiser and Twister again, far off). Not too far from the road, and I was able to get a nice look at Piedra’s newest son.

No lupine … and greasewood doesn’t quite have the same luminous quality, but baby in a sea of green appeals just as well to my heart.

Piedra and her little boy – see how his star makes a heart at the top – like Hayden’s? Or another upside-down aspen leaf …

Baylee and Sage

After a bit, he got up to nurse, but I loved this look he’s throwing back over his shoulder.

Then Piedra decided that was enough exposure to a two-legged, and she walked down to Hollywood. Iya in the foreground. She turned to follow them, and I wish I’d been about five steps to the left or right because Holls bent his neck around to greet his son for a few seconds before Piedra turned and walked a bit farther before settling back to grazing. The whole moment was blocked because I was behind Iya in a direct path. Oy. As much as I love to capture the interactions between the mamas and their babies, I love to capture that between the stallions and babies – just more rare to see. They like to portray this stoic tough-guy front, but they’re big softies when it comes to babies! Just like all of us!

The Four Corners Back Country Horsemen’s annual wild horse count is this weekend – I hope you folks see all the horses and new babies and have weather as great as mid-week!

Comments : 10 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Bruiser, Butch, Chrome, Cinch, Comanche, Corona, Cuatro, Ember, Gaia, Gideon, Hannah, Hayden, Hollywood, Hook, Iya, Jif, Kestrel, Kootenai, Kreacher, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Mona, Mouse, New girls, Piedra, Pinon, Raven, Sable, Sage, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Tenaz, Twister, Two Boots, Whisper, Winona

Bounce’s and Chrome’s

14 05 2010

They weren’t close – in fact, they were miles away from each other – but this is a grouping of pix of these two bands because I didn’t post them earlier.

They’re looking up toward Grey/Traveler’s band and Steeldust’s band.

Alegre and Liberty. Liberty is small, but she’s doing well.

Love this beautiful girl … we have a bit of a wait till we see her baby, methinks …

Alegre and 2-year-old Gaia

And I know VC has been waiting for word about Chrome’s band … 🙂

Funny … only Hayden looking at me.

Cuatro and Two Boots … 2B doesn’t look all that close, either, does she? She’s “due” in a couple of days.

I could never get tired of seeing the horses just like this – and all it means in terms of their bonds with each other.

Nor like this! At home in a big little slice of country.

Jif. Don’t be fooled by her little belly – Hayden is only almost 8 months old.

VC, just for you – handsome Chrome, actually taking a break from grazing to look at me for a picture!

And one for the birder folks who so unfortunately got rained out Thursday when they were supposed to be able to see the horses during their tour:

How beautiful is this little wonder of nature?! Western tanager

Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Bounce, Chrome, Cuatro, Gaia, Hayden, Jif, Liberty, Two Boots, Whisper

Mudders

5 03 2010

It was April 3 last year before I reported in my notes that I did not see cattle in the basin. Shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that some cattle remain in the basin past their deadline to be out again this year.

That’s the herd area boundary fence. I’m on the road, just before crossing the cattle guard into the horses’ home.

She looks dark – she’s dark red. No calf. The other cows I saw both have calves.

This was just one of those stellar kinds of day. It included horses and hikes and back to the Earth, staring wide-eyed and grateful at clouds in the turquoise heavens. Can you imagine it? It was warm, but there was a nip – still – to that returned March wind (ooh, yeah, it’s back). Perfect day to be walking around the far-out outback, a place filled to the brim with wild still-muddy magic.

So it’s a bit messy … life ain’t perfect. 😉

Steeldust’s mob were the first visible, so I made for them. They were napping as early clouds gave way to sunshine. Aspen and Hook are still hanging on. Storm, Hannah and Alpha were lying down when I arrived; Comanche, Pinon and Kestrel laid down while I visited. Ol’ Steely Dan has a few new scars. He continues to stick close to Alpha; Storm continues to take advantage of the mommy bar.

Nap time (back, left to right: Alpha, Storm and Steeldust; front from left: Sundance, Mahogany, Sable, Luna and Pinon)

Did you see this in the background of the above pic?

Then there was this …

How familiar does this look? (Notice Comanche giving them a wide berth in the background as Steeldust guards Alpha.)

Boy’s got it bad for the girl. 😉

Ember’s hanging out with big boys Aspen and Hook.

Kestrel and Mouse

Sleepy tired boy Pinon

The sun finally cleared the clouds, and I left the ponies to their naps (Butch makes an appearance here, behind Luna; SunnyD is beside her, Kestrel behind them).

All hills make for good mysteries – what’s over the summit? What’s around the bend? In the basin, the potential for horses to be around every bend, on the other side of every hill, below every ridge, is enormous.

Seven’s were out on the saddle, relaxed and soaking up the shine of late-winter sun.

At first glance, they were alone, but guess who was around another bend – or three … a ridge or two?

Pinto ponies

And look who else was closer:

Bruiser …

David and Shadow (oops! I thought I had put their picture into the post but realized later I didn’t) …

… and Cinch and Twister!

It was great to see them, but our visit didn’t last long. They decided they’d rather be on the other side of that hill, and I just didn’t have the oomph to continue on through the mud in the “away” direction. So I went back to share lunch with Seven’s.

OK, so they weren’t interested in what passed for my lunch, but we shared a little stretch of real estate between hills, bounded by ridges, together under the sun.

They were as relaxed as I’ve ever seen them, OK with me sitting on a branch, elevated above the mud.

They’ve been playing in the mud fields …

I might feel compelled to eat my shoe if I ever found out he was NOT a son of Grey/Traveler’s. If he was aged correctly, the boy is 10 this year (hard to believe, eh?). He certainly has gone grey-er in the past couple of years. Handsome, handsome mister … just like daddy.

Speaking of, two white “dots” sandwiching a dark speck way out yonder turned out to be my boy and Houdini and Terra. Seven decided to take a nap under a tree, so I hit the trail.

Headlights caught my eye, flashing as the truck to which they belonged popped over a hill on the road out yonder. The road was a little soft, a little dry, a little damp … I was surprised to see it. But before long, it stopped … hit reverse … discharged a camo-clothed passenger … swapped end for end, re-admitted the man and headed back the way it had come. I found their ruts later.

Bounce’s band came into view … then Hollywood’s. Then … Jif! She was walking up out of an arroyo kind of between me and Bounce’s band, and pretty quickly, Hayden and Cuatro, then Chrome, then Two Boots followed her. What a wonderful surprise! And a reminder how easy it is for horses to be out of sight very nearby.

Hayden is nursing.

Cuatro grazing with stepdaddy Chrome.

Cuatro grazing with stepbrother Hayden!

Fuzzy-fuzzy!

See the white dot, the dark dot and the grey dot “above” Jif? That’s Grey/Traveler, Terra and Houdini.

Sweet, sweet day in the company of many of those I hold dear. Always a wonderful way to spend a day.

Comments : 19 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Bruiser, Butch, Chrome, Cinch, Comanche, Cuatro, David, Ember, Gaia, Grey, Hannah, Hayden, Hook, Houdini, Jif, Kestrel, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, pintos, Roja, Sable, Seven, Shadow, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Terra, Twister, Two Boots, Whisper, Ze

Threat of snow

7 02 2010

In reality, it was less than the weather man predicted, and I was able to drive into the basin. For all the snow where I live and all the snow out to the rim of Disappointment, the valley and basin have less than I expected. But the soil is wet – OK, it’s downright muddy – so I hope it still bodes well for our moisture there this year. And more is coming … it’s only February, after all!

I found little man Hayden and his family for the first time in two visits … and Iya, who was not with Grey/Traveler when I last visited two weeks ago, was not with them. Gone back to her mama? I don’t know; I didn’t see them this visit. In fact, with the cattle spread throughout the interior of the basin, it was difficult to spot horses at all. I do wonder how much the cattle disperse the horses. Report is that at least four cows have calved, and they’re being checked at least every other day, so there are good eyes watching. I still hope they’re all out on time this year.

Also found Kreacher’s band. Wait till you see Corona! Oddly enough, I didn’t see Steeldust’s, so I also don’t know whether Duke is still following them, but it made me realize it has been a long, long time since I’ve NOT seen Steely Dan’s band during a visit! But I did see a threesome I haven’t seen since better weather: Cinch, Bruiser – and Twister, still with them! They were close to David and his Shadow. And not close to them but close to me, on the road, the pintos. And a handful of deer and elk for good measure. Anyone know when deer and elk drop their antlers? I thought it was around now. Both the (young) bucks I saw still had their antlers (all the elk I saw were cows and last year’s calves).

Kreacher and his girls.

A little closer …

And a wee bit closer. Gotta love a zoom lens. 🙂

Can you believe how she’s changed?? No doubt who her daddy is! Check out that wavy mane! Daddy must be Corona of Sand Wash Basin, otherwise known as “Fabio”! Oh, she is destined to break some hearts, isn’t she? 🙂

Her “aunties” clearly adore her. Here, Kootenai is upset she’s not the one right next to the baby, and Mona is giving no ground.

But a few steps later, they were happy again.

Krazy Kreacher and Mona

Mama and her girl

Spent a little time with Chrome’s band next.

Welcome from the boys!

As mentioned, Iya was not with the band, and I wondered if she’d gone back to mama … Couldn’t confirm because I didn’t see Grey/Traveler’s band this visit.

Note the new scars on Chrome’s face. From scrapping …?

Snug as a baby bug in a fuzzy fur coat!

These two little boys are, well, typical little boys. Hayden has no idea he’s the baby of the family and is completely confident as first son of first mare. And he has the ‘tude I would expect of Grey’s son!

The innocent approach …

He just can’t resist …

Cuatro is a very tolerant “big brother.”

Hey … what are you doing there?!

Cute!!

Check out Cuatro’s lip.

But before long, the little couldn’t resist brother’s fuzzy cheek.

See how tolerant?

I can hardly stand the cuteness. 🙂 Do you see the darker hair on the front of Hayden’s face? It’s like a long horseshoe-shaped whorl. I think Jif has it, but otherwise, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it before – and it didn’t show up until he was full into his winter coat.

And again, he can’t help himself!

Sheesh. 🙂

Cuatro finally crossed the little arroyo to the left, and Hayden followed – actually right beside him – and THAT finally irritated Cuatro, who laid his ears back and snapped at him.

Meanwhile, mama Two Boots kept an eye on the proceedings but didn’t interfere. And Jif, who already had crossed, trusted her cheeky boy to follow her … eventually.

The boys finally settled to the business of filling growing-boy tummies. All the horses seem to have gotten into the habit now of eating snow. A little farther up this drainage, they paused in a particular place to take advantage of a particular drift.

Not far as the raven flies, Cinch, Bruiser and Twister were grazing close to David and Shadow … and a few elk and deer.

One big pretty girl. Doesn’t she look to be in great shape?

Two more beautiful girls.

And then the pinto band was very near the road!

From left: Spook, Kiowa, Mesa, Reya, Corazon and Chipeta, Ty and Copper.

Independent Milagro was just a bit to the left out of the frame of the first pic, facing away from the band, standing slightly uphill, taking a little nap!

I sat in the Jeep on the road long enough that three muley does started walking toward me on the road. The horses took quite an interest in them. At one point, they jumped the fence into the herd area … but within just a couple of minutes, they jumped out again.

Chipeta set herself as guardian, while the other horses mostly ignored the deer in the beginning. Ty, in the background, watched them, but he had stopped grazing and was just kind of dozing.

There’s everyone but Mesa, most now clearly watching the deer. I’m not sure where they came from exactly, and they didn’t seem to know where they were going.

So it was quite a nice little visit! Utah was visible all day, but by the time I headed home, my Colorado views (Sleeping Ute, Mesa Verde ridges, La Platas) had completely disappeared. My grandma’s favorite views were always farmground views – flat, low horizons – but I like my views “cluttered” with hills and crags and mountains. No views here means low clouds, which, now, means snow. Sure enough, about 10 miles from home, the flakes started hitting the windshield. I definitely offered some thanks to Mother Nature for the little weather window that allowed me to visit my ponies. 🙂

Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Chipeta, Chrome, Copper, Corazon, Corona, Cuatro, Hayden, Jif, Kiowa, Kootenai, Kreacher, Mesa, Milagro, Mona, New girls, pintos, Raven, Spook, Two Boots, Ty

Snow stomp

17 12 2009

The desert is snow-bound. The ponies are as adapted as you might imagine, very fuzzy and rolling with the seasons. However, despite the water in frozen form all around them, at least some still prefer the liquid form and worked hard to get it from a little hoofprint puddle melted on the edge of the Flat Top pond.

The cattle are in now, of course, and though most don’t seem to have ventured far from their entry point – all across the northwest hills – a handful have made it to the finger hills. It’s easy enough to differentiate them from horses, but my eyes – first seeing dark specks in the distance – want to see horses.

From the top of the switchbacks above Slickrock, I was surprised to see nearly the whole upper portion of Disappointment brown and seemingly devoid of snow. Where the snow line seemed to start was back against the eastern ridge – above the basin – to my mind, at least, the valley’s heart. The snow was less than I expected but still significant – the snow was more than the mud. It made for easier walking but not easy.

The first band I saw was Grey/Traveler’s band – oh what a welcome sight! When I first saw them, they were just dark specks, even through the binoculars. White-faced Iya was the first one recognizable … then Terra and Houdini … then the silver boy, standing a distance away, facing away … no Two Boots and no Cuatro. My hunch – and yours, too, I bet – was later confirmed, but first I walked down the ridge to see whether Grey was looking at them around the end where I couldn’t see. Nope. I did scan the hills for Duke, but all I saw were bovine bodies.

Note the bits of hair missing. Probably from the scuffle that led to Two Boots and Cuatro going “missing.”

He gets this oh-so-blissful look on his face when he eats snow. 🙂

Houdini is weaning Terra from nursing. Terra is not happy about it.

Iya knows just what she’s going through.

Steeldust and his band weren’t very far away – close enough that I considered walking on to visit with them – but I could see that they were all accounted for (Aspen and Hook have gone off on their own again), and I wanted to find our little autumn baby. And from a higher vantage, I did. Lucky for me, going over to visit them didn’t require a farther-interior walk.

Two Boots and Cuatro are quite well … who’s that in the corner?

You’ve already guessed:

Chrome and Two Boots went to the puddle they’ve obviously started, and Jif went around the pond.

Two Boots bravely tried to drink right along with Chrome, which he tolerated for a little bit before he got irritated and started warning her – and Cuatro – away. It was disheartening to see them trying to drink that little bit of muddy water with all the snow around them.

He never actually kicked either of them, but he threatened several times.

The basin’s newest band. Sad to see my Grey-boy lose another mare, but I couldn’t feel too bad about it, watching Cuatro and Hayden race each other on the way to the pond. Naturally, Hayden won. 😉

I didn’t have my camera out when they started running. Jif was leading the way to the pond on the north-south road, and I was on the road to Flat Top. Poor Little was lagging behind, and it seemed like he was as tired of walking through the snow as I was. Jif paused once but didn’t wait long. Cuatro trotted up to Hayden, which seemed to infuse him with energy, and they started galloping in circles. Then they hit the straight-away, and Little H really revved the engines, sprinting for the “finish line,” which was mama, of course. He won by a mile, flagged his tufty tail and looked back over his shoulder to make sure mama and his new big brother witnessed his victory! I sure wish I’d been able to get pictures of that, but it was a blast to watch. I didn’t have the opportunity to see them playing again … they spent a good 45 minutes at the pond trying to get water.

Cuatro makes a face after eating a mouthful of snow.

Hayden thought he’d give it a try, too.

Here he’s checking out some mud on the ice. Only Hayden ignored the water – I have seen him nibbling on plants, but he’s still mostly relying on mama’s milk. The little water left at the center of the pondbed is frozen solid.

By the time the little misters interacted again, they were nearly behind Jif, and within seconds, Chrome walked over to block them even further. Sheesh. 🙂 Look how grey Cuatro’s face is already.

Then it was less than an hour to sunset, and I left the ponies, still trying to paw for sips of water. Rippled high clouds in the west lit up like the gates of heaven after the sun dropped below the horizon. To say it was stunning is an understandable understatement.

I was lucky enough to spot Seven, Roja and Ze just at the edge of daylight. Even from a distance, there’s no mistaking Roja’s rotund figure. She reminds me of a pony I grew up with … 🙂 The deer were out, too, and I followed elk tracks through the snow. I imagined, by the size of his tracks, that he was a big, beautiful boy. A fitting end to a day in the wild.

Comments : 10 Comments »

Categories : Chrome, Cuatro, Grey, Hayden, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Ponds, Terra, Two Boots

Love anyway

28 11 2009

Any Martina McBride fans out there? Her song “Anyway” came up on the mp3 player when I was about 20 miles or so (nearly there) from the basin on Thanksgiving Day, and it got me thinking. Despite the supreme frustrations we wild horse lovers endure in the battle to keep our mustangs wild and free, and despite the heartaches and breaks they inevitably bring us along the way – from the magical way they melt into our hearts from first sighting – we must love them anyway. I don’t know about you all, but I’m helpless to do it any other way.

This visit wasn’t without some personal heartbreak – Molly. But it was with so much more: the horses and me and the deer and the wind and the light and the hills and song dogs howling and hope for the future in the shape of little faces and fuzzy coats, winter-ready.

Hunters gone, I had a long-awaited visit with the pinto ponies. Stout Milagro is so fuzzy, he looked like a pony next to daddy Copper.

Oddly, he and Liberty are the same dark muley bay. Maybe a genetic connection on their respective trees.

Here we have Shadow as bonnie mountain goat and David playing it a wee bit safer. I spotted them from the county road, but the pintos were hiding a bit.

The horses – including matriarch Kiowa – were relaxed and grazing, and they paid hardly as much attention to me as to the visitor walking the trail below them …

I’m happy to report that although the vast contingent of hunters finally left the valley, the deer did not. In fact, they are much more visible now, including at least two magnificent “granddaddies” to this young buck.

Mama Kiowa and baby Milagro; Corazon at left and Spook at right.

Mesa is still the outside man, but Ty and Corazon are right in the thick of things, to no great concern of Copper’s.

Corazon; Kiowa in the background.

Reya is the same age as Shadow; they’ll be 3 next spring.

Sisters Reya and Spook (May 1, 2008).

And baby brother Milagro (July 1, 2009). Can you see how fuzzy he is?

In the “front country” of the basin, Steeldust’s band was enjoying the last light of day … and I enjoyed the light creating halos around them …

He does seem to be sticking close to Lady Alpha these days.

Luna and Hannah

Mahogany grazing; Sable seeking attention from almost-3-year-old Kestrel (yearmate of Shadow and Reya).

A little past, a little different angle o’ light. Comanche in the background. (Aspen and Hook are still with the band.)

I took some pictures in passing, but my attention was really farther ahead: Chrome, Jif and little-man Hayden.

This image may be actual size? That’s Hayden’s teeny hoofprint in the soil of his home … Can’t express, really, what this image means to me.

It seems to me (stand by for anthropomorphization) that now-family-man Chrome is a little befuddled by the recent attention showered upon him – former bachelor that he is – well, in his vicinity. I am thankful for his care of his little shadow …

This one just makes me smile. 🙂

Little is fuzzed-up and bearded for winter … so soon … He seems to show the faintest hint of grey high on his cheeks, but right around his eyes is red. What color will the mister be? He’s so much like his daddy, Grey/Traveler.

Now the secret is out: BLM’s next “issue” is the incredible proliferation of over-populating wild ants! No end in sight! How WILL they manage this new “problem”??

Evening with a view …

So thankful …

I took this photo of the moon during my visit with Hayden and Co., song dogs setting up a chorus in the background. Not sure it could have been more perfect.

At that point, I didn’t yet know about Molly.

In the morning, before sunrise, it was 15 degrees in the basin. The morning star was glittering like a droplet of ice on the eastern horizon while the sky grew steadily lighter. In the dim light, I had a sighting that made my heart leap: Duke. It was hard to see him because it was not yet exactly light and because of the distance, but he looked a little off – still. More on him to come.

Mornings in the basin will make you believe in something other than yourself … and if you already believe … it will reaffirm your faith in something humans will never take away. It is still. It is clear. It is hopeful. It is magic. You can almost hear the collective breath holding, waiting for that first light on the far ridges across Disappointment Valley, waiting for a long column of light to illuminate, first, Filly Peak, then widen and lay down its path across Round Top and Flat Top.

Steeldust and his hangers-on were single-file from the pond to the base of the hill. Far away.

I was looking for horses to put between me and the camera and the hills, surrounded by that sublime light. Did I mention how cold it was?

Hollywood and his girls and his youngster found me, grazing quietly in the pre-dawn light down a line of hills below the road. I hadn’t spent much time with them lately, so I put my down coat on top of my jacket and 14 other layers, wrapped my ear-band around my head, readied my gloves, put extra batteries close to my heart … and waited and watched the creep of light.

Have you ever watched – really watched – sunrise? It can’t be described. Especially, maybe, in the great – intimate – expanse of the basin; there are just too many places to watch the rising sun touch hills and ridges and swells with that sweet golden light. And before I knew it, sunlight had replaced shadow surrounding Holls and the girls and Sage. I zipped up and started walking. Baylee, watching me waddle toward them, thought – apparently – I was the abominable snowwoman – or Michelin Woman? – come to life.

The “Bundle Woman” cometh.

Piedra apparently eventually recognized me, but Baylee’s expression didn’t change much in the other photos I took. Steeldust’s band didn’t know what to think last fall, either, the first time I wore my down coat, until I started singing to them … the only audience that can withstand my “singing.” 😉

Sage still treats auntie Baylee like a playmate … and he still seeks reassurance from mama.

Hollywood

Sage’s winter coat is brown again. He looks like a little Mouse.

Relaxed

I hadn’t seen Grey/Traveler’s band the day before – and I hadn’t seen Bounce’s since the weekend before last – so I decided to head on to look for them and see if the golden light would hold.

Saw the silver boy and his band … and as I approached the Round Top intersection, I saw horses nearly straight ahead. It took a second to identify them against the light … and it took a second after that to pick out Liberty, grazing close to Gaia. I didn’t have to look for Molly; I knew she wouldn’t be there. Even expecting to see what I saw, I couldn’t stop the tears from coming. There’d be no heartbreak if there wasn’t first love.

Gaia and Liberty

Bounce

Whisper and Alegre

Maybe a little surrogate-mothering going on …

Liberty is our third orphan since I started the documentation of the Spring Creek Basin herd. My introduction to Twister was when he was already orphaned, possibly during the roundup. Shadow’s dam, Ceal, died sometime over the winter of 2007-08. Liberty is 6 months old, and she’s a tough little thing. I think she’ll be OK.

I walked from them back over to Grey/Traveler’s band.

He is my healing magic.

Cuatro was hanging out, napping on his feet, a short distance from the band. Then he decided to put on a show:

Such a big trot for a little boy!

Flying!

He must have learned this move from his muley pals. 🙂

He hit the brakes, and Terra came up out of the arroyo. Two Boots never looked up from her grazing. She’s a veteran mama at the ripe young age of 2. Watching Cuatro, it suddenly became apparent to me that his sire has to be Twister; he looks just like him.

Grey and Houdini

Terra and Cuatro

Iya (April 27, 2008) and Terra (May 1, 2009); La Sal Mountains in the background. They were born the same color; look how dark Iya is now!

Fuzzy, furry silver boy!

Thus emotionally armed, I went back to find Duke.

He looks all right … but he is thinner than when he had Raven and Corona – and, briefly, Kootenai.

He’s still limping, but he’s completely mobile, and he’s putting weight on his injured leg (right hind). See all that sky behind him? This is Spring Creek Basin’s version of “top of the world.” The difference between here and the Pryors is that here, if you step off that edge … well, let’s just say it really is an edge, and I really would recommend NOT stepping off!

Love his handsome face.

He’s a crazy horse to be walking up and down mountains (to and from water) on his healing leg, but he’s a tough boy!

Love, always. 🙂

Thankful days don’t wait for calendar dates. No matter what’s going on, I – and you, I bet – have things in your life for which to be thankful anyway. I think the ponies don’t know how much they give of themselves to all of us who admire them so; it’s the least we can do to ensure their continued protection – any way we can.

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Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Baylee, Bounce, Chipeta, Chrome, Copper, Corazon, Duke, Gaia, Grey, Hannah, Hayden, Hollywood, Houdini, Jif, Kestrel, Kiowa, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Mesa, Milagro, Piedra, pintos, Reya, Sable, Sage, Shadow, Spook, Steeldust, Terra, Two Boots, Ty

Sun worship

13 11 2009

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Can you feel the warmth?

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Early morning in the basin, everything is still. Chrome and Traveler were still close with their families; in fact, Iya was hanging out with Chrome and Jif and Hayden again.

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Traveler’s had started to go up this hill, on this side of the drainage, and Chrome’s – with Iya – had started up a hill to the left.

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From the top of “Chrome’s hill” looking across at Terra and Houdini.

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A little closer

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A little earlier – Cuatro and Terra

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A little sun … a little shade … a beautiful silver …

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A little nourishment for the littlest.

I drove up into the northwest section of the basin, looking for Kreacher’s where I’d seen them the day before and any sign of Duke – nada nobody. But as I drove, I was thinking about the “bottle tree” I cleaned up last year in the wake of the people at Wildcat Spring. Remember it?

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Taken Nov. 2, 2008.

You’d never believe …

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Taken Nov. 7, 2009; same tree. 😦

I saw everybody else during the day but Molly and Liberty and the pintos (and the aforementioned Kreacher’s band and Duke), including Poco and Roach. They were too far for good pictures, just over the ridge from Seven’s, Bounce’s and Cinch, Bruiser and Twister. Steeldust was entertaining the remainder of the bachelors near Round Top. David and Shadow were out on the saddle, so I know they’re staying close to that water source, which is interior and safer at least.

The wind picked up about mid-morning, apparently trying to make up for the early morning stillness. Most of the sky was bright blue except for a long trail of clouds that kept the sun mostly – weirdly – obscured and kept us mostly under shade after that first glorious hour of the day.

Snow coming again.

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Categories : Chrome, Cuatro, Grey, Hayden, Houdini, Jif, Terra, Two Boots

Updates

13 09 2009

No on Jif, but I have an ETA: sometime while I’m on vacation till the end of the month. Har.

Also have ETW – estimated time of work – on the two ponds: Sept. 21. Rain is falling and/or threatening every day, but the basin is still very dry. The two re-filled ponds in the east are holding, but the small pond by the entrance has dried up again.

Le petite Jif is mongo enormous. If she wasn’t so little to start with, I’d be afraid of twins.

Jif and Traveler

This photo doesn’t even do justice to the enormity of her belly. She’s bagging up but neither tight nor even full yet.

Coming into the main part of the basin, the first horses I saw were Kreacher, Mona and Kootenai … and then a grey horse and a dun horse behind them – Grey/Traveler and Jif. Uh … whoa! White spot on the hillside … it’s a mountain goat … it’s Houdini!

Count the ponies

Test your skills; how many horses do you see? Every horse in Kreacher’s and Traveler’s bands is pictured, including bachelor Chrome … who may not be a bachelor anymore …

Mona, Kreacher, Kootenai

A boy and his girls.

Queen of the hill

Two Boots was the highest of the horses. I thought it was a little strange that Grey was at the base of the hill with Jif, while all the others – including Chrome – were up on the hill, but the ole man is, well, older. Maybe he he’s scared of heights (!?), maybe he just didn’t see the need to act like a mountain goat at that particular time, maybe he was perfectly content hanging out with his expectant-mama-mare. He’s a daddy many times over; he has to know (one wonders what he thinks about her being so late in the season). Chrome was closest to Two Boots and Cuatro, as seen in the pic, but Iya and Houdini and Terra were all up there as well – to the right and slightly below.

(Wannabe) king o' da hill

Chrome stayed fairly close – while Traveler was conveniently at the base of the hill – but he was very polite. Two Boots hardly spared him a glance, the vixen.

Napping

Meanwhile, Traveler and Jif were about as calm as could be. (Belly-osity!)

Iya rocks

She’s not much in the looks department, but she was a perfect little mountain goat.

Iya, Terra, Houdini

Mama and her girls (Iya is a yearling, Terra was born May 1).

Terra and Houdini

Rockin'

It was so weird to see them on the hill among all the rocks that I could hardly get enough of documenting it. They must have thought I was crazy (har har).

Diagonal

Top to bottom: Chrome, Cuatro, Two Boots, Terra, Houdini, Iya

It was pretty windy, and the horses were protected by the hill (that’s Filly Peak, by the way; did I already mention that?). Aspen was gone again, and I thought he might have hooked back up with Hook and Twister. I did find Hook and Twister, on my way out to the east-side loop road to view Steeldust’s and Hollywood’s bands on the east-west hill. Hook and little mister Twister were out on the flats northeast of the catchment. They must have seen me (Jeep) long before I saw them, of course. When I spotted them, they were standing well off the road, facing toward me, seemingly watching the shadows roll.

Hook and Twister

Duke and Raven and Corona have taken to the mountain-goat philosophy of late as well, and they were up toward Klondike Basin. I often wonder where those horses are getting their water, and especially seeing them so high lately, I wonder where they might have found a stash, or whether they’re really walking as far as where they are and where *I* know water to be.

Do you know the saying “better to stay and watch the wildlife you see than leave to look for wildlife you haven’t seen yet”? I decided to check SD’s and Holls’ bands closer rather than driving around looking for Bounce’s or Seven’s. Piedra and Sage were barely visible – tops of their backs – in a little draw on the hill east of Steeldust’s band, and Poco wasn’t visible at all. So I decided to hang out and watch and catch up on my notes until he made an appearance. Juuuust checking, don’tcha know.

Steeldust's and Hollywood's bands

At far right is Hollywood and Baylee. See how you can’t see their legs (!)? They’re on the edge of the little draw Piedra, Sage and Poco were in – out of sight. Left of them, you can see Roach, and “below” him, Comanche. The rest of Steeldust’s band is spread out to the left.

Poco finally did appear, but it took quite a while, and it made me aware of the difficulties other people face while viewing the horses. Hmm, maybe “difficulties” is the wrong word. But people have told me, “I saw x horses” in a particular band, which I know to have y horses. Distance, light, geography – all play a part in viewing, and the moral of the story is this: Just sit awhile and watch and enjoy and let the horses reveal themselves to you. You’ll probably see more than you bargained for. 🙂

By the time Poco made his nonchalant appearance and I turned around, the sky to the north was brewing with some dark, rain-swollen clouds. Not to worry, I had earlier (unblogged) confirmed that Liberty, daughter of Molly and Seven, is indeed still with the band. I had previously seen – and reported – all her band mates. She’s very dark now and very much a muley bay. Unlike Molly’s reddish-bay – about the same color Liberty was born – the filly is much darker now over most of her body, with her muzzle and elbow and flank areas lighter tan, just like, well, some mules I’ve seen. Dear old Molly is a bit thin but no thinner than previously. Roja is a tub like always. Ze is tall and full of spunk like his daddy, and I think he may be tending toward adult grey from his baby bay.

Driving back through the flats toward the catchment, I saw Hook and Twister again … and company. Aspen was galloping across a far ridge toward them. The last time I saw them, from Filly Peak with the mountain-goats-turned-horses, all three were running on or near the road toward Flat Top.

Run, boys, run

Kreacher was watching them; that’s why I turned around – to see what he was looking at. There’s some territory between me and them, and between them and Knife Edge in the background.

Traveler’s band had come down from the hillside and moved to the other side of their little “cove” about midway down/up Filly Peak along the road. His band was still close to the base of the hill, and Kreacher’s were still closer to the road. But there was a very interesting dynamic now very apparent: Chrome was standing between Traveler and Two Boots and Cuatro.

Chrome on guard

Grey/Traveler and Houdini, Iya, Terra and Jif were back to the left. Kreacher’s band was also to the left, closer to the road. I was shooting from the road outside the Jeep.

Passing

Kreacher and Mona followed Kootenai, out of frame to right. Also out of this frame is Terra. See the edge of the boulder up at the right edge of the frame, right of Traveler? She was by that boulder.

Kreacher

And Houdini and Traveler.

Houdini and Traveler

And Kreacher. 🙂 Fun little focus exercise.

Kreacher love Mona

Right after this, he nudged too hard, and she swished her tail and walked away from him. Love ain’t easy, pal.

When Kreacher followed his girls farther west, Chrome moved to stay between them and Two Boots and Cuatro. He then pushed them out from under the tree – a few steps closer to the band – and took the tree shade for himself (so much for Mr. Polite?).

Two Boots and Cuatro

Cuatro and Chrome

I didn’t know what to think at this point. Two Boots could have walked right back over to the band, but she didn’t. So has Chrome “claimed” her … or what? I couldn’t tell, and although I earlier urged spending time with the horses, this time, I decided to leave so I didn’t interfere. Not that I could change things to suit my human-centered manifest destiny, but I’d be very happy to see Two Boots with Chrome. Especially now, with Jif so close to foaling. If Chrome gets 2B, and is happy and content, he might be more likely to leave Traveler’s band alone, especially when Jif decides she’s ready to reveal her babe to the world, which would be easier on Traveler, trying to defend his family. Counting Twister, Traveler’s is the first band since the roundup to show some kind of normal family activity with the band stallion kicking out maturing young horses (even though neither is his offspring). I keep wondering when Steely Dan is going to give the boot, err, hoof, to Butch and Sundance.

Extended family

From a different angle, you can’t tell how close – or far away – they are from each other because of lens compression.

Grey and his girl

Right now, Terra is Traveler’s only confirmed offspring, and I love how they seem to be framed here … by family.

As noted earlier, I’m headed off on a two-week adventure at the end of the coming week. I will visit the ponies on my way out of Dodge but probably won’t post another report until I return – unless the little missus delivers her baby and I can’t wait to spread the news. Among other destinations, I plan visits to the McCullough Peaks and Pryor Mountain herds … one just through a roundup, the other to go through it soon.

Angels, watch over the horses …

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Categories : Aspen, Baylee, Chrome, Cuatro, Grey, Hollywood, Hook, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Kootenai, Kreacher, Mona, New girls, Steeldust, Terra, Twister, Two Boots, Uncategorized

Taking a long view

6 09 2009

Last weekend, the weekend after Dan and Karen’s visit, I was still riding the high from my previous visit. The goals (yes, yes, never go with an agenda in mind) were to find Jif and to check the ponds for dig-out activity. No and no on both counts.

Taking to the heights was Grey/Traveler’s band – still with Chrome but not Aspen – way up … well … can you see where they were?

Mountain goats

Sorry for the long, far distance – can you pick ponies out? Can you tell where they are? That’s right up above Spring Creek canyon. The white dot is Grey/Traveler – see him? And far to the right is Chrome.

It took some long moments of watching, but I finally determined that Jif did not have a foal at her side.

Follow the leader

Kootenai and Mona following Kreacher. His legs aren’t really cut off, he’s just demonstrating the ability of this seemingly flat landscape to hide whole or partial ponies.

At the catchment trough

They followed the trail that comes up at left rear of this image and walked right on past the smaller of the two troughs. You can just, just barely see the top of it above Kootenai’s back.

Duke, Raven and Corona also were playing at being mountain goats, way up high above the “road” to Klondike Basin. I’m sure horses did once wander up there, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen horses that high – “above treeline” for what we have in the basin, so to speak.

Bounce’s band was in the east pocket toward the road from the pond. They were partially obscured by saltbush clumps, so I didn’t get any pix.

From the section of road between the dugout intersection and the boringly named second intersection, I stopped to watch Steeldust’s band, right on the west-side loop road! In addition to Aspen, Hook and Twister also were with the band. I guess Aspen got a little worn out trying to keep up with the old man …

Had four visitors in two vehicles (well, five in three, if you count me) last weekend. Non-hunters and extremely well-behaved. 🙂 I was able to talk with D&S for quite a while as we watched Steeldust’s band and bachelors in the distance.

Kreacher’s were up by Filly Peak on the way out, and Hollywood’s turned up close to the first curve from the entrance boundary (including, yes, still, Poco and Roach). Only far pix of them, and we were leaving because of the lightning strikes and lazy thunder rolls along the northeastern ridge, so it was darkling by then.

You get back from the edge this instant!

Is your stomach churning? I’m not afraid of heights, but I understand a parent’s fear seeing their child on the edge of a canyon (which I do all the time; sorry, Mom). Hmm. I guess you can’t tell from this pic or the previous one just how high they are, how long a sheer drop it is to the bottom of the canyon. That’s the canyon used by the contractors during the August 2007 roundup to collect the horses. It doesn’t look so bad in this picture because the foreground seems to run right up to the rim of rocks … but it doesn’t. Between the gentle-seeming foreground and those rocks is a steep-sided (especially on the far side, under those rimrocks), deep canyon. The horses aren’t in any danger of sliding off the edge … but good grief. You get back from that edge this instant! 🙂

Down the hill at a run

Hmm – maybe they DO listen to me! (Or not.) In the lead is Chrome, followed by Grey/Traveler, Jif (sans a foal-shadow), Houdini and Terra, Iya and Cuatro and Two Boots. Heading down to water in the Spring Creek arroyo is my guess. (Pic taken from the curve at the road to the old trap site.)

But that’s not all. On my way to the basin earlier, I had seen the backs of what I took to be Chipeta, Ty and Corazon from the Disappointment Road. So, chased out of the interior of the basin by threatening storm clouds, I went home the back way, too, hoping to see them again with a clearer view or hike in depending on the weather in that part of the herd area.

David and Shadow

Ponies heading to water.

Ponies in the sage

So to speak. I’ll wait while you count. Got ’em? Don’t miss little Milagro, nearly hidden by a saltbush or greasewood almost as big as he is. Starting at left: Kiowa and Spook, Chipeta, Copper, Milagro, Reya (Milagro is almost directly “above” Reya’s hip), Corazon and Ty. One missing … from the picture. Mesa was just to the right, out of this image.

It’s very strange doing posts so far behind. And then you, the reader, will see the most recent posts first … Almost like seeing the future of the recent past? Whew. Stand by for the next, which you already will have read by the time you get to this post.

It turned out that the only horses I didn’t see were Cinch and Bruiser and Seven’s band – and I can’t even spill the beans because you’ll already know I saw them after reading the next post, which you’ll read before this post unless you read this post in the time it takes me to write the next – first – post!

Confused? This is how the ponies seem to perpetually keep me. 🙂

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Categories : Chipeta, Copper, Corazon, David, Grey, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Kiowa, Kootenai, Kreacher, Milagro, Mona, New girls, pintos, Reya, Shadow, Spook, Steeldust, Terra, Two Boots, Ty

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs