Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

The band was up a steep ridge above us when I took this shot of Gaia. She was just far enough up the hill to catch the light from the low sun, setting her afire in a golden glow.

That light!

That gold!

That Winona!

The sun finally conquered the clouds by the time I made it out to Storm’s band. While some of the horses grazed a bit, others, like Gaia, napped in the dreamy sunshine.

I had to go up and over a small hill to get to the other side of her (the rest of the band was down to the right) so I wouldn’t disturb her. (You can see her still eyeing me, wondering what the heck I was up to.) Her mane had icicles in it from the snow of the night before, and I was trying to get a pic of it.

It never did work out as well as I’d planned because it was much too nice to stop there and sit on a low boulder – cleared of snow – and soak in the rays that the horses were enjoying!

Do you love that wild face?! Black-as-jet Raven still manages to shine with beauty. 🙂

Killian lagged behind his band because of another band nearby. Here, he’s taking a break from grazing to check on his band, downhill. The other band was uphill. I was on-hill, taking advantage of the gorgeous foreground … and awesome background.

Healthy, shiny, bay beautiful wild ponies. 🙂

Truly. 🙂

Kwana is unperturbed as he grazes.

You’d never know it, but there were two other bands – each with lieutenant stallions – very nearby.

In the high desert country, we don’t take water for granted.

This pond was dry until the recent couple of rains swept through.

Two nights ago, rain ran in curtains across the northern end of Disappointment Valley, including Spring Creek Basin.

After that rain, water ran in a flood in Spring Creek, in northeastern Disappointment Valley. 🙂

Above, Maiku tests the mud after drinking in a center stream where water still ran.