Whisper | Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Spring Wind

23 04 2010

And moisture!

So – oddly enough – for the first time in weeks, I have a full trip report! (Because I had to wait out the rain at friends’ fantastic cabin nearby, I had time to go through the day’s limited photos!)

I saw just a few horses – and NOT Steeldust’s band. It’s odd that I don’t see them, and with Luna PAST due to have her baby, the worst thing I can say about the rain was my timing in not getting to the basin soon enough to find her. I did dream about her a few nights ago – and her foal. I’ll let ya’ll know if I’m about to list “medium” on my resume. 🙂

When I got to the basin, I had time to go once ’round the loop. The horses are starting to move toward what I call the “east pocket” – it’s usually the first to green up. It’s a lot of cheat grass, and once it’s grazed and/or spent, the horses generally leave the area for the rest of the year. This is a trend I’ve noticed during the past three seasons. The timing of their migration back to the pocket varies. It was around March in 2008, I think, as early as February last year, and end of April this year!

Although I spent probably less than 30 minutes in the basin – because of the rain – I am THRILLED with the moisture! Maybe the ponds that already have gone dry and the ones close to going dry have a bit more time to serve the ponies.

Hollywood and his band were the first ones I saw, followed closely by Seven’s band. But Holls isn’t looking at Seven here …

Can you see? The boys in the trees are Roach and Poco. Remember when they set to following Holls’ band last year? But now they are “home,” and everybody else is visiting.

Baby Spring following brother Ze and mama Roja.

A flash of white caught my eye, and my first thought was Alpha … but it wasn’t. It was clever Houdini.

Around the trees, Terra and Grey/Traveler came into view. Given how windy it was, they were smart to seek the relative shelter of the trees!

Roja and Spring. I think Spring is a filly, but I’m not guaranteeing that yet! No markings that I can see.

Spring’s tail is very light at the upper edges.

Ze and Seven following along … but who do you see in the background? Do you see all three?

Spring sees them … 🙂

Now do you see who was nearby?

There was a little of this …

… and a little of this …

… and a little more of this … before Bounce – with a great toss of his head, trotted back to his band.

Seven gathered his troops …

… then they were away with Bounce hot on their trail!

I’m not sure why he pursued them. They went the way I was going around the loop, but even though I was starting to get particularly nervous about the western darkening sky, I thought it more prudent to wait. Sure enough, Bounce came trotting back like a victorious king. I inched on up the road … and saw Seven’s grazing not far from the road not too far on. To pass or not to pass? They were quiet, and that sky … so I crept forward … and past … and they weren’t bothered! That was pretty awesome.

But it turned out that they were almost the last horses I saw that day. To be safe, I drove out of the basin to the county road. Sure enough, the rain came – and hail – then it stopped, but curtains of grey still were coming … more rain … more hail … I waited for a couple of hours, then decided to call it quits and headed on south.

Guess who I saw right inside the fence just past the county line?

I couldn’t believe they were back down by the road! Mister David is taking his daddy duties very seriously.

Luckily for me, Shadow must have thought the arroyo, at least, was a comforting barrier. Wind is his name, so blessed by the person who first saw him, who said it was very windy that day. Appropriate! I don’t know whether it’s coincidence that every time I’ve seen him nurse it has been from this angle … Whatever works, eh?!

He’s not very big, but he’s a cutie! You can see his left hind sock (I thought it was a stocking on my first sighting and from the other side …?), and he also has a small star.

To make a short story shorter, I awakened the next morning to about 2 inches of snow! And sunshine! It rained and rained the rest of the day and night … The sunshine was a welcome sight, but conditions were still too wet to drive in, so I walked in. But given where the horses are now, I just didn’t get that far. I did spot Chrome’s band – way too far for pictures – but I always enjoy a sighting of little red Hayden. And the others, of course!

The clouds were coming up over the eastern ridges as I hiked out, and if the skies from home were any indication, the basin got even more moisture later in the day. All welcome and much needed!

Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Baylee, Bounce, David, Gaia, Grey, Hollywood, Houdini, Seven, Shadow, Spring, Terra, Whisper, Wind, Ze

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

Spots at the end ‘o day

1 03 2010

This may have been the longest day ever, judging by how long it has taken to get the pix selected, tweaked and posted.

When I left Bounce’s band, the youngsters were moving from grazing mode to play mode.

While I sat with Bounce and Alegre, the babies had grazed their way farther along the slope. I turned from the ultra-relaxed mare and stallion to see the three playmates kicking up their heels down to what must have been a crossing spot over a shallow arroyo that ran just behind Bounce and Alegre and come back toward us on the other side. I wanted to include these couple of pix to show some behavior but also again to show the size difference between Whisper and Liberty.

This “initiation” has been going on since Molly briefly lingered with the band. What is it we say about human little boys who “torment” and harass human little girls …? 🙂

Meanwhile …

Mama and Daddy are nearby and unconcerned. Alegre was a few feet behind Bounce, but I liked the juxtaposition of their faces, so I cropped in.

I had seen most of the horses I had particularly wanted to see – not Poco and Roach – and I think they remain the horses I haven’t seen in the longest time, since early winter. I headed out of the basin and saw Grey/Traveler and Houdini and Terra on my way out. I debated driving down the county road to try to spot the pintos again – and/or David and Shadow and/or Bruiser, Twister and Cinch. The sun had dropped below clouds, and end of the day in the basin is always so gorgeous …

I thought, no way will I get lucky two visits in a row and see the pintos right off the road, but I decided to drive down anyway, just to see what I could see.

Deer were out by the hundreds, at least – all does and last year’s fawns from what I could tell. With the lack of snow, the Disappointment is a friendly place for them right now.

Shot right through the window of the Jeep from the Disappointment Road.

I drove on down … and who do you suppose I saw, not only right off the road again but even closer to the road this time??

Kiowa leads Milagro and Copper through the mud, which was sloppy-messy in the southern part of the herd area.

Chipeta was buzzing around trying to incite jealousy or I’m not sure what … Mesa was mostly just annoyed …

… especially when it worked on Ty, right (this pic taken immediately after the pic above).

She calmed down a bit when she got back around to Kiowa and nursing Milagro. That’s almost-3-year-old Reya in the background.

Spook in the middle now (isn’t she a big girl? 2 in May) and widened to include Copper.

Sometimes the older “babies” just aren’t ready to give up Mama … Spook, cutting off Milagro to be close to Kiowa.

Corazon is still with the band; I just realize he didn’t make it into my pictures this visit.

And there you finally have all the pony sightings of that lovely day last month (can you believe it’s March?!)! The horses are all wintering extremely well, I think, as you can tell by their luxurious coats and ripe little bellies!

Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Bounce, Chipeta, Copper, Gaia, Kiowa, Liberty, Mesa, Milagro, pintos, Reya, Spook, Ty, Whisper

Little orphan Liberty

23 02 2010

(I don’t mean that as a political statement … at least not in this case!)

Welcome to installment 3 of last week’s visit (we’re getting close to the day’s conclusion).

Bounce with his “babies” …

… and mama Alegre, who is working to feed the belly and barely looked up during our visit.

Don’t they look fabulous? From left, Gaia and sticking-like-glue Liberty, Whisper and Bounce. Only Whisper is Bounce’s offspring, but he is a good and just daddy, and they all clearly adore him.

This next series of pictures cracks me up:

To get to them, I caught a ride on a wild pony superhighway, then stopped as I got to a little rise by some pinon trees. Bounce is on the superway now, walking toward me …

Then he stopped … and the babies had to peek around him, so curious are they three …

He decides that’s close enough and starts to browse again, while the babies are right behind him, deciding on their next move. 🙂

Here he’s checking his most recent “territory marker.”

Whisper and Liberty decide to walk a little closer … Daddy is right behind them, after all.

Hello, my lovelies! 🙂 Whisper, right, is Alegre and Bounce’s son; he was born last May 7. Liberty is Molly and Seven’s daughter; she was born last May 25. Baby girl is healthy, but she’s half Whisper’s size.

All three babies eventually walked past me. I’m not sure what Liberty and Gaia were looking at here … Hollywood’s and Steeldust’s bands were way off yonder to their right.

When the babies moved past me to graze and play – and look back at me every once in a while – I thought Bounce and Alegre would follow them. But they didn’t, so I sat down on a dead tree and watched them for a bit. If ‘Legs was a bruin, I’d say she was in hyperphagia … but nope, she’s just feeding that baby in the belly, helping him or her grow strong and healthy before her or his big debut!

It was an incredibly peaceful visit with these ponies, and I was so happy to see that not only did they accept Liberty after her mama (Molly) passed the great beyond, they have embraced her.

🙂

I had a visit with one more band … pictures to come.

Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Bounce, Gaia, Liberty, Whisper

Searching

10 11 2009

Last weekend was about searching for horses, in particular Duke, Molly and Liberty, Poco and Roach and baby Hayden. I found Hayden and Poco and Roach.

The end of the third rifle season was Friday or Saturday, depending on which DOW schedule was right, and I mostly had the basin and the horses to myself – ah, peace. I haven’t seen the pintos since the start of hunting season, I think, probably because of pressure from the road, close to which is the only water source I know of for them.

One of the bands that has NOT been hard to see recently – Kreacher’s – was briefly sighted up by the northwest road, then not again. I did get lucky and saw most of the others both days I was out.

Grey/Traveler was babysitting his youngsters – safely tucked into the saltbush taking their afternoon naps – while mamas and Iya were out grazing. Chrome and his new family were nearby, baby Hayden also taking his nap.

It was pretty windy both days (very still and nice until Saturday mid-morning) but mostly sunny and perfect temperature. Still some shade in the very shadiest of the most-north-facing hills but otherwise totally dry – except “the squish” on the loop road down from the roller-coaster hill, but not a problem to drive through.

The first clutch came when I found Steeldust’s band near the north-south road north of the Flat Top pond (which continues to shrink). Hook was with the band, and Aspen, but Twister was not with Hook. Maintaining my practice of not letting ya’ll share (some of ) my worry, he’s with Cinch and Bruiser! Not too much of a surprise, given they were all out on the Round Top-Flat Top saddle the previous weekend. AND the very first time I ever saw Mister Twister, he was with Cinch and Corazon.

Comanche and Mouse were napping on the far side of the band, and only Aspen and Hook gave me the eyeball while I visited (I don’t think Mouse moved so much as a hoof). Steeldust was hanging out with Alpha on the other far side of the band, and he apparently was completely unconcerned that Aspen and Hook were closer to his ladies and babies (except Alpha and Storm) than he was. Is Alpha in heat? There was no activity to suggest that; they were very quiet, sharing each other’s company in the sunshine. I just like to speculate. Storm-chaser is holding onto baby-hood as long as he can.

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Hook and Ember napping. They weren’t as close as they look in this photo. That’s Hollywood’s band way out in the distance on the east-west hill.

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Sundance roused from his nap long enough to greet Aspen and Hook, and after a couple of squeals and sniffs, went right back to the band.

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Is it just me, or is Mouse getting stocky as he grows up?

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Handsome curious boys

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Front: Mahogany and Sable. Back: Ember and Pinon.

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Sleepy, sleepy babies: Ember, Pinon, Hannah and Luna

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A little after the previous photo, Hannah laid down. In the “near” background is the east-west hill – that’s where Hollywood’s band was hanging out both days.

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“Baby” Storm is still nursing. Mama Alpha still lets him. Steeldust was just to the right.

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Comanche.

Whaddy’a think? They look sleepy … and they look fantastic, eh? 🙂

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You all, of course, know the Twister “mystery,” but I didn’t yet at that point. This pic was taken from the west-side loop road looking back at the band. Those crazy ponies didn’t even move in the time it took me to drive around there – well, Storm walked over to the main group. Lower left: Steeldust and Alpha. Looming weirdly hugely in the background is Filly Peak.

Seven’s band was between the Round Top road and roller-coaster ridge pond, Bounce’s was between the pond and the ridge, and Cinch, Bruiser and Twister were out between Round Top and the weird guzzler. No Molly and/or Liberty to be seen. Bounce’s were right at the base of the ridge, so when I drove over, I decided to walk down and around them to get better light. But before I got “better” light, I got light that loved Alegre.

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Love that rim lighting on her forelock and tail as she stands over her baby Whisper, who is growing up into a fine young boy.

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Handsome handsome!

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Just like daddy Bounce!

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Sweetest bravest curious-est girl Gaia 🙂

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She’s still baby-clacking.

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While I was visiting with and photographing Bounce’s band, Seven was curiously and calmly watching. Then he walked down to get a drink from the pond, just a little bit in front of him, out of this frame.

I checked the hunter camp on the hilltop overlooking Wildcat Spring. Except for four ribcages, four mule deer heads (antlers cut out) and hides, two gut piles and three entrance routes to the hill from the main road, the only speck of trash I found was a bottle cap. I guess I get leaving the leftovers for the ravens (they didn’t seem to find the stuff till the next day, making me wonder how recently the hunters left) and coyotes, but did they have to dump it down the hill on the side of the spring/canyon?? And the three routes they drove in – I hope – illustrates the need to prohibit off-road travel in an area of limited forage. How long will it take for grass – or anything else – to grow back in that poor (poor as in not very fertile) soil the horses depend on?

The sun was close to the horizon (I always forget how early it comes when we turn back the clocks) by then, so I headed out, hoping to find Grey’s and Chrome’s still in the flats. Oh, lucky me … but the long shadows were growing longer by the second.

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You can see that the shade has overtaken them by this point … See that white-ish blur at upper left? That’s Grey/Traveler. His band was out to the right.

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Hayden looks back at me and Chrome takes the opportunity to investigate the little mister. That’s Grey’s butt between his ears; an unfortunate angle, but I didn’t want to move and lose the moment! Remember how I originally described Hayden’s star as diamond-shaped? What does it most resemble now?? Be still my so-lost heart.

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This is how close they were … and how calm. Still in the sunshine, barely. Jif and Hayden were to the right; Grey/Traveler was over to the left as far back as his band. In the background, from left: Iya, Houdini, Terra and Cuatro. I think Two Boots was closer to Grey.

Lovely day and evening. 🙂

Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Chrome, Comanche, Cuatro, Ember, Gaia, Hannah, Hook, Iya, Luna, Mahogany, Mouse, Pinon, Sable, Seven, Steeldust, Storm, Sundance, Terra, Whisper

Catching up

22 10 2009

“There are 85,000 apps that can do almost anything.”

I have two questions: Wasn’t it just 75,000 a week ago? And … what the heck is an “app”? Or is it ap? Appy? Appaloosa? OK, now we’re talking my language. (If “almost anything” will select and cull my photos, download them, pick ones for the blog and tweak ’em and upload ’em … just tell me how to get one.)

Nope, no appys in this post, but I think it gets me up to just a week behind (it’ll widen again in a couple of days, no worries).

L&K beat me to the basin that morning. They know the ponies like nobody’s business, and it’s awesome having them out to visit. We were both optimistic and worried when we didn’t find Mr. Duke where they had seen him the day before. Unfortunately, none of us have seen him since.

Our first visit was with Steeldust’s band, who were drinking at the catchment. The three misters (Aspen, Hook and Twister) were there, too, drinking from the smaller trough.

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Big band at the big tank; misters at the little tank.

We stood at the road and took pictures … and after drinking, the horses wandered up to say hello!

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Alpha, Butch, Ember and Hannah

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Look at that big little guy! I don’t know whether he’s getting anything … but he’s still nursing – and mama Alpha is still letting him! Steeldust at left; Hannah at right.

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Then he goes over and pokes at Mr. Twister, who is hanging out with the big boys now. Twister’s getting his licks in now …

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Storm chases Twister …

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Twister flashes his heels (which I was too late to catch), and Storm-chaser backs off. Works every time.

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And then they were friends. There’s Comanche on the left, Mouse on the right, Aspen at far back right and Hook behind him.

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Sisters Ember (near) and Kestrel. Notice Storm (and Hannah) coming up behind them and young Pinon, also looking at something in the background.

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What are they looking at?

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Right to left: Ember, Kestrel, Luna, Butch and Hannah. Could be five generations there if Butch is, indeed, one of Luna’s brood.

L&K saw Cinch and Bruiser later when they drove to Flat Top to check the pond, so in hind sight, I wonder whether the ponies were checking out those boys out yonder.

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After Storm got his fill of boy time, he remembered his gentlemanly manners by escorting mistress Hannah back to the band … which she clearly didn’t appreciate – look at those ears! And big sisters Ember and Kestrel are posing prettily for the camera.

As the horses moved closer and closer to the road, we decided we might be blocking their route, so off we went.

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On the way down the hill, I saw Mahogany and Sable looking down from the ridge, so I stopped the Jeep and grabbed a shot.

While L&K went to check the pond, I went on to check the Wildcat boulders.

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Fabulous!!

While I was going clockwise around the loop, L&K were going counter-clockwise. Not a single pony was in view for me. Both the pond right by the road in the east and the east-pocket pond still have water. I was looking hard for Poco and Roach – and L&K saw them right before they saw me – but I never saw the boys. In fact, when I spied the wandering elusive-ites, L&K were already watching them … and worried about the one they didn’t see.

Seven’s were down on the southwest side of the roller-coaster ridge, out away from the pond, which also still has water. Seven, check. Roja and Ze, check. Liberty … all alone … where’s Molly? Liberty was by herself a short distance from the other horses, and while we watched, she turned and walked away. Seven and Roja and Ze followed, and they all dropped down into a wash out of sight. Every once in a while, we could see somebody’s back, but none of those backs were Molly’s. There were a few dead junipers out there and one alive. Knowing Molly-girl’s penchant for napping under trees, I thought she might have hung back while the other horses moseyed on, grazing. My theory was that when Liberty got out away from her, she decided she wasn’t going any farther and went back to Mama. Given Molly’s known condition – even though we also knew she had been seen recently by J&K – not seeing her worried us.

There was nothing for it but to walk out to get the scoop, for better or for worse. When I got to the edge of the wash and saw Liberty nursing from Molly, I was able to flash L&K the thumbs-up!

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It is what it is.

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Roja, little chow-hound that she is, never even looked up at me, and that in itself was a surprise. She’s usually the first to “alert.” Maybe I’m growing on her. 🙂

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Silent sentinel. He also was very relaxed with me there.

I took just a few photos and left them – no worries from me, ponies.

Bounce and his band were on the other side of the ridge.

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Whisper, Bounce, Gaia and Alegre. They like this bend of the arroyo (and not just them – Poco and Roach, Hollywood’s … ), which is weird (?) because there’s no water in that section, but there is water farther west.

On the way back to the west-side loop road, we spotted Grey/Traveler’s way – WAY – off yonder under some trees sort of eastish of Round Top – between RT and the weird guzzler. I figure sometime between then and Sunday was when Chrome “acquired” Jif and Hayden.

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Hollywood had his band out on the east-west hill; that’s him at right. Then Piedra, Sage and Baylee.

Am I right, or was it warm?

Out on the flats east of the catchment were the misters and Steeldust’s band. (Keep that in mind.)

We got back to Filly Peak, and I hiked out “behind” the hill to check for Duke, and L&K went on down to the trap-road pond to look for him. We all came up unlucky. But guess who I did see from back yonder?

And that jogs the memory – on our way into the basin, they were out on the corral hill. So when I saw Kreacher’s band – traitors included – they were heading north toward – I thought – the catchment. I reunited with L&K and gave them the report, and sure enough, the band popped up and went to the big catchment trough. They drank, then headed back the way they had come and dropped back over the edge. We drove back over and were able to see them down on the flats south of the catchment.

L&K had a drive back to their home away from home, and I had a “date,” so we headed toward the entrance.

But the ponies had other ideas (don’t they always?). I guess they weren’t quite ready to say good-by to these fans-of-theirs … Remember I said Steeldust’s band had been out on the flats east of the catchment? By the time we got back around to just past Filly Peak … they were blocking the road!

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Mama Alpha and big-baby Storm (he had just finished nursing – again).

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Muddy brother Pinon, Sable and Mahogany. You can see the road above/behind them.

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Lovely Kestrel and Sable and Mahogany

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Must have been that time of day. Hannah and Luna (road again behind them).

So pony time intervened, and there was nothing to do but watch and admire and take pictures and smile and smile and smile. 🙂 A minute after I figured I had to be leaving, the ponies were across and off the road, and we were on our way.

Can’t have a much better fare-thee-well than that! 😉

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Baylee, Bounce, Butch, Comanche, Ember, Gaia, Hannah, Hollywood, Hook, Kestrel, Liberty, Luna, Mahogany, Molly, Mouse, Piedra, Pinon, Roja, Sable, Sage, Seven, Steeldust, Storm, Twister, Whisper, Ze

Super-quick trip

6 09 2009

With many apologies to Amanda and Billie and others who have large ranges and big herds, in about an hour and a half Friday after work, I saw all but five of my horses. 🙂 Not seen: David and Shadow and Duke’s band. No to Jif and no to the ponds. And now it’s (finally) raining. Will those couple of ponds ever get dug out to capture some of this rain?

Don’t have many pix again because it was a quick trip – chased out again by coming rain (which eventually dropped a curtain over not only Spring Creek Basin but the entire Disappointment Valley, as seen from the switchbacks on the highway above Slickrock). The most exciting thing was that I saw Seven’s band! Where else but the east pocket. I think that’s where he’s been “hiding” – easy to be invisible back there. They were back beyond the pond, so I didn’t even take any pix. I can’t confirm Liberty among them because of distance and heat waves and vegetation, but based on Molly’s body language and occasional looks to the ground beside her, I think the filly was there. Definitely saw Roja and Ze and Seven – and though they definitely saw me (Jeep), they were apparently far enough away for complete comfort so they didn’t budge at all.

I scanned the upper hills but never saw Duke’s … but guess who I did see, in almost the exact same place above the canyon as Grey/Traveler’s last weekend?! Steeldust with hangers-on. I actually saw Cinch and Bruiser first, lower. Traveler turned out to be – seen on my “where the heck is he” outward-bound drive – up in … the “northwest bowl.” Basically over the hill from the northwest dry pond. Still with Chrome. No foal. It was a pretty far distance from where I was glassing them, but I saw Jif walking around and no foal ever getting up with her. Did confirm all the other members of the band.

Kreacher’s, of course, were right by Filly Peak, and Hollywood’s and his men were right on the hill above that first curve from the boundary. Oh, and Bounce’s were back by the east pocket, too, hanging out under some trees in the sunshine ahead of the storm (which was coming up from the southeast). That little Whisper loves to stand under the trees. I’m not really sure where he learned it – duh – but most of the time I see them, they’re in the open … except him. If there’s a tree around, he’s almost always under it. 🙂

I headed home the highway way because the south end of Disappointment Valley and beyond was beyond purple with rain, but when I drove in that way, I saw the pintos – all the spots and all the solids – very near where they were last weekend.

It was a marvelous sight to look back and see all that lovely rain over the basin and the valley. But I suppose it will delay the digging out of the ponds even longer. Would have been nice to have gotten that done before the (late) monsoons.

Some pix:

Bounce's band

(Wow – I have apostrophes now.) Alegre, Bounce, Gaia and Whisper. They were just by the hill before the curve and the “triangle” to the east pocket, where Seven’s band was hanging out beyond the pond.

Nap time

Mona lying down for her nap; Kootenai standing. Kreacher was a short distance to the left.

Storm sky

That sky doesn’t look so threatening with two lovely ladies in the foreground.

Hollywood's band

On the hill above the first curve. Poco and Roach were below them closer to me. Sage is behind Piedra. By this time, as you can tell from Baylee’s sideways-blowing dreadlock and their tails, the wind was blowing pretty hard.

Into the wind

There’s young master Sage.

Windy

Must have taken it right outta their sails because they gave each other this look … then walked away.

And that was enough excitement for me. I almost made it out of the basin before the first drop fell …

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Categories : Alegre, Baylee, Bounce, Gaia, Hollywood, Kootenai, Kreacher, Mona, New girls, Piedra, Poco, Roach, Sage, Whisper

Wild about mustangs

4 09 2009

This post, from a visit to the basin two weeks ago, has been a long time coming, but before I get to my horses, I’d like to offer a little prayer for the Pryor Mountain mustangs and all those who love and cherish those horses in particular.

Two weeks ago, our Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners were anticipating a visit with Dan Elkins and Karen Herman from New Mexico. Dan has been doing a technique of gathering wild horses called bait trapping for the past six years. Recently in the Carson National Forest in New Mexico, they implemented that state’s first PZP program. By using his unique mineral and salt mix, Dan is able to bring horses to a trap site by band, calmly. He can then corral an entire group of horses by family band or single out particular horses for removal. Since I visited the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range in September 2007 and learned about this alternative to helicopter-driven roundups, and realized documentation of a band could help, I’ve been working toward this goal for our next gather.

Dan and Karen also are certified to administer PZP, a fertility control drug that can reduce birth rates and thus the need for frequent gathers. With Dan and Karen offering both a humane option for gathering and removing horses (with just 22,000 acres of less-than-ideal habitat, it has to be done) AND the ability to implement a program designed to remove horses less often (which incidentally means the horses now in the basin may have the opportunity to live free and wild longer (forever?) on their home range), it seems to be a win-win project for us! Our fingers are collectively crossed that the BLM sees the logic here as well!

I went out early to scout the horses and spend some extra time with them alone. It was the first time I’d been out for an overnight trip since the almost-end of foaling season. And we come to the reason for such a long wait between horse stories: I saw every band but Seven’s, and I was able to spend some time with each of them – a nice change from the never-long-enough day trips. But it made for a LOT of photos, which just took a long time to go through. I do have a day job, ya know!

It was another one of those weekends that make it to the “amazing visit” category. The horses were pretty calm for the most part. Traveler’s band was the most unsettled, with both Chrome and Aspen swirling around them. And no, Jif still has not foaled, which you saw in the previous post.

Kreacher’s band was out past the Spring Creek canyon area when I first drove into the basin.

Hollywood’s band was first up at a close distance. Poco and Roach are still with the band, and they seem to have a relationship that works for all involved.

Mama, Daddy, baby

Piedra, Hollywood and Sage.

Baylee and Hollywood

Oh, that Hollywood; such a lover. 🙂

Perfect scratching post

Sage was very solid while Mama satisfied an itch.

Like begets like

Couldn’t tell these two are related, eh …??

Sage

I dare you to look at this pic and not burst into a spontaneous chuckle! 🙂

Poco

Being the lieutenant has its perks. Poco has clearly been a visitor to the Wildcat Spring and Day Spa!

Roach

Isn’t he in great shape?

Hollywood

Thanks for a terrific visit, pal!

Steeldust’s band was lounging up the hill in the shade east of Wildcat. The usual cast of characters were in attendance, including these two misters:

Twister and Hook

I was glad to see these boys still together. I don’t know that you can say Hook is really taking care of 2-year-old Twister, but at least they’re staying together.

Mahogany and Sable

While I was watching Twister and Hook, who were on a hill across a little drainage from where Steeldust’s band was, Mahogany came walking behind me, followed by baby Sable and yearling Pinon … followed by Lt. Mouse. Hmm. What’s this? I wondered whether Mouse had sort of selected them out … but they went a little farther down the hill past me, then around some trees and back to the band. Like that’s what they had intended to do all along.

Mouse

Sable

A closer look at Mahogany’s little girl.

Alpha and Luna

The queens of Steeldust’s heart, err, band.

Shady boys

Storm and Steeldust and Alpha and others hanging out under the trees. It was warm – up to 92 degrees – but not unbearable.

Had just a short visit with them that time because I got a late start to the basin, and I hadn’t yet seen Grey/Traveler and his band, which meant I hadn’t seen Jif. I got a wonderful surprise when I got around to the formerly (!) dry pond right beside the road …

Water in a dry land

Yay! We’re unfortunately still waiting for just two of the five originally identified ponds to be dug out in the hopes that they will hold water when it rains enough. I’ll say here that my idea of quality and quantity of water don’t match the BLM’s idea for what the horses need, but I’ll also say that we’re working on that issue.

Next, I had the most amazing visit with Bounce’s band.

Gaia, Whisper and Alegre

Beautiful mama with her gorgeous babies. That little Whisper is so cute I can hardly stand it! And Gaia, who has been such a mama’s girl (and step-daddy’s, too), is finding her courage to indulge her curiosity.

Bounce and family

Alegre and Whisper

Whisper

Isn’t he just handsome? Clearly going grey.

Family backyard

Bounce

Coming to say hello.

It was an amazing visit I can’t do justice to with pictures.

Then Grey/Traveler’s band was back in the east pocket beyond the pond – Chrome and Aspen both with the band. And another great surprise! That pond was full, too! Among other things, this might tell you where the rain is falling in the basin.

Little Miss Friendly

I wonder whether Daddy knows his baby girl (Terra) is fraternizing with the enemy (Chrome).

Aspen in the lead

As you can see, Traveler had other concerns. That’s Jif behind him.

Speaking of Jif, let’s show off the belly again:

Jif

She’s in good condition.

Iya and Two Boots

So … Iya, front/left, is a yearling, and Two Boots (named with a nod to Pryor stallion Two Boots, by the way) is her 2-year-old “big” sister. They don’t look much alike, besides the size comparison, do they? But as far as I know (???), they have the same sire, a grey stallion I called Junior who was gathered and removed in 2007.

Cuatro

Little man following Mama. You can see his grey-ness, too.

Terra

Big, beautiful sister! No sign of a limp.

Grandma and grandbaby

Houdini and her baby Two Boots’ baby Cuatro!

Traveler

Chrome

He is persistent …

Git

Traveler going after Aspen.

Leaving it to the lieutenant

Here, he’s letting Chrome take care of Aspen …

Airs above ground

Quite a show, but they didn’t come to blows (sorry).

Traveler had to keep Chrome away, too, and at one point, they came around the band to where I was.

One grey

Chrome

Chrome was surprised enough to find himself close to me that he was distracted, and Traveler went confidently back to his band. Sorry, pal. 🙂

As if that wasn’t enough, Bounce came trotting over to get the low-down.

Wind in his mane

Defiant

Bounce and Aspen. My goodness, check out that kick!

Dominance

There was a great deal of sniffing and posturing, but in the end, neither Aspen nor Chrome really challenged elder Bounce.

Belly view

Another view of our girl.

Jif and Iya and band

The band was remarkably calm, given what was going on, but they didn’t stay in one place very long.

So I left them to their evening and decided to try to find Duke’s merry little band. They proved not very hard to find, right by the road near the northwestern entrance.

Duke

Maybe you know my penchant for dark bay horses, but don’t tell me he doesn’t just glow in that lovely light! The sun was very low, and the shadow from the hill on the boundary was creeping steadily toward the horses.

Corona and Raven

Love these lovely girls! Corona seems another “old-soul” girl, a lot like Ember. She doesn’t emote much, but she watches everything.

Overtaken by shade

Duke, Corona and Raven

To end the day, I headed back into the sunshine, looking for horses glowing in the light.

On the move

Alpha leads boys Storm, Butch and Sundance through a shallow little draw to a meadow right by the road back near Wildcat Spring.

Year mates

Yearlings Pinon and Ember, followed by 2-year-old Kestrel.

Comanche

Bringing up the rear.

Three girls

Ember, right, grazes with “aunt” Mahogany and Sable.

Satellites

First Sgt. Comanche, right/foreground, and Lt. Mouse grazing toward the band.

Last light

It was a simply gorgeous evening. That’s Comanche.

End o the day

At some point, you just have to put down the camera and enjoy the scenery … and the company.

A beautiful, beautiful, wonderful day.

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Baylee, Bounce, Chrome, Comanche, Corona, Cuatro, Disappointment Wild Bunch Partners, Duke, Ember, Gaia, Grey, Hollywood, Hook, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Kestrel, Luna, Mahogany, Piedra, Pinon, Poco, PZP, Raven, Roach, Sable, Sage, Steeldust, Storm, Terra, Twister, Two Boots, Whisper

A day under the sun

9 08 2009

This might be the shortest basin-visit report ever – only two pix! – but it was nice. Hardly a cloud in the sky and the thermometer didn’t rise above 82 degrees! Yep, it’s August, and I don’t care what the weatherman says; the monsoons are NOT here.

Here’s the spoiler you’re waiting for: Mistress Jif has not shared her firstborn yet with the world … but she is looking a bit more “droopy”! Chrome was back with the band – and Aspen out of sight (and Hook and Twister, too) – but they were calmer … but still moving all over the basin. The good news is that when I finally headed out and away, they were in the immediate vicinity of the water catchment. I didn’t actually see them drinking there, but it’s a hopeful sign. Cinch and Bruiser also were very close, having come down from the northwest hills; I’m certain they’ve found the fresh water.

Kreacher and the girls, so visible in that area in recent visits, had wandered away, but I have it on good authority that they’ve been over to Wildcat, near which I found Steeldust’s band today, napping under the trees.

Seven and his family made another appearance today! But they were right by the road down by Lizard Mesa, so I stopped where they could see me but not too close, took the day’s only photos and then just watched them.

Sevens family

Sweet Molly-girl is a bit thin, but little Liberty looks pretty good, if not as stout as Starla last year, and look how big little Mr. Ze is! He’s the oldest of this year’s babies (April 6).

And look who was nearby:

Walk on by

In the background, Alegre at left, Whisper lying down in the middle, Bounce and Gaia at right. In the foreground, Seven following Liberty and Molly; Roja and Ze were leading the way, already out of the frame. That’s what I call Lizard Mesa as the hill in the background.

Whisper was under a tree behind Alegre when I first saw them. Seven’s band had to walk to the left to cross the arroyo, then Roja led them back across in front of Bounce’s band. In the meantime, Whisper sauntered out and laid down!

Hollywood and his band and hangers-on Poco and Roach were hanging out on the northwest hills, lower than Steeldust’s band last weekend. Poco and Roach were attentively guarding the family from Cinch and Bruiser earlier in the day. They had moved up to the area between the boundary and the road to the old trap site by the time I headed home.

I had a great hike around the west side of Round Top and out to the ridge and down and up the hill looking down a drainage below the dry pond … and guess who I saw down at the seep near the road? Mr. David. I didn’t see Shadow in the trees, but David walked a few steps down the trail, pooped on the stud pile there (I know it’s there, I couldn’t actually see it so far away!), then turned around and cocked a hip! He turned his head a couple of times to look at something I couldn’t see, and it was strange that he picked the stud pile tree to hang out under. I’m sure Shadow was nearby. I glassed the hill where I found the pintos last weekend, but they weren’t there. (I had a flat tire last weekend on my drive to the basin – many thanks to mustang advocate and all-around great guy David Temple for stopping a couple of minutes after I had my flat! But I’m waiting on a new set and driving on the spare and thought pavement might be a better choice for this weekend’s trip, so I didn’t have the chance to look for the pintos – or David and Shadow again – on my drive there or home. David T is one of David’s namers, by the way. 🙂 David O and David J are the other two contributors, and now you know the rest of the story!)

It was a beautiful day for a visit with the ponies!

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Bounce, David, Gaia, Molly, Roja, Seven, Whisper, Ze

Terra-ific update

20 07 2009

Terra

All seems to be mostly well with this baby girl. I wouldn’t say she’s 100 percent – still seems to step a little delicately – but she’s not limping at all. Doesn’t she look fabulous?

The other big news comes from the same band and is about Mister Twister.

Little boy among big boys

Whether Traveler kicked him out or whether he thought the boys were cooler than hanging out with all the girls, I dunno, but our young orphan was with the bachelor boys: Aspen, Hook and Chrome.

Alegre and Whisper

Bounce and Gaia

Looking up the hill at Cinch and Bruiser in the trees.

Bounce and family

All together just over the hill from Wildcat Spring.

All but Jif

Grey/Traveler’s band off the east-side loop road.

Iya and Jif

Jif

Waiting on the belly.

Cuatro

Growing into his legs.

Nippy

It’s always the same with little brothers, isn’t it? Fortunately for Terra, Cuatro was only annoying in passing. Iya at left.

Brother, sister

Not to mention … aunt and nephew?

Cuatro, Houdini, Terra

Let’s break it down: Houdini is Cuatro’s grandma and Terra’s mom. Cuatro’s mom is Terra’s half-sister. Possibly, Cuatro and Terra have the same sire; I’m only certain Grey/Traveler is Terra’s daddy. Whew.

Grey boy and babies

Terra lying down at left; Cuatro at right. Two Boots behind.

Aspen and Chrome

The boys – who by this time had lost Hook and Twister – take a look at Traveler’s band.

Chat

The boys wisely deferred to da man.

Bounce and Twister

Meanwhile, Twister was checking his options.

Lets go, little buddy

In the above pic, Hook was wisely keeping his distance – in fact, Bounce and Twister are looking at him. Here, he seems to be shepherding the youngster away from Bounce’s family.

Steeldust under the trees

It was hot – between 96 and 100 degrees when I was there – and the horses sought the comfort of the shade.

Seeking shade

A different time of day, and they were back under the “shade trees.”

Sable and Mahogany

Love Sable’s face here.

Ember and Sable

Storm

Storm and Ember have both gone from baby-red to grey. Master Storm will be a year old next Saturday!

Alpha and Storm

Storm here is deliberately stopping mama so he can nurse … and she let him. He’s just a big baby. 🙂

Hannah and Sable

I love to see the babies interacting with each other.

It was a really wonderful day, though pretty warm. A nice breeze all day mostly kept the bugs away, and some clouds came up in the afternoon to provide some spotty shade (not rainmakers, though). Most of the northern bands seem to still be hanging around the Wildcat Spring area. Also saw Hollywood – closer to the dugout – and his band, and Kreacher and the girls by Filly Peak. Didn’t spot Duke’s band or Seven’s, and didn’t have the luck this weekend of seeing David and Shadow or the pintos from the Disappointment Road.

The horses look great, and the babies are growing and shedding their baby hair like crazy. Cuatro has a little line of hair still on his belly that’s very cute. Not much water, which I’m sure is one reason the horses are all close to the spring. They’re taking advantage of the trees for shade and keeping the activity level low in the heat.

Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : Alegre, Alpha, Aspen, Bounce, Chrome, Cuatro, Ember, Gaia, Grey, Hannah, Houdini, Iya, Jif, Mahogany, Steeldust, Storm, Terra, Twister, Two Boots, Whisper

Spring Creek Basin Mustangs