Just one little wind-directed flip of her forelock, and I’m in love with this pic of Alegre, even though she’s not paying me the least mind.
Flip
28 07 2023Comments : 20 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Happy belly
27 07 2023
Stout Sundance isn’t missing any meals. Looking gorgeous in the lovely light.
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The powers that be have finally cottoned to the news the rest of us in western Colorado have known for a while now: It’s really dry out there: “Colorado’s drought is back after only a short reprieve.”
The U.S. Drought Monitor also agrees that it’s at least “abnormally dry” here now.
Also:
Versions of these signs are up all over our public lands currently. Despite the handy illustrations, some people still can’t seem to understand the restrictions (don’t ask). On a town errand yesterday, I ran into some Forest Service and BLM fire folks out of Norwood (about an hour-ish north of Disappointment Valley/Spring Creek Basin). They’d knocked down at least four lightning-started fires in the area the day before, one of them told me. (No rain for Spring Creek Basin … but thankfully, no lightning, either.)
No joke: It is DRY out there, it’s super hot (OK, not Phoenix- or Texas-hot … we’ve had only a few days up to at least 101F), and the wind is bellowing like a furnace day after day. Depending on the source, we have some possible rains (“t-storms”) coming next week. I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re beyond ready and hopeful.
Comments : 12 Comments »
Categories : Disappointment Valley, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Temple Butte, Wildfire
High standards
26 07 2023
Storm gives the eyeball to another stallion who was giving an eyeball to his daughters. No matter what age or what species, daddies have high standards.
Comments : 13 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Drinking fresh
25 07 2023
Even from a distance, it was great to see absolute evidence of horses drinking at the water catchment in wildcat valley. There are a few bands in the area, and there are hoofprints at the trough, but this is only the second time I’ve actually seen horses there. It makes me super happy to know they can drink the cool, fresh water collected from rain and snow.
Comments : 6 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Water catchment
Sunset hue
24 07 2023
Dundee, in Buckeye’s band, still in the late light, the same evening as yesterday’s post. She’s still the most watchful of Buckeye’s girls.
Round Top in the background, and Disappointment Valley’s southern ridges in the farther background.
Comments : 12 Comments »
Categories : Disappointment Valley, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Daddy daughter day
23 07 2023
Baby Bia hangs out with daddy Buckeye in the shade of a western hill toward sunset. The temperature relief of shade is intense. Almost immediately, there’s a temperature drop of about 10 degrees – from upper 90s to upper 80s. It’s noticeable … and wonderful.
Comments : 18 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Short view
22 07 2023
Hollywood made an appearance the other day, near the bands near the wildcat valley water catchment. It was good to see him … and good to see him there.
His eye doesn’t look any better, but the big hunk out of his hindquarters is healing and closing. He’s still lean, but he’s doing all right.
Comments : 15 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Whewwwww, hot
21 07 2023
Hot, hot, hot. Skywalker takes a break from grazing. Not much to do but wait it out.
Comments : 15 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Crisscross
20 07 2023
Buckeye’s and another band graze calmly (he’s just out of the frame to the left) with the rimrocks of Spring Creek canyon seemingly just behind them (they’re not nearly as close as the image implies). Recognizable anywhere.
Comments : 8 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Spring Creek canyon
Banked
19 07 2023
At least a few bands – a couple more than the last I observed – have found the new (2021) water catchment in wildcat valley in Spring Creek Basin. The cool, clear water in the trough must seem like sweet nectar after the muddy and/or smelly and/or tiny sips of water they’d been getting in various locations previously.
The high temp hit at least 101 degrees recently in Disappointment Valley. It reminds me of the hot days I spent with the BLM guys building this catchment … but even more, I’m so grateful Mike Jensen had the foresight TO build it (and the others). There’s a lot of water in those tanks; we could use an infusion of any amount of rain to keep them filled.
Comments : 8 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Water catchment
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 