50

15 12 2021

Today is the 50th anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.

We still have a lot of work to do to promote and ensure the protection and good management of America’s wild horses and burros.

Readers of this blog know that we’re doing good things for our mustangs in Spring Creek Basin. We = our BLM range staff, led by herd manager Mike Jensen, and advocates.

We’ve had our own challenges in the time I’ve been involved (since 2007), but any ONE of our achievements is something to celebrate … let alone our LIST of achievements … topped last year by the update of our herd management area plan, which raised the appropriate management level for our herd, continues PZP darting and promotes bait trapping over helicopters if the need comes in the future.

The biggest thing to celebrate in this 50th anniversary year is that we set out with common goals, and we achieved each of those. It took a while; it took a community of us. We did it for the good of the mustangs that are our responsibility by the simple fact of being *managed*, which we choose to prioritize as *protection*.

With sincere gratitude to Mike and our other BLM folks, and to our long-time, steadfast cadre of loyal volunteers (you know who you are!), for our mustangs: Happy anniversary, and thank you.





Super shaggy winter girl

14 12 2021

Spirit is sporting quite the shaggy winter coat. It’s a little ruffled with muddy bits, but all the better to insulate against those bitter breezes! (Isn’t she the cutest?!)





Steamy

13 12 2021

To illustrate the chill still in the air a couple of days ago after our recent snowfall, two images of lovely Chipeta are required:

It’s still frustratingly hard to see in these images, but Chipeta was blowing out steam with every breath. In person, backlit, it was so much easier to see! Chilly, chilly. 🙂





So many seasons

12 12 2021

Thanks (!) to colllllllddddd temperatures (note that clear turquoise sky), snow lingers on McKenna Peak and Temple Butte. Lower, Houdini and her bandmates have to slog through soggy soil where that wonderful snow is melting – melllllltttttinnngggggg! – into ground that very much needs it.

Houdini, our grand dame of Spring Creek Basin, has seen snow on the heights and has slogged through winter mud … how many seasons? Unknowable … infinite … many, many, many. We’re fortunate to share even a few with her.





Whitening our horizons

11 12 2021

Yesterday, for a few hours, it looked a little like this in Disappointment Valley and Spring Creek Basin:

Looking eastish toward McKenna Peak and Temple Butte from Disappointment Road.

Looking northish to McKenna Peak.

Temple Butte and looking farther into McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area beyond Spring Creek Basin.





Their basin, our basin

10 12 2021

From Sand Wash Basin to Spring Creek Basin … the common denominator is wild.

Dundee, Rowan and Aiyanna (still with their grey boy Buckeye). Fuzzy, round, lovely.

Three wildly beautiful girls in the most best place. 🙂

P.S. We’re getting rain!





Channeling

9 12 2021

Does this guy know how to strike a pose or what?

Just Skywalker. Doin’ what Skywalker does. 🙂





Grey that glows

8 12 2021

Terra = of the earth.

So true.





Fair Raven

7 12 2021

Our fair lady? 🙂





Goings-on

6 12 2021

Dark ponies watch a scuffle between their stallion and another band down the ridge and across a seepy arroyo.

There’s not nearly enough snow on the far slopes of Utah’s La Sal Mountains. They rise above deserts in all directions, but they should be gowned in snow by now.