Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Happy birthday to my wonderful and wonderfully inspiring mom!

How do you thank a person – your mom – for a lifetime of support and encouragement? Someone asked me recently whether my parents had ever pushed me toward anything particular in life. We were talking about how our “normal” family lives make us rather dysfunctional in these modern times! An interesting perspective, eh?

It wasn’t particular, material things my parents pushed me toward; rather, it was characteristics, I think, that we (my brother and I) were shown – by their behavior – that we just (just!) emulated: high standard of ethics, compassion, tolerance, flexibility, the ability to not only adapt to new situations but thrive in them.

In short, my mom (and dad) is pretty awesome. 🙂

She (and he) also made sure I grew up with horses – as she (and he) did. Thanks, Mom. 🙂

Happy birthday!

Do they do it on purpose? Look so completely, amazingly gorgeous ALL the time?

Silly Ty with the short tail checks me out to see if I’m really planning to cross the arroyo just like he did!

His short tail is a complete mystery. He showed up that way recently. Another stallion – Seven – had a short tail AND mane a few years ago, but fortunately they both grew back. Sometimes horses will get thick “rats nests” in their tails, so maybe it finally became a glob of dead hair that he caught on something and pulled out.

Notice the darkish sky above and behind him. We got some good rain Monday night and early Tuesday morning. Of course, by later Tuesday, the ground was solidly dry, but every little bit helps.

Gaia IS sorrel … and has matured to … *heavenly*! 🙂

Don’t you love that sweet fall light?

Terra also was born sorrel, with a very irregular sort of blaze that always reminded me of a swan. You sure can’t tell now. But she’s still gorgeous!

Storm – looking up from grazing. Check out his half pink muzzle; that’s all that’s left of his baby blaze. He was born bright, copper-penny sorrel.

Hunky Storm watched me as I walked out to his band. Then he pretty much didn’t bother to look up from his grazing the whole rest of the visit. Quiet and calm and peaceful in Spring Creek Basin. Just how we like it.

Kwana tries to dodge flies on a warm, windy day in Spring Creek Basin. Our flies are tougher than your flies; even a brisk wind is no match for their bugginess!

Pinto ponies under guardian Temple Butte.