Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Till dawn

19 05 2011

Pre-dawn is a truly lovely time of day. These photos were taken from about half an hour before dawn to just after, when the light was just kissing the trees in our corner of heaven.

Cinch

Liberty gives Cinch an early morning nuzzle.

Pretty Gaia with Liberty

Luna’s band at one of the ponds. From left: Steeldust, Gideon, Alpha, Varoujan, Luna, Butch and Mouse.

Mama Luna and her boys. She’s actually drinking out of a puddle there. I’m not sure why she drank there rather than from the main part of the pond.

Love all their faces. Butch is looking at Comanche’s band, who are at the other side of the pond.

Mama Kestrel (Luna’s daughter), Juniper and Winona (Luna’s granddaughters!) get a drink at the pond.

Winona and Comanche

Comanche, watching Luna’s band.

Sweet Varoujan gives mama a nuzzle.

Off to graze.

Juniper and Kestrel

Good morning, beautiful girls!

Daddy, Juni and mama -dawn. You can’t miss that piece sticking out from his nostril … I’m not sure what he did there, but it does seem to be a piece of skin that he ripped somehow. Doesn’t seem to bother him for grazing or drinking. He’s looking at Grey/Traveler’s band.

Peaceful, beautiful, all right with the world. Out here … it’s easy to believe in everything that should be right with the world …

What more to say? 🙂

Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Alpha, Butch, Cinch, Comanche, Gaia, Gideon, Juniper, Kestrel, Liberty, Mouse, Steeldust, Varoujan, Winona

Birthday catchup

19 05 2011

Still can’t get to the basin. Snow and rain and graupel, oh my! Moisture is good!

So it’s a good time to get caught up to a couple of youngsters whose birthdays have passed – not unnoticed but unremarked. To remedy!

Happy birthday, Pinon! May 13

Pinon is one I don’t often focus on, but he is a presence. His mother is Mahogany, and he and Ember (mother: Luna) are year mates – they’re 3 – and likely half-siblings (sire: Steeldust). Last winter, he stuck close to Ember, even as Hook began to stick close to Ember. At the time, Hook was a bachelor – and lowest bachelor on the shrinking Bachelor 7 totem pole. (Oddly, the highest ranking bachelor on that pole is the one still without his own band …) Eventually, Hook, Ember and Pinon split away from Steeldust’s band … then joined by Hannah … then joined by Sable. Ember’s little full sister is Hannah. Pinon’s little full sister is Sable. Are you following? Pinon has always been fairly low-key – a youngster. This spring, all that started to change. He’s now quite an aggressive mister. Hook has chased him, and every visit for weeks, I’ve expected to see Pinon in the ranks of bachelor boys, but it has not yet happened. On the day this photo was taken, Hollywood, Piedra and Briosa were in the area, as were Sundance – who had just been with Sage and Ze when I saw them from the east end of the valley. Sage and Ze wisely kept their distance. Pinon, though he’s not quite old enough, big enough and/or strong enough to take on Hollywood or Sundance (even a little wounded), it didn’t stop him from testing his mettle.

This must be what it’s like for a mama to realize her baby has grown up …

🙂 Do you recognize mama Mahogany and her foal’s “ahh, mom” look? That’s the little mister, just a wee coupla-few days old.

Just when DID he grow up into such a big strapping boy?!

He meant to snake Winona here, something Comanche immediately put a stop to in just a few more steps.

I couldn’t quite figure out why Mahogany looked different in this pic, then I realized – her mane is a lot shorter now.

Pinon and buddy Storm in September of their birth year. Though Storm was born two and a half months after Pinon, he caught up quickly.

Yearling Pinon

His sisters (Hannah, back, and Sable) adore him.

Maybe I’m so surprised to see him suddenly so aggressive in the protection of “his” band because he’s always been such a laid-back, easy-going guy.

Can’t deny he has grown up into a handsome boy!

Happy birthday, tall, dark and handsome boy!

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Happy birthday, Cuatro! May 16

Young Mr. Cuatro was a surprise. He’s his mama’s firstborn, and she was just 2 when she had him. I had no idea she was even pregnant. I found him toward the end of the day – the day of that year’s 4CBCH wild horse count. So I asked the members if they’d name him – and they came up with Cuatro, in honor of his stockings and socks. His sire is either Grey/Traveler or Twister, who I’m sure is a son of Grey’s, so either way, this youngster is a descendant of basin royalty. Since he was about a yearling, he’s been out in the bachelor scene WITH Twister, so daddy-or-big-brother is showing him the ropes. Every now and then, they’re joined by elder Duke, so they have his good influence, too. 🙂

Cute little guy! He’s also Houdini’s grandson.

Flashy trot to match his flashy legs!

Showing off his love of snow.

He was a great big brother to Hayden.

You might remember this as “February” for the calendar.

🙂

Cuatro with little brother Rio … Rio’s daddy also could be either Twister or Grey/Traveler. Mama Two Boots was pregnant by the time Chrome stole her the previous fall.

Cuatro and Twister

Happy birthday, little prince!

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Happy birthday, Rio! May 20

Rio’s birthday is tomorrow, but I’m on a roll, so I’m including him here – plus, as Cuatro’s brother, he fits right in!

Prince’s plume always says “spring” to me in the basin, and the little mister was born right in the heart of it.

Sweetheart – like all of them. 🙂

Flying effortlessly!

Mama’s little lovebug.

Horse as bird whisperer 🙂

Happy birthday, little spring wonder!

Comments : 1 Comment »

Categories : Cuatro, Pinon, Rio

Raven and baby and family

18 05 2011

Some very special kids in Telluride and a mom spent Mother’s Day in Spring Creek Basin visiting the horses. She was wonderful to send me some pix after their visit and tell me about the great time she and the kids had. Every once in a while, the opportunity arises to get kids involved with THEIR mustangs, and this was just such an opportunity: I asked if the kids would like to name a foal.

Raven had her big bay colt the day or so after they visited, and they’re working now on a name for the boy. They have at least a couple in mind … we’re waiting on the final. 🙂

We’re getting rain here in Southwest/western Colorado, so I’m stuck at home once again and want to get pix of the boy out, the fourth of our new foals from last week. We need the moisture BADLY … though the timing could have accommodated my “weekend” a little better!

Raven and her boy – isn’t he a big stunner?

Mama and her baby boy

Look how the dazzling girl shines!

Daddy Kreacher

“Auntie” Kootenai (who came with Raven and Mona from Sand Wash Basin; Mona’s daughter, Shane, also is Kreacher’s).

What do you think of that belly? I am, in fact, expecting a special delivery from Kootenanny this year … time will tell!

Big sister Corona in what seems to have become her signature look.

Pretty, pretty mama!

Baby, mama and Kootenai in a “thicket” of greasewood.

He’s a pretty big boy!

Givin’ the boy a schnuzzle …

Sleepy boy …

… and down for the count. 🙂

Oh, little man, how handsome you are!

No exception – so loved!

Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : Corona, Kootenai, Kreacher, Raven

Eliana and family

17 05 2011

Eliana is the daughter of Mahogany and Sundance. When the fracturing of Steeldust’s band started in earnest last spring, Mahogany ended up with Sundance – and bachelor Aspen. Just a day or two after Eliana was born – and the day after I first saw her – Aspen finally succeeded in stealing her from Sundance. Among the meanings of her name is “daughter of the sun” – and so she is, not to be forgotten, though Aspen now has her and Mahogany.

Mahogany lost her foal last year before I ever saw it. This adorable little red girl is healthy and strong and full of spunk!

Mama Mahogany and her beautiful, sunny girl.

I love how the babies’ ears are curled after they’re born.

Though I don’t like to think about how any of the babies may have died, I am glad Mahogany got a break last year. She’s an older mare, though I don’t know how old, and she looks much better with Eliana than she did last year.

Aspen, Sundance, Mahogany and Eliana.

Handsome daddy Sundance – this was the next day, when he was alone and nursing some wounds.

Check out that wavy mane … who else has a wavy mane like that? Maybe he has passed it to his daughter – daughter of the Sun.

Grand ol’ beautiful lady is also an excellent mama.

Baby girl has a wide blaze like mama’s, but Eliana’s tapers over to the right side. Since I’ve known Mahogany, she has had two dark bays like herself (Pinon may be even darker) and a black foal. Piedra – grey – *may* be her daughter … and David may be her son (scroll down a couple of posts to compare). Eliana is the first sorrel she has had in that time.

I love, too, how the mamas constantly touch and sniff their newborns. Constant contact builds strong bonds.

I adore this moment – for itself and because I have a nearly identical photo from when Pinon (now 3) was a baby – with the exact same expression on his face as mama Mahogany reassures herself that her baby is just fine. 🙂

Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Aspen, Eliana, Mahogany, Sundance

Juniper and family

16 05 2011

Thanks to photographer Claude Steelman, Kestrel’s filly has a new name: Juniper! The baby girl does LOVE trees! Claude found Juniper when she was just hours old. He also named young Pinon when he was born two years ago (crikey, that’s another birthday I’m behind on!).

I don’t know how you’ll stand the cuteness … brace yourselves. 🙂

One of the first photos I took of her when I first found her family, standing – where else? – with her namesake juniper! Check out the banding on her legs. I’ve noticed this in several foals when they’re very young. Most of the time, they seem to fade with age.

Mama Kestrel and her new baby girl. Kestrel is Luna’s daughter … she learned from the best!

Handsome daddy Comanche

Sweetest big sister Winona – she’s whinnying after mama and stepdaddy.

Mama and her girls

Are you seeing a theme in the surroundings?

Or this recognizable, purely Spring Creek Basin landmark?

Dearheart girl and your angel baby – so beautiful!

Baby girl was wandering around – she’s already quite independent – and mama ended up on the other side of that fallen tree. Juniper tried to paw at it a bit, but she couldn’t quite seem to lift her long legs high enough to get over it, so mama came back to the rescue.

Don’t you want to give that little muzzle the softest little smooch!?

Are you all in love yet?

Yeah …

I’m totally gone … again. 🙂

Comments : 5 Comments »

Categories : Comanche, Juniper, Kestrel, Winona

For 4CBCH: David’s

16 05 2011

Most of the horses are now in the interior part of the basin that is accessible by roads. W, those pintos’ ears must have been burning when we were talking about them because even they are “up”! I couldn’t believe my eyes (or my binoculars) when I saw them on the north side of Flat Top … and when they advanced all the way to Knife Edge? Wow! Looking for water? Adventure? In any case, they are very visible. The three mares – mama Kiowa and her daughters Reya and Spook – are all pregnant (and no, the fillies aren’t pregnant by their sire(s), who was (were) likely removed during the 2007 roundup) – though they and their mama are pregnant by (likely) the same stallion: band stallion Copper).

So just David and his family remain in the McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area part of the basin – the area NOT accessible by roads. And the horseback group in Saturday’s count spotted them! They were the only horses I didn’t see, so between us all (and other folks who drove in saw more horses), we saw all the horses!

I thought I’d go back and tweak some more pix from the last time I saw Coal, Shadow’s and David’s new son – which was also the first time I saw him! He’s about two weeks old in these photos, taken about 2.5 weeks ago. I guess I need to go see them again!

David. Isn’t he striking? And though you can’t see it in any of these images, three of his legs also are touched by white.

David and his yearling son, Wind. You can’t see his legs, either, but he has a hind sock.

Early in the visit … Mama and baby and daddy …

Mama Shadow and baby Coal. He’s coal black – 🙂 – with just a little bitty star. Shadow is one of the wariest mamas in the basin, but after she seemed OK with me just standing there, she grazed very calmly while I was with them.

Shadow was orphaned during her first winter when her elder mama, Ceal, died. Shadow went back to the pintos, with whom she and Ceal had spent some time that fall, and David stole her away the next year when the Southside Boys bachelor band drove Bruiser away. She and David have been together ever since!

Handsome guy

Daddy and his big boy …

Mama and her boys. 🙂

All together. As wary as Shadow usually is, I had a really nice, lovely visit with them … and got very few images of her actually looking at me. I really don’t mind that at all. Wind always used to nurse like that, too – between her hind legs. I saw him nurse like that more often than I saw him nurse from her side. Funny how Coal does the same.

And one more of David, who WAS ever-watchful!

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Coal, David, Shadow, Wind

Boreas and family

15 05 2011

Here are some pix of Boreas and his family. He was still so new to the world that when daddy Chrome woke him up from his nap, he was a little confused about which big body he belonged to. But mama Two Boots got him sorted out, and all was fine.

Big brother Rio greets his little brother.

Hayden was fascinated by the little guy, who wasn’t at all intimidated by the big red boy!

The little guy checked everyone out while mama hovered a little anxiously.

Two Boots’ oldest son is out on his own (that’s Cuatro, 2), but here she is with her other two boys. I love capturing these families … so important to the horses.

And there he goes, our little baby-god of the north wind … marching into the sky.

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Categories : Boreas, Jif, Rio, Two Boots

Greetings, new!

15 05 2011

‘Twas a charmed visit, my friends! Three glorious days with my beloved mustangs … transcended to heaven, was I. Let me show you what I mean (prepare ye for extreme cuteness overload):

Meet Boreas, son of Two Boots and Chrome. I didn’t expect to meet him this week … in fact, of the mares due, Two Boots was pushing the edge of that. In another fact, she’s about a week early with this little mister – not that I’m complaining! I found them almost as soon as I drove into the basin. I’m sure the little was born earlier that morning. Boreas is the Greek god of the north wind, and there’s some interesting equine mythology associated with him.

No name yet for this little girl, the daughter of Mahogany and Sundance. As it turns out, Sundance finally lost Mahogany to Aspen between the time I took this pic and the next morning. He’s cut and bruised and sore, but he’ll be OK. She looks a lot like Briosa. A long-time theory I held was that Piedra was possibly Mahogany’s daughter … like daughter, like granddaughter? (I have to say, though, that neither Sage nor Tenaz look anything like any of Mahogany’s other offspring). As last year seemed to be the year for bay babies, so far we have two sorrels (that I think will stay sorrel), a silver buckskin and a few brownish to darkish foals that will turn grey, one black that I think is true black – oh yeah, and this next big boy! – our first bay of this year:

This strapping big boy is Raven’s and Kreacher’s son – his second-born (Shane (dam: Mona) is his firstborn), but it appears he’ll be the first Kreacher will raise in his band (Mona and Shane have been with Seven since Shane was born; Corona, who is not Kreacher’s daughter, was with Duke the first six months of her life). Raven is extremely protective of this big guy, but she allowed me to spend a wonderful evening with the family soaking in the gorgeous sunshine.

Meet Kestrel’s and Comanche’s daughter. Comanchero got a lot of practice with his adored stepdaughter, Winona, but this little angel-girl is his firstborn. Claude Steelman saw her Monday, the day of her birth, and let me know, so I was eagerly anticipating meeting her! I’ll tell you something, this baby is a genuine tree-hugging earth muffin! She apparently LOVES trees! Nearly every time I saw her, she was checking out some tree or other, whether it was green and alive or dead and fallen. In the pix to come, check out how often she’s surrounded by trees.

Are they fantastic?! Of course they are!!!!!!!!

They were all born between Monday and Thursday (which I know thanks to visits and reports by Claude and a group from Telluride that included four children on Mother’s Day!). Names and more photos are coming!

The Four Corners Back Country Horsemen held their annual wild horse count this weekend, and we were blessed with mostly gorgeous weather. Saturday saw the advance of slightly stormy skies, but it was really beautiful. The count is one way the 4CBCH helps managers of San Juan Public Lands with observances and projects to benefit the vast geography we call home here in Southwest Colorado. We were fortunate to welcome Tom Rice, associate manager of the Dolores Public Lands Office, and his wife, Kelly, to ride with the group of horsemen who set out Saturday in search of horses. We are most grateful for their involvement.

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Advocacy, Boreas

A few of Varo

11 05 2011

From sunset one night:

Love this sweet, sweet boy – Varoujan.

Look at him looking! Love the light, the swish of mama’s tail, the brace of his legs as he finds milk and comfort.

With mama and brother Gideon …

All those faces – faces of family – at sunset, the dawn of a beautiful life.

Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Alpha, Gideon, Luna, Varoujan

Briosa and family

11 05 2011

Had *wonderful* visits with Hollywood, Piedra and baby Bri last week. Am delayed getting out to the basin by much-needed rain and snow (!) – moisture – so I was able to get to some more pix today that might have been pushed off even further!

Here are some pix from the first visit:

She’s a bit of an independent girl.

Daddy Hollywood

She made a few overtures to daddy …

He wasn’t overtly interested in her, but he just seemed to “quiet” … I don’t know how to explain it, but I’ve seen it in all the stallions when the babies are near. Careful. Gentle.