One Fine Day

I had such a great day today out at the range. Saw so many new horses and a bunch of familiar faces. Here is Tango and Snip, colts from Picasso's band.

This is Ellie and Flirt who hang out with the stallion, Bear. Flirt does not walk across the desert she flirts! I really don't know what color she is, my guess is she will grey out like so many of these Sand Wash beauties.

Here is Rudi, the elegant chestnut mare. It was nice to see her, it had been awhile. I love her flaxen mane and tail.

Rudi, on the left was hanging out with this grey stallion, who I had seen from a distance, but not close up. I'll call him Tonka.

Tonka kept snaking Rudi around and around.

Tonka is the color of the sage he lives amongst.

This is Bear and Viggo having a little stand off. Bear started it. Viggo won.

Up they go!

Bear has only one mare and a filly, I suppose he would like more, but mares are in short supply out at The Wash. This confrontation  was short.

Tonka

Ellie

Ellie and Flirt. Oops I think I startled them. Flirt is always on edge, very wiley little filly!

The very handsome band stallion, Bear.










All of these horses were in the general vicinity, including Crow and Star. They are still with Sterling and Kokomo.

Sterling's band is once again hanging out near White Out's group. Josie has delivered a gorgeous foal, I'm afraid Ivy has died....R.I.P. Ivy, the bay mare who was so tolerent of me.

Here is Tonka snaking Rudi again.

Mingo, from Picasso's band has had a new foal! I saw her 4 days ago without a foal so this filly is brand new. I call her Mango.

Snip checks out the little one.

Mingo with her yearling Tango and little Mango. Cute.

This is Sterling and Koko going at it. They are still together, but I have a feeling one will leave soon. Sterling is really scarred up.

Here is White Out's band minus Ivy plus new foal, Strider, who looks very much like his yearling brother, River.

So little! Can you see little Mango? She is right under her mom's neck.

Crow still has yet to foal ( I think ). It's fun to see Star all slicked out in his summer coat, I've only known him as a fuzzy little colt.

The awesome band stallion, Picasso. I've heard he is over 20 years old! An American icon.

Welcome to the world!

Yikes! Mango is not ready to play rough with her brothers!

Motherly love.

Picasso

Snip and Tango playing. They seem to do a lot of this! They have a very tight bond with one another, it is neat to see.

Corona and his band were also near by. This is Whisper, I wanted to show you his rear right hock which has always made him lame. He lopes on 3 legs! It seems like his family pays special attention to him, especially Corona and Cheyenne. He is definitely an underdog, but, hey, he made it through a winter!

I would say Indian Rose is pregnant. here she is with her growing colt. He is a handsome sorrel.

I call him Craig.

Everyone was so itchy! Must be springtime!

Here is Corona's entire band. Scratching away.

Love this guy!

He always seems to be in the middle of things. Bobby with his sister and mom.

Cheyenne is a small, tough little mestango. She takes good care of her disabled colt.

Bobby with his sister, Maybell. When I first met Craig and Maybell, the 2 chestnut yearling's in this band, I thought it was hard to tell them a part, but now they look way different. Craig is much bigger, more sorrel with a blaze. Maybell is smallish, a star....they are both curious fun colts to watch.

Corona is a loyal, proven band stallion out at Sand Wash. He has decided to trust humans to some degree, he allows us into his life on his terms. He, along with all the other horses, have taught me so much about the mustang way of life. I truly feel grateful! I think the 2 things they value most are freedom and family...

Isn't he elegant? His nickname is Fabio. There is not a lot of palominos on the range.

OK, the horses above were all near each other. After I finished observing I moved on and came across 2 bachelors. Here is one of them.

I like his good looks. Phoenix.

Gazing at some other horses in the distance. Birds eye view.

This is his friend he was hanging out with. I have trouble telling some of the bays and the greys apart.

They didn't stay for long and then they were off!

One more look at them.

Further down the road I discover a whole new band with a nice pinto stallion.

Here are his mares and a yearling. The mare on the left is actually a very pale pinto and she was flighty!

There they go!

Before this guy rejoined his girls he had a brief confrontation with a grey stallion and turbo galloped across the desert. Amazing!

This mare is with Jib's band, the sorrel stallion. She has a brand new baby and won't let me get any closer then this.

Jib's pinto mare. What unusual facial markings. Friends has given her a name...Crazy Horse

I have never seen a face like this one. She would have made a good Indian war pony. Prepainted.

Here is Jib. This band was spooky. I'm lucky to have got this shot. They act so much more skittish when they have a new foal. They have a strong instinct to protect their young.

Another new band with a really cool looking grey stallion. The bay, 3rd from the left is also a stallion.

They all walked passed me and posed for a picture. or so it seemed!

The sorrel, Clyde.

I did not observe them long enough to understand their relationships.

This is a young stallion. Sundown.

So that was 3 entirely new bands ( for me ). All hanging out fairly close together.

Down by the waterhole. Another new band! The white horse is not part of them. The "dark" band has a bay stallion and 4 bays and blacks, I assume mares and yearlings.

Actually, the white stallion is not welcome to join them for a drink. The bay makes that clear.

The white stallion leaves joined by this horse.

All the while the pinto was watching from a ridge with his little band and finally makes his move on the bay and wins over the water hole.

They had quite a battle.Instead of looking through my camera I watched with my naked eye. I did get a couple of shots.

Next time I'll try to take a video clip so you can hear and see the action. It is indescribable. It is the sound of the wild, wild west. Untamed and free, I just love it!

I had to leave after this as the horses saw me and I did not want to bother them. This is a band of horses that does it best to stay away from people. I respect that.

Here is the mystery bay running away with his dark band.

As I was leaving I caught a glimpse of the white stallion that was at the water and his friend, which to me looks like a mare, but I am just taking a guess.