Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses Slide Show

Corona

Corona's Band

Today I spot Corona's band! I have not seen this beautiful band of horses for quite a while. It was worth putting on my snow shoes and hiking about a mile to where they were grazing.

Corona did not accept me at first...he really checked me out and started to walk away.

Then his mare Cheyenne came and seemed to help him decide. They let me observe!

The grey mare was next to the stallion most of the time. She looks great.

The black mare is pretty shy. She was busy pawing the ground trying to find something to eat buried beneath the snow.

This little filly reminds me of a Pryor mountain horse. She really has that primitive look. Notice the striping on her legs.

Here is the black mare's coming 2 year old filly, One Spirit, she is shy like her mom. Just a gorgeous solid bay.

These two were working in tandem pawing at the snow. That's the other coming 2 year old filly, Maybell ,with her mustang bro, Bobby.

The glamour boy....he sure is a looker!

Our very own "Cloud". This was the first wild horse foal I saw this spring. He is a couple of months older then his sister, Yampatika.

One Spirit nursed for a bit. Em, the black mare, did not have a foal this year. It was strange to see this big horse nursing!

All eyes are on the handsome band stallion, Corona.

Bobby, he is starting to look like a palomino. He looked very healthy and of good weight.

Here is Bobby's dam and also the mom of One Spirit. She is a gnarly old mare who is missing her right eye. She will have to work hard this winter to find food.

A happy litle mustang....Maybell.  Tripod, the lame yearling colt was missing.

White Out's band

Owl

I was very lucky on this day. I saw the two white stallions that travel together with their bands. This little stocky filly is the black mare's, we call her Owl.

I had been to the range three times in December before this visit. I had seen horses, but not close enough to get photos. So this was extra special. The horses weren't grazing, they were browsing,

This filly started out dark and greyed out quickly. She was a late filly. It will take a lot of determination and help from her family to survive the harsh Sand Wash winter.

Here are the two bands together. Each white stallion has one mare, a yearling and a weanling.

Here is Owl's dam, Crow. She is blacker then black and wise to the ways of the range. Both mares were quite leery of me. They have changed since the HSUS began trying to dart them.

The snow is deep and set up. The mustangs must high step to get through it. The conditions are so extreme many sheep have been brought back to the neighboring ranch. A local rancher told me they had recieved 16" of snow last week followed by rain which really set it up. The horses are in for a brutal winter...

This is the other mare. She was the most wary. She has a very tight bond with her stallion, they are never very far apart.

Here is one of the coming two year olds. This is the sorrel mare's colt. He seems to be greying out. We call him River.

White Out with River in the foreground. You can see how he is greying.

This is the other white stallion. He has the old black mare. Last winter she was with the grey stallion, Sterling, but still traveled near the band with the sorrel mare and White Out. So it must be the mares who are bonded.

Here are the two coming two year olds. The stallions let them interact. They are both becoming quite independent. It will be interesting to see how long they stay with their families. The one on the left we call Star. He has really blossomed. Last winter he was just a little black scruff ball. Now he seems to be greying and his mane and tail are going silver. He is just beautiful.

The leery sorrel mare, Josie. I feel so honored she let me get this close. Even though it was not for very long.

White Out's band. Next to him is the weanling, Strider. He was born early this spring. He is probably about 5 months older then little Owl.

Making her way through the deep snow.

Strider

After a while they got tired of me and high stepped it away from me. I did not over stay my visit. The horses let me know when they have had enough. Long may you run!