Twister's Band

I finally decide it is time to head a further north into the HMA . I really wanted to see Twister's band and I did! They were way in the distance, but it was worth the hike to see these wild horses I consider to be my friends. It takes me a minute to sort them all out. But here you can see the sorrel band stallion, Twister, his white mare (Windy) and his grey mare (Shady). Windy and Shady both have their 2010 colts by their side.
These two are up a little ways on the hills. I soon discover it is Gus, Shady's two year old, and a young mare who I do not recognize.
That's Breeze, Windy's yearling. These guys live in the monster sage. They have adopted well to their surroundings. I did not observe this band "migrating" much last year. They have their little part of the range and stay there. I have no idea how they can survive the winters up here. Not just any horse could do that. They live in more then a foot of snow with very little grass and no water.
This is the other yearling Grulla colt, Whisp. He is the only documented grulla foal in 2010.He was born a little after Breeze last spring. Both mares look pregnant again. Windy looks like she is going to pop!
How about this for a wind knot?? This mare will bloom once she has her foal. For now she is taking it easy.
A funny thing happened during this encounter....Twister left his family and went up to the top of the hill, leaving me with the band! I am always wary of Twister. You must respect him. He is a strong minded stallion that is very protective of his band. He gives clear signals. I respect that.
Isn't he beautiful?
While Twister is away the younsters get very curious about me and I get a good close up look at each one of them. This is Breeze.... The chestnuts are hard to tell apart. I took this photo because I wanted to show his two back socks.

Gus, the two year old colt. He is Twister's buddy. Last year I observed them and he was always near Twister, learning the ways of a mustang stallion. Now he has found this yound mysterious sorrel filly to play with.

She could have entered from the east. The horses can cross over to the eastern boundary in the winter when the cattle guards get filled with snow. There are many horses over there. I believe we should enlarge this HMA and make that allotment part of the range. They are aleady there...

Whisp is pretty shy. It took him a while to come up to me, but he was too curious, especially after his brother had come up to get a look.

Here is the "new" mare and Gus horse playing. She was really biting his neck hard! He seems to love it!

More mutual grooming.

I wonder if these two will run off together?

That's Breeze....flemming. smelling the scents of mares.

Look for a foal soon from Windy.....For now she is having a lazy afternoon just being a wild horse.