Copper's Band

I drove up north hoping I would bump into Twister's (Deuce's/HSUS name) band. The HSUS lady and I had seen them earlier this week from afar. We could tell by looking through glass Copper Girl had a foal by her side..

But out at SWB you never know who you are going to see, as fate had it I did not see Twister, but lucky, lucky me I spot Copper and his harem.....also known as "The Dark Ones" I had seen them once before this spring, but not close enough to get photos.

That's Copper front and center. he has four white socks, but hard to see these horses' legs in this thick sage. To the right is Scarlett, his solid bay mare. The black behind is his 2 yr old son, Coal, and the little muley guy on the right is an yearling colt, Boomer.

This grey mare is new to Copper's band. I think t may be Wi Wakan from Ohitika's band, but can not confirm. She has no youngsters with her. Copper has also lost a mare to WildWind....These wild horses really know how to mix up their genes!

Copper has these two amazing black mares. they are very wiley and our good moms. This one with no white on her face we call Ebony.

The other one has a small dot star. We call her Evita.  Both mares have two colts with them. I can not tell if they are pregnant again. Last year they both foaled in May.

Scarlett.... to me she looks like a domestic, but she sure acts wild. Plus she made it through the brutal winter of 2011. Not just any horse could have done that. 

Here are the two 2011 colts ... Red and Boomer out of the black mares.

To me Flame is a stand out, he is a 2 year old colt and a full brother to Red.

The other 2 year old colt out of Ebony, Coal.

The band stallion, Copper.

"The Dark Ones"

Copper's Band (The Dark Ones)

Not a lot of white in Copper's band.

The bay band stallion. This band is very elusive and not real tolerant of people.

There are 2 2011 colts in this band, Boomer and Red. This is Boomer.

This is Red.

Two very shy wild horses...yet curious. I have these all ID'd and genders confirmed, but I am getting to the point I would have to go back and look at my records. This place is huge! No one person could ever document a range this big. It would have to be a GROUP EFFORT. Time to unite and not be "Johnny come lately" if they decide to round up our friends...I am advocating for bait trapping, enlarging the HMA to the east. Feeding some of the horses and get them used to corrals..... PZP select mares....To me the most important thing is getting accurate numbers and record what it going on. For the modern day mustang, documentation is key to their management. My dream would be to never use helicopters again out at SWB. We could humanely bait trap a few youngsters if we need to adopt any out...For now I am concerned with them making it through the winter...

I just love this big, solid bay mare...she has no offspring off her own, but is an excellent "auntie" horse to the youngsters. We call her Scarlett.

Copper with his yearling colt, Coal.

The black mare, Evita, looks pregnant again. She is a prolific mare, but many out here are not.

After a mud bath.

It is always special when I see "the dark band". They are really difficult to document because of the lack of white markings, but I think I have got it down (for now)!

Copper's Band

I was driving along in the middle of nowhere and passed an old two track. I drove by, but for some reason turned around and turned down  it. It was the right thing to do as I ran into "the dark ones"....Copper's band. This band is easy to tell apart as they are all dark, no greys, pintos or roans here. This amazing band is composed of beautiful bays, blacks and liver chestnuts.

The band is led by Copper, the bay with three white socks. He really susses me out. I am afraid he will run, but he lets me have a quick look at his harem. I am more then thrilled.

Here is the impressive stallion with a mare we call Maggie. I suspect she is a 2 yr old, but can't confirm.

The little colt we named Red a couple of months ago has really grown. He has a little fox tail. So sturdy and strong!

Red

Here is the other 2011 colt, Boomer. His mom is the black with no white....Ebony.

Boomer and his gorgeous mom, Ebony.

Copper never takes his eyes off of me. I know my time is limited...

Maggie the muley mare. She is an American Mustang.

This is the solid bay, Scarlett. I think of her as an "auntie" mare. She has no offspring of her own, but looks after the youngsters.

One of the two yearling colts, Coal. I do not know who his dam is, but would guess Evita....

....because I know this guy's dam is Ebony. The chestnut we named Flame. This band is challenging for a wild horse documenter. Not a lot of distinctive markings here.

One more thing. I was happy to see Dolly, Tuscarora's 2 year old, with Copper. She was on my MIA list, but is now found. She is good friends with Maggie. Long live Copper's band! This was an awesome encounter with this shy, elusive band of rare Colorado wild horses. Thank you Copper!