Cody Band

Lucky, lucky us....Cody and his little band are just off the road and do not seem to flighty. We get out briefly and snap a few shots of this roan's gorgeous family band.

Cody's new adittion, Goldie,  the palomino three year old filly from Tuscarora's band, she seems to be getting along great!

... she has buddied up with Chikala, from Tashunka's band. She is a 2 year old Cody stole last year. These two seem to be the best of friends. It is great to see.

Cody's mare who stripe goes right we call Hope. She was a little lame today and was taking it easy with her new 2012 filly, Question. Look how healthy they look going into winter!

The mare whos stripe goes left is Cosima. She is tightly bonded with her 3 (?...maybe 2) year old filly, Rosie. Thank goodness Aleta has the horses all organized on a spread sheet. There are too many horses here for one person to remember.
 Do they look alike or what?

Cody did a pass by us to check out the new breed of mustanger..." us"... the modern day wild horse advocate... people who admire their beauty, grace, pride and family structure. We do not believe in helicopter round ups. These horses would be easy to bait trap if some needed removing. PZP has been effective here and people are willing to continue to do this.

We should be working toward making this a National Wild Horse Preserve, but I think other people (not many, but they have strong voices) have other plans for our friends ... like removing 200 by helicopter September 2013 (not confirmed).

Let's work towards more humane management here and work together to Preserve our herd! Please email jwfox@blm.gov. He is the man in charge of the next "gather". Please be nice! Tell him we would like to work together to make sure these Colorado wild horses are saved for generations to come!




 

Cody's Band

I caught a quick glimpse of Cody and band down by Lake Draw water hole. Cody is the big roan in the back.. All of these horses looked in fine shape. Cody has two mature mares (Hope and Cosima), a 2 year old filly (Rosie) and a 2012 filly, Question....

He also has this little 2 year old buckskin out of Tashunka and Kangee, Chikala. Chikala was heavy in foal about a week ago, but I notice right away she has lost it. Maybe that is a good thing. She is so young. Anyway she looks healthy and was just enjoying a rest on this late summer's day.

That's Little Mike crashed out...his band is leaving and he still sleeps! One of Cody's mare's, Hope, has a sniff. He still does not stir!

The mustang huddle. Here you can see the only foal in this band. Her stripe looks like a wrench!

She is a strong, sturdy little filly and leads her band away to find something to eat. It is always a pleasure to see Cody's band.

Cody's Band

It was nice to bump into Cody and his small band. We just got a quick glimpse of them. Here is the handsome roan band stallion. One could confuse him for Dolor, another roan with a similar face.

Cody has two, loyal mature look a like mares. There's one of them on the right, Cosima. She is shown next to her daughter, Rosie.Look how similar there stars are!

 The buckskin you can barely make out behind them is the 2 year old filly, Chikala. Chikala came from Tashunka's band. Her mom is the grulla there, Ska Wakan. Cody stole Chikala last fall (2011) when Ska Wakan was a little sick and had a new foal by her side (Lilka). Ska did get better and this little filly seems content here and very pregnant.

The other mature mare that looks just like her sister, Cosima, except her stripe goes right is Hope. Hope has this new filly we named Question. Her stripe looks just like a wrench! Really healthy looking this one...gorgeous.

Off to the waterhole ...here you can see Chikala very pregnant. Also Hope's 2 year old son, Slate, is missing. I am pretty sure I saw him with bachelors by Lake Draw but can't confirm. He is a grey.

Cody's Band

The only change to Cody's band since last fall is this cute new foal we call Question. Her mom is Hope. Cody has two mature mares, Hope and Cosima. They each have a stripe. Hope's goes right and Cosima's goes left.

Here is the other chestnut mare, Cosima. She has her 2 yr old filly, Rosie, by her side.

Cody's other mare is actually a 3 rear old filly from Tashunka and Ska Wakan. We call her Chikala. She is very pregnant. She left her family band last fall.

This Handsome grey guy is Slate, Question's half or full brother. He is a two year old like Rosie.

Cody is a good band stallion. I feel blessed he let me have a look at his new filly. I hope by documenting this herd they will have a better chance of humane management. In my opinion they are some of America's most beautiful equines. They have such good bone and hoof. These are the descendants of the horses that settled our country.  We must work hard at preserving this herd. Out of about 150 or more mares that could have babies only 20 have had foals this year. I believe we can manage them on the range with numbers like this.

Cody's Band

Can't beat seeing Cody's band on a blue sky day. The first thing I notice is the little dun filly he has added since I last saw this band. It is the yearling filly, Chikala, the one that had gone missing from Tashunka's band. It was good to see her with such a harmonious band.

Cody is a Silver Roan, he shines in the morning light. To me he looks like a turn of the century horse that got left out on the range. You would never mistake this gnarly mustang stallion for a domestic. There is something very different about him, that sets him and his kind apart. They are American Mustangs, a breed apart. That is one thing I know for sure after visiting the range going on two years now.

Tashunka's 2010 filly, Chikala. Her dam. Ska Wakan, has been ill this summer and has a new 2011 filly to take care of. I think this little dun will be safe with Cody. The two mature mares with him do not have 2011 foals of their own.

That's Harlan, the black bachelor stallion, he is dogging Cody, he probably has his sights on the yearling filly.

Cody's "twin mares". They must be sisters? They look and act a lot alike. One of their stripes goes right and the other mare's goes left. Also one has a 2 yr old filly and the other a yearling colt. They have wonderful Roman noses!

The yearling colt, Slate.

Cody challenges Harlan...

Lots of noise here, not too much action. Harlan will stay his distance...for now.

Cody see him off and life in The Basin rolls on....

Cody's Band

Finally! I have a close encounter with the roan, Cody's, band. I really wanted to get this band figured out. I think I have a clear understanding of how they go together.

Here is the band stallion, Cody. Look at that rear hind sock...I good way to tell him apart.

The yearling in this band is a colt, we named him Slate. Kinda a non descript color. He almost looks like he going grullo in this photo. I first saw Slate last year when he was Beau as a little foal.

These are the two I was really confused about. This mare's stripe goes left and the other mare's goes right. This one is Cosima (stripe goes left). She has a look alike shy 2 yr old daughter called Rosie.

Cosima really joined up with me and I had to shoo her away! Look at how similar the stars on these horses are.

There is the goofy yearling Slate and his dam, Hope. Her stripe takes a right turn at the nostrils.

The father/ son bonds are stong here. I can't believe Cody let me get such a great look at his family...thanks Cody!

They all have beautiful roman noses. Just love this Sand Wash band.