Haze's band

I have not been going out as much this summer. The draught is severe and the conditions are brutal. I did manage to make it out last week on a hot and smokey (from near by wildfires) day. The first band we saw was Haze's. This is the band who's former band stallion (Greasewood) was euthanized by The BLM last winter. He has 15" of barbed wire wrapped around his leg and was suffering bad. Anyway the mares mourned for a bit and then were claimed by the handsome sorrel with one blue eye, Haze.

I think of the little foal we call Sagewood as Greasewood's legacy. Sagewood is an only foal like most of the foals out at SWB. Her or she was born to White Sage who is just a 3 year old filly (The HSUS did not PZP the 2009 fillies). Greasewood acquired her and her mom, Yarrow, sometime during winter of 2010.

This is Rooibos. he is dogging Haze. I have never seen him this far south. he was with the unsettled bunch last year (with Eleganza). He is feisty and was running around doing a good job of keeping Haze on his hooves.

That is Demi, the domestic. She was "dropped" off by someone fall of 2010 and has managed to earn the title of mustang. There are no other domestics in here that have survived since the 2008 round up. There was another mare, Monet, but she was jerked out by Sombrero Ranches last month.

The Hazer

Yarrow is the grandma to Sagewood, White Sage is her daughter. Something happened to Yarrow last spring (2011) and she has never been the same since. It started with a limp that gradually got worse which led to her feet growing strange. She still limps , but I witnessed her cantering and keeping up with her band. If this mare was chased by a helicopter she would most likely be put down for having a club foot. She needs to be bait trapped and have her hooves fixed (in my opinion). Why doesn't The H$U$ do anything?

Demi lost her foal this spring. No one knows what happened ...one day she was very pregnant, then she wasn't. Like many of the mature mare she looks after little Sagewood like she was her own. The 3 year old fillies are not the best moms.

Rooibos

Demi and White Sage. You can tell White Sage is Greasewood's daughter by her confirmation. A real easy keeper. Built Range tough.

It was good to finally see this band in person this summer.  I feel very blessed there are folks now on facebook who post their photos for all to see. I can not afford to keep going out as much as I have been and I am also discouraged because The BLM is talking of a helicopter round up next year without considering their social structure.

Haze's Band ( Before Greasewood's)

On Tues, Jan 11, Greasewood was put down. He was suffering bad and I feel the BLM made the right decision. The vet that looked at his body found a piece of barbed wire wrapped around his leg....so sad. I went out on Thursday and right away we spot the family he left behind. I am surprised to see they are without a stallion.

As we approached his lead mare, Yarrow, layed down. I thought that was so odd. I really feel like she was mourning the loss of her big beautiful bay stallion that looked after her and her daughter the last couple of years.

There is her daughter, White Sage. This filly has led a sheltered life on the range. Her mom became lame this spring and it went on all summer. Greasewood parked his mares and kept them separate so Yarrow cold heal. Many people saw this band as they were towards the entrance.

The pinto is Demi, the domestic. By the looks of it she is very pregnant.....

The next photos were taken on Sunday Jan 15....this was one of the best encounters I have had in a long time. The sorrel bachelor stallion, Haze, has claimed the three mares and has brought along his side kicks, River and Diego. The band is anything but settled.

When I first met Haze in 2009 he was Lightning's bachelor stallion. When that band broke up he has been running with the bachelors. Lately he has been babysitting River and Diego who are two and three year old colts respectively. Earlier this summer he stole Kangee and her newborn foal from Tashunka, but that did not last long.

His right eye is blue. He is a very stunning stallion. I am so glad he has found a family of his own.

Boy has this guy perked up Yarrow. She really seems to like him and has a new spring to her step. She is in heat and is all lovey dovey with Haze. There is one problem...Sage, her daughter, will not let them breed! When he make advances she comes rushing in, roaring and kicking to get the stallion away from her mom. It was quite a sight.

Haze and Yarrow.

Sage coming in to break them up! I have video of this on You Tube.

The young stallions hang out in the back, mainly pestering Demi who is pregnant and pissy.

There is little Diego who got kicked out of Rounder's band at a very young age. He takes in the action with his buddy, River. River is Josie's coming three year old colt.

Yarrow is almost all better from her lameness, but it has left her hoof like this. Maybe from not putting weight on it? It was a lot worse before. She still has a slight limp. Her hooves were perfect before this summer.

A closer look...When I saw this mare a couple of months ago I never thought she would pull through, but she is a mustang and they are incredibly tough. I love this little mare with the big heart. I hope Hazer takes good care of her. We will just have to wait and see.

Bachelor Stallions

As we were entering the range we came across bachelor stallions right away. These three were together...Outlaw (flaxen mane), Haze (chesnut with one blue eye) and , I am pretty sure, River (the grey). River is Josie and White Out's 2009 colt.

Like I've said befre, the greys are the hardest to ID. I am guessing this is River by 1. where is at on The Range 2. his behavior (he was acting like a 2 yr old with these older stallions) and 3. by his star.

The Hazer. He was satellite to Lightning back in 2009/2010 and has been a bachelor ever since that band has broken up. Look for him to get mares sometime soon. For now he has buddied up with these guys. Outlaw is normally with Chrome, but Chrome has found mares (Femur's).

Teaching the young guy the ways of Sand Wash Basin. These studs were near a huge flock of sheep. I am sure they are used to the coming and goings of the woolies.

I am pretty sure this is little Diego. The yearling colt from Rounder's band. He was a ways away from the older bachelors, but I am glad he was not completely alone.

Further down the road we see Lightning...alone...as usual...ever since he lost his beloved mares in 2010. He likes the pasture by Two Bar Spring. His two mares he lost (Pablina and Floriana) were about a mile away with Hurricane...I believe he still pines for them. A friend called the HSUS and they told her Lightning was aged as "old" at the 2008 round up. Any how he looks great. The friend I was with said he looked like a "plush pony". So fat and fluffy! It has been such a mild winter.

Lightning's band

Sand Wash Basin American Mustangs through and through. Lightning's Band.

The little family makes sure that the only foal is safe from harm. I call him Flash. He is a little pinto colt.

Flash.... his mom, Pablina, is the white mare. The bay mare does not have a foal.

The family unit minus Blue Sky and Pablina.

The awesome band stallion, Lightning. This is just amazing to see. He looks so healthy and conditioned...I am in awe!

Lightning and his daughter?  I call her Blue Sky. I am so glad she got spared being rounded up in 2008. She likes to be wild, I know. They seem to thrive in these extreme conditions with no humans interfering.

The one and only, Blue Sky. She has a nice pinto splash, a great big blaze and white eye lashes. A real American Beauty.

She blends in so well! The Sand Wash has so many grey/white ponies. Love it! I call her grey boots. (Later her name was changed to Pablina).

Beauty in motion.

Lightning takes care of his family. He is wary of me .... the way they move through the snow is incredible.

I think she is a 2 year old, one blue eye one brown, stunning little filly. One of the few young females I have seen. The mustangs must have gotten all mixed up when they were rounded up. No thought was given to bands. The mares were put in one area and the stallions in another. Every single weanling (2008 foal) was removed. We can do better. Seems like the system needs to be changed.

These two got separated from the herd, major drama. They like to stick together, that is for sure! The chestnut is a stallion.

Family portrait minus two horses.

Finding plenty to eat, looking very healthy for the middle of winter.

I call this chestnut beauty, Haze. He is like Blue Sky, one brown eye, one blue. He is a wild thang! This is a satellite stallion.

Little Flash, the lone 2009 foal, he is special.

Here is Lightning showing off his unusual facial markings.

These pictures are from back in November. I met this handsome stallion and his lovely harem near Two Bar Spring. His pinto markings are so much like Benson's, but they look nothing alike! He has 2 of the whitest mares I've ever seen. One of the foals looks a lot like Lightning, but is sorrel. I call him  Flash. This is a very stunning looking family of horses. I have a video posted of this group earlier on this blog. Also try Micahflash channel on You Tube for this and a few more videos of Sand Wash Mustangs.