Hurrricane's Band

Well it has been almost 2 years since I have done any documentation of the Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses. I would like to continue my work and join forces with the other photographers to make sure we are supplying accurate numbers to The BLM.  It is good to be back with my friends, the wild horses. This is Hurricane's Band.

The first thing that catches my eye is a new foal for Pablina, the elder grey/white mare who I first met in 2009 when she was with Lightning. She joined Hurricane, along with her bay friend, Floriano, a couple of yesrs ago. The band has added two additional mares, Dusty and Rudi, both I recognize.

This is Dusty's 2014 filly. She was named Allie. Now a days the photographer who spots the foal first gets to put a name on it. It is then added to a spreadsheet, given a number and reported to The BLM. The link between the documentation and The BLM is a group called SWAT. They came on to the scene a couple of years ago. They mostly focus on PZP and counting foals, much like The HSUS did when they were here.  They have put  our herd over AML (appropriate management level) of 363 wild horses. I believe this number is high as their is no way to determine a death/escape rate. Many of us continue to advocate on The Sand Wash Basin Wild Horse face book page where we are biased towards the horses.

This is my first look at Hurricane's "Twins". I had heard a lot about them through face book and have seen them grow up through other people's photos. They are not actual twins. One is from Dusty , the other from Pablina. They are both colts, have stripes on their legs and are a handful for Hurricane! Please check The SWBWH page under 2013 foal albums for their names. They are just stunning!

Our main documenter is from New Zealand. I took these photos for her and others so we can tell the two apart. The BLM is talking of "chemical vastectomies" for our stallions. I am against this.  

The bay is Floriano. She does not have many foals of her own. She had a beautiful colt in 2010, Cabellero, he stayed with the family for a long time, but has now left. I have not seen a photo of him for a long time. I am more concerned with keeping track of the ones gone missing.  Maybe this winter we can focus on that.

After the round up of 2008 Hurricane was young and ran with the bachelors, but it did not take him long to steal a couple of mares. We have many dun stallions here. Hurricane has a snub nose, a trait admired by mustang lovers like myself.

Dusty is a 2009 mare out of Prince's band. I remember when she left her family band. She was briefly with Picasso before settling in with Hurricane. Back then we tried "sponsor a wild horse" for fun on face book. A person got paired up with a horse and was going to keep track of him and her.

Some folks say we are too emotionally attached to these animals, that from a management point of view that makes no sense. The BLM asked me time and time again "How does the social structure affect the way we mange these wild horses"?
I think it matters a lot and we should interfere as little as possible. I think we should have a say in which mare receives PZP and their should be a public album where we can see which of our mares have been darted.

This beautiful band displays primitive markings.

What does the future hold for this filly?

Hurricane's Band

There is Hurricane's band sneaking across their high desert home. Hurricane is the dun. The white mare, Pablina, shares duties as lead mare with the bay, Floriano. The two mares have been together since the 2008 round up. They were with Lightning first, then Rounder....last fall they took up with this young stallion. We call him Hurricane. Before this he was a bachelor stallion. I remember he used to hang out with his buddy Chrome, harrassing the older stallions.

The bay guy with the big blaze is Cabellero. He is a real momma's boy. He was born in 2010.

Lozania is Pablina's yearling filly. She is the youngest horse in this band. Pablina looks a little lean. I wish we could put some hay out for them and get them used to being in a corral.

Dusty is the odd ball here. She is a 3 year old filly from Prince's band who joined these guys last fall (2011). She is an easy keeper and looks good. I am glad she does not look pregnant. Sure wish The HSUS had PZP'd our younger horses while they were out here....

It was really nice to see as these horses as I have not seen them for a long time. This place is VAST.

Hurricane's Band

On the way out of the range I spot Hurricane's band on a small ridge. They have moved about 10 miles south since the last time I saw the (;ast week). They are looking for food...it is sparce. The sheep are thick towards the entrance and have been parked there for quite a while.

Originally I thought the new grey filly in this band was White Sage, but now I am pretty sure it is Dusty, out of Moonlight, from Prince's band. Dusty has has  quite an adventuresome life for a 2 yr old filly......When Prince's band broke up this spring she and her mom ended up with Blazer, then they were with Rounder.....then Prince got both his mares back along with their 2 yr old fillies (Dusty and Oda). This didn't last long (for Dusty)....Dusty was seen with Greesewood, Picaaso and now, Hurricane....all during the last couple of months! She seems happy here...she likes the 2011 filly Lozaniza. They seem to always be together (for the brief glimpses I get)
I know of no other filly that has been with that many stallions in such a short time. Most of the 2009 fillies are still with their moms.

The ever elegant, Pablina. She is a prolific mare. Lozania is her 2011 baby. She also had the 2009 colt, Flash, and the 2010 colt, Diego. Diego got kicked out at an early age (as a weanling) late this summer. He has been seen with bachelors. Flash is a big strong, social 2 yr old. He is a pinto....I believe the son of Lightning.

The only colt in the band...Cabellero. He is unique in that he has a flaxen mane and dark tail and this stand out blaze. He is the bay mares (Floriana's) yearling colt. Floriana is not as prolific as her grey "sister", Pablina. She did not have a foal in 2009 (to my knowledge) nor this year. She is a wary mare and always on the alert.

There's Hurricane out front (the dun). He is a young, inexperienced band stallion and it shows. He is losing weight and does not have full respect from the mares. They seem a little doubtful about his leadership. It will be interesting to see if he can hold on to all these mares. Notice the ever alert bay mare, she has been really spooky lately.

It's fun to see these young stallions with mares. It really "fluffs their feathers" and makes them happy mustangs! Good luck Hurricane!

Off they go....I also saw Prince's, Yellowman's and Greasewood's bands from the binoculars. It seemed like the domestic mare, Demi was missing. Yarrow is still hanging in there!

Winter's Day

I finally decide it is time to head out to the range. I am surprised how good the roads are. After we pass a few sheep camps we spot this band of horses. It is Hurricane's (formally Rounder's). I can see they have added a new horse...the grey one...I am pretty sure it is White Sage from Greasewood's band. The horses are very skittish and no not stick around. I know the BLM did an aerial count and am wondering if the low flying aircraft has spooked them. We decide to push on and maybe catch this band on the way out.

The next band we see is Eagle's. Here are the two rambunctious brothers. Falcon and Meadow Lark.

The magnificent band stallion, Eagle. He is also very spooked and does not hang out for very long.

Eagle's only mare, Lark, looks very pregnant. The pinto brothers are her sons. She is not part of the PZP study.

That's Corona's band in the fog.

On the way back we do see Hurricane's band again and I decide to see if I can approach them. This is how close I came before they ran. L to R White Sage(?), Pablina, Pablina's 2011 filly, Lozania, Floriano (bay) and her yearling son, Cabellero. They all look great! They are having an easy winter compared to last.

The gorgeous white mare, Pablina. It is difficult to determine if she or her friend, Floriano, is lead mare. They seem to share the role. Pablina and Floriano stick together. Before Hurricane they were with Rounder and before that Lightning. As I was observing them I could see Lightning about a mile away. He has been a loner ever since he lost his mares. 

Hurricane, the solid dun. As far as I know these are his first mares since the 2008 round up. I think he is a young stallion. The HSUS has the ages of some of the horses as they were aged at the 2008 round up. E mail hhopkins@humanesociety.org.

Do you think that is White Sage (the grey)? Her mom and former band stallion were both lame last time I saw them. She seems happy here.

The mustangs never really settled with me around.

Lozania with her new sister filly. White Sage is huge like her sire!

I like the little chestnut colt with the big blaze, Cabellero. Floriana did not have a foal this year. Maybe that is why this guy is still with her. Pablina's yearling colt (Diego) left this fall to join the bachelors.

Hurricane.  12/25  The grey filly is actually Dusty from Prince's band. I confirmed that yesterday.

Rounder's Band (taken over by Hurricane)

Well, I was surprised to see Hurricane, the solid dun, has taken over Rounder's remaining two mares, Pablina and Floriano, plus their youngsters. The mares were leading the way and Rounder was a ways back tailing them.

There is Cabellero, Floriano's (bay) yearling colt. I have a fondness for this little guy, he is so unique with his dark mane, flaxen tail and great big blaze with an apron that wraps around his nose...so cute!

Pablina, the grey mare, has this little 2011 filly by her side. She is named Lozania, such a little princess. She doesn't seem to mind who she is with, just so her mom is near by.

Pablina and Floriano are best mare friends. They originally were together in Lightning's band, which Rounder took over last spring. They are usually right next to each other. This is Floriano.

The elegant, Pablina.

Poor Rounder...he looks run down and a bit thin. Maybe he will be Hurricane's satellite stallion?

On the other hand, I am happy for Hurricane. He has been a bachelor since the 2008 round up.

You can tell Hurricane from the other dun stallions because he has no white and a blocky head. He has the look of a Spanish horse. We will have to wait and see if he keeps these mares.

Bachelor Stallions

I wanted to show you a few of our wonderful bachelor stallions. Here are L to R....Hoot, Tango and Nick. I can't confirm, but I am almost sure Hoot is from Eagle's band. Tango is one of Picasso's 2 yr old colts and Nick, the palomino, is a mystery.

Usually if I see a group of bachelors there is an older stallion amongst the younger ones. This is Haze. He was with Lightning's band in 2009/2010 then has been on his own since. Last year he hung out with Hurricane. Earlier this year he stole Kangee, the black mare from Tashunka's band, right after she gave birth to Ladore, her 2011 filly. But that did not last long as Kangee found her way back to her band stallion. Look for this stallion to have mares of his own in the near future. For now he shows the young colts the ways of a wild horse.

Hazre has one blue eye.

This is Picasso's other 2 year old colt, Snip. He is Olga's son. He struck out on his own late last fall after his brother, PJ, was born.

The mustang in the foreground is Flash. He is Pablina's and Lightning's 2 yr old. He knows Haze well as Haze was his satellite stallion when he was a born into Lightning's band.

Hoot and Tango, beautiful pinto colts.

Tango, a Picasso baby. Hard to mistake him as he has those freckles that set him apart.

Here is yet another 2 year old that was with this group. This is Ziggy. He is from Bug's band. There are many 2 year olds out here because they were all born in 2009 after the Oct 2008 round up. Round ups cause the mustangs to breed more.

This is another day, another band of bachelor stallions. Hurricane(dun), River(grey), Capitano(bay) and Skip(palomino).

All of these colts are 2 year olds except for the solid dun, Hurricane. The bay is Capitano from Centauro's band. The grey is River from White Out's and Skip, the palomino, is from Bug's band.

This is KIowa. He is an older stallion really trying to find some mares of his own. He has been babysitting River and Capitano all summer, but on this day was on his own challenging Corona, Greasewood and Rounder. He is strong and fit. It would be nice to have another breeding pinto out here.

Challenging Rounder.

Greasewood says "Stay away from my mares!"

Greasewood proves he is dominant and escorts Kiowa away from his mares in the rain.