Vegas Band

L to R Miracle (3 yr old filly/mare), Morgan (Miracle's 2011 colt), Little Bit (Vegas and Olga's 2012 filly), Casino (mare)  PJ , Olga's 2010 colt (Out of Picasso) , Olga (mature mare) and the band stallion, Vegas.

Vegas is big! One of the largest stallions on The Range! He has had mares come and go since the 2008 gather, but things seem to have settled for now and he has had the same horses for over a year now. They are a handsome bunch.

There is Little Bit... she has inherited her sires large bone. She was one of the first born this spring. A foal was born to the grey mare (Miracle) a couple of months later (Spirit), but she was one of the many foals that did not survive this year.

The little grey in the middle is Morgan, he is often overlooked next to his flashy "brother", PJ, but he is a nice colt. He loves to horse play with PJ. You can see how big Little Bit is standing next to him!

PJ (pinto) has turned into a stunning 2 year old colt and is shown with the mares Casino and Miracle. Casino joined Vegas last year. She did not bring along her daughter, Cachina, nor her 2010 colt, Jackpot, who has been seen running with the bachelors. Cachina (2009 filly) is MIA. She is a grey. It is easy to tell Casino apart from the other grey mares because of her "polka dots". She did not foal this year.
Miracle joined Vegas soon after she had Morgan, spring of 2011. I am almost sure she came from Cherokee's band, but can not confirm.

Vegas's Band

I drive for miles and miles and finally spot a little orange horse in the distance. It's Mango! Picasso and Mingo's yearling filly. She is at first with a grey, but the  grey quickly disappears into a dip.

Soon the mustangs get curious and come to investigate.  I am pleasantly surprised to see it is Vegas, the big bay, and his band. I have a special fondness for Vegas....I am pretty sure he is the sire of my adopted 3 yr old mustang, Odakota.

They get even more curious and come to do a "trot by". This is one of the  the favorite things  that wild horses do. They approach me! I have the best luck at this if I am alone.

This was thrilling...They seemed to pose for a family portrait! It took them awhile to all get lined up, but once they did I really enjoyed snapping photos of them. These are my favorite kinds of shots...wild horse family portraits!

So Vegas ends up with Picasso's babies...who would ever have thought? I think Mango is safe here. Mango and her half brother, PJ.

The stand out pinto colt..PJ.!  PJ  and his dam were with Picasso when he was born late last summer. We found him with and his mom, Olga, with Vegas this spring. So I do not know who this mother/son  pair wintered with.

PJ and his dam, Olga. Olga had been with Picasso since the spring of 2010 ( as far as I know). She has a 2 yr old son, Snip, which she raised with Picasso's band(pure black),  He is now running around with the bachelors. PJ is huge! He is just over a year old here.

See what I mean?

Vegas with the Picasso babies. Picasso is getting old. I think nature shuffles these around they they will have a better chance of survival. It takes a good, strong band to get the mustangs through the brutal Colorado winters. I am glad Picasso still has his two loyal mares with him.

This little grey mare is not so used to people. I am almost sure she is a 2 year old from Cherokee's band, but can't confirm, as I rarely see  Cherokee. The foal is colt we call Morgan, he is going through his molt and we can see he will be a grey! Such a cute little guy! The foals of the few 2 yr old fillies that had babies (not many) are kinda small....they have a little different look.

The encounter does not last long and the wild horses are on there way, led by the bay lead mare, Olga.

Well, I sure am glad I found Mango. She is one of only a few yearling fillies who have left their families. The other three I know of are Madeleine, Chikala and Destiny. It will be interesting to see how they all do.