Tashunka's and Prancer's Bands

Here are the stallions Tashunka (roan) and Prancer (frosty buckskin?). They were with a large group of mustangs that were hanging out together on this winter's day. This was a friendly greeting...Tashunka saying he is dominant.

The loyal band stallion, Tashunka. I first met him in 2009, his band has been really dynamic and he has produced some beautiful foals.

That's my  friend, Josie, with her yearling colt, Strider, and her 2011 filly, Cinder. Prancer has just recently acquired her and her babies. Since I have observed her (fall 2009) she has been with White Out. White Out fought off other stallions all summer trying to get her from him. I think he is an older guy judging by his color (white). The last time I saw him he looked really run down...Ranger was dogging him (Oct). A couple of weeks ago a friend had documented Prancer had gotten the mare....no sign of White Out. I do not know much about Prancer except he has had a mare before...I have photos of him in 2010 with Splash and her 2009 colt, Roosevelt. Splash is now in Dan's band.

I really like him....such an unusual color.

This is Tashunka's grulla mare, Ska Wakan, with her 2011 filly, Tecomseh. She is a real come back story. Back in June after she had the filly (Tecomseh was an early foal), she lost an incredible amount of weight and was having trouble keeping up with her family band, but somehow she came back and the filly started gaining weight as well. I believe her to be an older mare. My guess is she is always allowed to return to The Range after round ups because of her sought after, unusual coloring.

The black mare, Kangee, had this gorgeous little bay filly we call Ladore. Kangee joined Tashunka last summer (2010). I do not know what band she came from. One day she just seemed to appear...it's like that out here....so vast and full of secrets...

I noticed the yearling filly, Nahmana, is missing. She is the bay mares daughter. My guess it is Ohitika who has  her. He has taken a couple of other mares from the roan (Wi Wakan and Mina). Tashunka's and Ohitika's bands were almost always together last year. I have no idea why. It is not unusual for bands to buddy up out here.

Moda, the bay mare with the missing ear tips, is Tashunka's lead mare. She has had two roan fillies in a row....Nahmana (the one missing) and this one on the left...Lilka. This was a quick encounter...the mustangs were wily and spooky.

Misc News and Photos from the Range

I can't believe it! Demi, the domestic mare who got dumped on the ridge last fall, has survived the winter and has somehow made it back to where she started and is with Benson, the stallion she originally started out with. She looks great!
Here is the handsome overo black and white, Benson. Demi was last seen with Greasewood going into the winter, he is a more dominent band stallion then this guy. Greasewood had another mustang mare that did not like Demi. I wonder if she was the reason the mare left? Demi, in my opinion, would like out and have a nice home with humans that would care for her. She let me and some kids pet her and looked like she was waiting for a ride out. I can only hope the HSUS does something about this situation. For now she is on her own.
Tripod is parked on the ridge alone. Sure wish he would find a friend soon. I observed him trotting and cantering with bad leg and all.
Well, I found Prince's missing chestnut (Moonlight), her grey 2 yr old (Dusty) and his ghost pinto (Mystic). They are with Blazer and his original mare, Yellow Cat.... Mystic does not have her yearling filly, Madeleine. I found her near by with Bugs..... The chestnut mare looks pissed off! She does not like Yellow Cat and Blazer telling her what to do!
Here is a shot of Cinder...Josie and White out's filly. She is pretty shy and her mom has never been the same since she was darted last fall. I was grateful to get this close. She is a beaut.
White Out's band. This is one of the bands I observe in the winter. They are all doing good. As I suspected River, the 2 yr old colt, has left the band. I saw him a few days before with Centauro's 2 yr old colt, Capitano, and the elder stallion, Kiowa.
Chief telling Roper to GO AWAY!! Chief is working in tandem with JimmyDarkSand to keep three mares and some of their youngsters.
There is Darcy's new foal. She is in the Jimmy/Chief band. They seem unsettled and just hurried by.
Miss Owl.
There is Apache. I had not seen him all year. He is tailing Jimmy's band....from a distance.
Willie Nelson was with three 2 yr old colts on this day, showing them the ways of the range.
Nomad and Feather have "lost" their 2 yr old filly, Streaker. For now they are just a couple. They have a strong, harmonious bond.
...if looks could kill. Brave and Ellie.
The black is one of Picasso's 2 yr old colts (Snip) and the chestnut is one of Corona's (Craig). Both colts got kicked out of their bands early last year. They seem to be good friends now.
Craig....a Corona baby out of his grey, Indian Rose.
Little miss Madeleine..."the pink horse". She seemed relaxed with Bug's band. This is the third Sand Wash filly I have seen as a yearling leave her band. It will be interesting to see what happens in situatons like this...She sure semed content and relaxed.
Craig flemming...lots of mares in heat this time of year..
There is Nomad having a word with Willie Nelson...nothing became of it, just a bunch of postering and noise.
I can't tell you how happy I was to see this guy, Sterling. He was one of the first stallions I met on the range. At the time he had the mare Crow. I am pretty sure this is Owl's sire. His coat always looks like that. He is the type that shows all of his battle scars. He was alone on this day.