Viggo's & Tonka's Bands (Feat Jigsaw and Rocket)

I see Viggo's and Tonka's bands up on the ridge. They are coming towards me!

These two bands often like to travel together. At one time, both of Tonka's mares have been with Viggo. Each band has a 2011 colt...Viggo (bay) has the pinto, Jigsaw.

.... and Tonka, the grey, has Rocket.

This is the Rocket.

Jigsaw is hanging out with his big brother, Stomper. Stomper is a coming three year old, but still travels with Viggo and teaches Jigsaw about being a wild mustang stallion.

Jigsaw and Stomper.

Rudi, Rocket's dam, brings her colt down to where Jigsaw is...

The two colts come together for a little horse play.

Rudi supervises.

The colts have a little romp...

Jigsaw proves he is dominant !

It was such a treat to watch these two colts from different bands interact.

Viggo's Band



This post is a little out of order, but I had uploaded these photos and thought you might want to see them. This is the bay's, Viggo's, band also known as "The Medicine Hats". Here they are mixed in with some of Tonka's band. The two harems are often observed together. They each had one colt this foaling season and the stallions and mares let them play together (Rocket and Jigsaw)

Viggos pinto mare  (Kira) has thrown three foals in a row that all share her coloring. Her coming 2 yr old filly is with Blue. I find it interesting this band has kept her coming three year old colt. He acts as a satelitte stallion and lives in harmony with Viggo (for now).

The other mare in this band, the black (Raven) has not had a foal since the 2008 round up and plays the whole of "the aunt in this band".

That's little Jigsaw, a crowd favorite.

Jigsaw is very curious about the humans that come out and take photos of him.

Posing with his gorgeous, loyal band stallion, Viggo. Viggo is a nice stud and his mares are very loyal to him. he is quite tolerant of humans which is nice as we can get a close look at a wild mustang. There are other horses on the range that are still wild as snot. You just don't see them very often. I am sure there are a few mustangs no one has seen....it is that big out here..

Viggo's Band (feat Zorro & Rocket)

The two frisky brothers in Viggo's band have a romp...

The little grey colt is Rocket, he was born early this spring. The handsome sorrel is Zorro, he is a 2010 colt.

Zorro was an only foal untill Rocket came along.

"Come on big guy show me what you got!"

These two are in Viggo's band.

Such a joy to watch wild mustangs play.

Back to mom to have a drink of her milk.

Viggo's Band (Feat Jigsaw)

Today I find Viggo, the handsome bay stallion, with a new little sorrel pinto foal in his band...it is a colt! We have named him Jigsaw. This is my first look at the little, leggy guy.

Raven, the big, black "auntie" mare trys to hide him away. She does not have foals of her own for some reason.

The family band.

Look at his coloring! Jigsaw is a real gem. We have not had many pintos the last couple of years. They are becoming rare.

This mare (Kira) has thrown three pintos in a row. The one shown is her 2 yr old colt, Stomper. Her filly from last year, Destiny, did not come out of winter with her family, she ended up with bachelors. All the mustangs share this patch around their tail....a family trait.

Kira is part of the HSUS PZP study, but obviously the experimental contraceptive does not work well on her. Jigsaw is a joyful little colt and was bouncing around on those great big legs.

Trying to get his 2 year old bro to play with him.

Wanna play?

Kira is a super good mom. Jigsaw is never far from her side.

I wonder what will become of such a beautifully colored colt? He will be wanted for his color. I say let him stay and be a stallion of Sand Wash Basin.

Raven' and Stomper were very engaged with each other. They were not breeding, but acting all lovey dovey. They are not related (that I know of), but have spent the last 2 yrs together in Viggo's band. Raven is a cougar (-:

Viggo is such a nice, loyal band stallion. It is good to see him with a new colt. He has a shrinking band, but the two mares, Raven and Kira stand by him (for now). A round up would mess up everything, unless we somehow bring them in band by band and not destroy the family bonds...that is cruel and unusual punishment for such peaceful, family orientated animals, especially since we know who goes with who.

I asked the HSUS if they planned on making the next round up more "humane". They said they knew nothing of a "gather" and had no plans to help the mustangs. They are only interested in the effects of the PZP  and the behavior of the 60 mares that are in "the study".

We, the people that love and admire these Colorado treasures, must be the ones to save them. We are on our way!