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.

A Video of Greasewood's Injury

Greasewood's Band (warning:graphic images)

I knew Greasewood had been lame, but have not been able to get close until today...his back leg looks horrible and he has lost a lot of weight.

He is not putting any weight on the bad leg and is gruntng in pain. To me it looks like he got tangled up in some wire.

There is Demi, the domestic. She is still with him and looks pregnant.

The bay stallion also has the chestnut mare, Yarrow, and her grey daughter, White Sage. To me it is unbelievable he has kept his mares in the shape he is in.

The little mare, Yarrow, has had her own problems. She went lame this spring and it continued on throughout the summer. She has healed, but will never be the same. Her front left hoof is deformed. To chase her with a helicopter would be certain death. Most likely they would see the hoof as a pre existing condition and put her down. For now she is doing pretty darn good.

White Sage is a huge two year old.

I wish we had corrals on top of the hill. We could put down some hay and I believe this band would go for it. We could Dr Greasewood, pull out Demi and her unborn foal, work on Yarrow's hoof....maybe adopt out Sage. This would be a more modern way of management and more humane.

....but for now the mustangs are on their own. They are very near a sheep camp. I worry the dogs will get this stallion.

Here you can see the horizonal line which I think is wire. I feel so bad this happened. I am more determined then ever to get a local group formed where we can help these wild horses. I would love to see a series of clean up days when we could remove all the down fencing, tripping wires and loose bailing wire...it is everywhere.

Greasewood's Band

Well, I had not been out to The Basin for awhile, but some friends had been getting in and I thought would give it a try. We have been having some warm, dry weather which is just great for the mustangs. Last year they got buried in snow early on and had a really tough winter... The only band I saw on this day was Greasewood's.

This is the domestic mare, Demi. She came right up to us for a scratch. She seemed healthy. I got a really good look at her hooves and they were great, especially since she has all white feet. I felt like throwing a halter on her and pulling her out. Most of the local domestic horses have started to be fed.....Demi will get no hand outs here. For now she is lead mare here. I hope she is not pregnant! I couldn't tell for sure.

Believe it or not the chunky grey is the chestnut's two year old daughter.....Yarrow and White Sage. Yarrow has been lame since early this summer and probably will never be 100% sound, but she looks much better then she did. She is a true mustang. Her daughter stays by her side and Greasewood watches out for her.

Wind Knots. This filly we call White Sage is really beautiful and big. She has the softest doe eyes. I really like her.

The mare's front hoof has become deformed, but she has adopted and gets around fine. It will be a good time for her to heal while there is snow...she will not have to make the trip to the water hole for now. I am really rooting for this girl. I would like to make sure she is not chased by a helicopter, it would surely kill her.

Greasewood himself is a little lame...back right. I think he will be OK.  In the last couple of months he has a couple of two year old fillies (Gypsy and Dusty), but they are gone. Dusty is with Picasso and Gypsy went back to the Razzle/Dazzle bunch, who is now being led by Chrome. This information is from other folks visiting the range. Also word that Twister and WildWind's band are doing good up north (thanks Martin). My car could not handle these roads. I will go back when it freezes..

Prince and Picasso's Bands

Well, it is confirmed...Prince, the elegant white stallion, got his chestnut mares back along with their 2 year old daughters. Last week I caught a glimpse of them sneaking across the desert, then I saw Rounder without them. It took Prince all summer, but he has his girls back. It is great to see.

 This was one of the first bands I saw when I began observing the herd the autumn of 2009. They were just like this with the fillies being little weanlings. Then Prince added the ghost pinto, Mystic, and her newborn daughter, Madeleine spring of 2010 (they came from Lightning's band). He came out of winter with his band intact, but all hell broke loose (I have no idea what happened), but  Rounder ended up with Sunshine and Blazer got Mystic and Moonlight, the other mare. Prince ended up alone... Then Moonlight found her way back to Sunshine and joined Rounder's band. Just recently Prince got them back...So now things are how they started. The dynamics out here are complex and fascinating.

I hiked over a mile to get these shots. I really wanted to see Prince back with his mares. He did not look so good when he was alone. To me he is an old friend.

This is the grey 2 year old filly. She was the one that was with Blazer, then ended up joining Rounder. They never seemed to mix in Rounder's band. Rounder's mares never seemed to accept them.

I call them "the twin chestnut mares"...Sunshine and Moonlight. Named after Steamboat ski runs. I really think they are sisters. They have not had foals since 2009.

The other two year old filly, Oda. She really takes after her mom in the good looks and color departments. She is best friends with Dusty, that is for sure! Such mama's girls. I wonder how long they will stay with their dams? The mother/daughter relationships are some of the strongest out here.

So I'm looking at Prince and his family and look who appears? Picasso! He looks great and seems to be chasing Prince's band. Does he have his eye on Dusty and Oda? I was worried about the Icon as a fellow photographer had shots of a banged up knee, probably from when Vegas stole his yearling daughter, but on this day he was 100% sound and "feeling his oats"!

Picasso's loyal mares...Mingo and Monet.

Picasso's band.....a band with no youngsters.

A fine looking pair!

While I was watching Prince and Picasso, Greasewood came from a mile away to say hi. I could see his mare Yarrow through my binoculars and I saw her run! This is good news...the little mare has been very lame for most of the summer, but I saw her leading her band. More proof how tough these mustangs are!

It was well worth the hike to see this beautiful band of mustangs reunited with each other. And seeing Picasso was a bonus!