Sundance

Sundance. Grey on shadowed blue hills with a touch of green. Clouds at sunset.

Heart

Sundance and Kootenai.

This happened almost like the Disney dogs (“Lady and the Tramp”) eating spaghetti; Sundance and Kootenai grazed closer and closer till their faces were touching. It lasted about 1.5 seconds. Then Sundance grazed away, leaving Kootenai just there, with that same wide-eyed look … before she also turned away to continue grazing.

At this point, I’m pretty sure both mares are pregnant (and I don’t think Kootenai is due as long from now as August!?). Skywaker nursing a few weeks ago must have caught Raven in a generous mood. Although I have heard of mares nursing both their newborns and their yearlings, I haven’t seen it here (yet?).

Some lovin’

Well, it looks like some lovin’, but it was Skywalker’s sneaky (yeah, right) attempt to get stepdaddy Sundance to play with him. Which didn’t happen. The grass was too much to pass up for play time.

This doesn’t show Skywalker’s belly in all its little-boy roundness, but he looks about as round as his mama Raven and “auntie” Kootenai. I’ll post some pix of the girls soon and let YOU all be the judges. Maybe so, maybe no? They should be, they might be, they ought to be. We ought to see soon enough.

Raven still was nursing Skywalker a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t see him nurse in the short time I spent with them on this particular evening. She does seem round … but not huge? Same with Kootenai, who did not have a foal last year (not that survived), but who otherwise might not be due until August. Healthy, they are most definitely.

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WE GOT RAIN! Marvelous, glorious, lovely rain. Picture the world green. My favorite color.

Somebody upstairs is finally givin’ us some lovin’. And we are grateful!

Where the water is …

… the wild things are:

Raven, Sundance, Skywalker, Kootenai and Mysterium drink at the trickle, which still is trickling. Corona was waiting her turn.

Lots of deer tracks here, too.

Center stage

Young mister Skywalker and stepdaddy Sundance. The boy always steals the show.

Snow ponies

When first spotted last week, only Raven, Skywalker and Sundance were visible. Kootenai, in her photo in a previous post, is so alert because I had just come over a rise and found her and Mysterium. They were out of sight until I was right above them.

Mama and mini-me – Raven and Skywalker.

Handsome Sundance. He really does have eyes under that gorgeous forelock!

Yes, Mysterium still is nursing.

Raven, Skywalker and Sundance watched Hollywood’s and Comanche’s bands below them on the hill for a while, then followed me to where Koootenai and Mysterium were grazing by themselves. Kootenai is fairly independent and often can be found grazing somewhat separate from the others. They’re never too far away, and young Sundance is a calm and confident stallion to let them wander.

Commitment

Some friends – two couples – recently celebrated anniversaries. Same day. Twenty-six years and 18 years.

Couldn’t help but think of them when I caught this quick moment between Kootenai and Sundance.

Happy (belated) anniversary, friends!

Raven & Skywalker

Like mama, like son.

I could post photos of this handsome pair every day! Look how shiny and beautiful Raven is. And that Skywalker is a big boy! His size reminds me of Apollo, but he doesn’t look much like his big brother.

Do you see the far hill in the background? That’s aspen gold. How can it possibly be fall already?! But the season is turning … my favorite!

OK, one more. That Skywalker! Love his expressions!

How about one with stepdaddy Sundance for good measure? And this angle shows mama’s and son’s spots. Can you see better from this side how Skywalker is greying around his spot?

The background from this angle shows where McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area overlaps Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area – and we’re standing in part of the herd management area that also is part of the WSA. The big hill is the lower flanks of Brumley Point. Our boundary fence basically comes down that far right side. The WSA continues on eastish and northish (and southish from this vantage). Round Top and north are leftish.

That’s a lot of -ish.

No -ish, ands or buts about it, this boy is straight up CUTE!

Sunny D

While looking for Chipeta, I found some familiar faces in an unfamiliar place!

OK, not THAT unfamiliar! But within the basin, I didn’t expect to see these ponies in this place … though it might explain why I haven’t seen them in more familiar places within the basin lately.

Sundance and his family were behind Round Top. In fact, they were right where I’ve seen the pintos recently.

Before I saw them, I saw David and Shadow. But my route to check Chipeta didn’t go close enough to get pix of that pair. They look good, though. Shiny and healthy, even from a distance.

And Sundance’s crew look great, too! Will have more pix.

Inspired

A couple of weeks ago, I had a magical evening in Spring Creek Basin with the horses, particularly Grey’s band, then Sundance’s band up on a hill in the north, above Wildcat Valley. It was one of those evenings that stands out in years of magical evenings. A storm was breaking up to the west, at sunset, and the beams of sunlight streaming through the clouds was simply glorious.

Sundance, kissed by light.

Looking out on the basin over Skywalker’s back. When I said they were up on the north hills, they were UP.

I thought I had taken pix out across the basin, but I have just this one …

Looking down at Grey’s band.

What’s not to love?

Be the light you wish to see in the world.

How are YOU inspired?