I thought with all of the sad news of the removals that we all needed to read a good post. So I decided to take the time tonight and update everyone on my day.
I arrived in Lovell, Wyoming early this afternoon. I was eager to head up the Dryhead. I had not seen these horses since May.
The first horses I saw were Hidatsa, Issaquah and Hawk. They were way off in the distance on Mustang Flats. I drove just a short way and saw one horse that I had never seen before, Hidalgo. Just this past week he lost his band (Cascade and Lewis) to the stallion Blizzard.
Hidalgo was with another bachelor, Jemez. I had not seen Jemez since last fall. It was good to see them both.
After a couple hours in the Dryhead, I received a text message. It was from Shawn. He was in lower Sykes and had found Sitting Bull and Cecelia. Theses were two more horses that I had never seen. It seems not many people see them. My friend Linda had told me where she had seen them in June. (thanks Linda!!) So I had emailed Shawn the details on where to possibly find them. There are so many dips and gully’s on lower Sykes (and all over the whole range actually), that it was hard to locate any horses here, let alone the two most elusive. Shawn was very lucky! I also knew that Cecelia was very close to having her foal.
I left the Dryhead and headed towards Sykes. I was a couple miles away when I received another text from Shawn. Cecelia and Sitting Bull were starting to move! Oh no!! I was afraid they would disappear over a ridge and I would not see them. I hurried (as hurried as you can be up Sykes, which is not very!!) I saw Shawn and pulled over and parked. We hiked in the direction that Shawn had said they had gone. We came over a ridge and were rewarded.
There they were! Poor Cecelia is huge and looks very uncomfortable. I am sure it will be very soon. We hoped it would be while we watch. We stayed there for a couple hours, then decided to leave them be. I headed back to Lovell. Shawn is staying nearby and is going to keep an eye on them. Hopefully he will be rewarded with a new foal! If that is the case, I know where I will be in the first light of the day tomorrow!
I can now say that I have seen every horse on the range!! Well, there are a couple new foals that I have not seen, but otherwise I have seen everyone! I feel so blessed to have been able to see them all! They each leave their own memory for me.
Tomorrow morning and I am going to take an early ride up the Dryhead (or Sykes!!!) and then meet Lori at Britton Springs. Our plan is to head up the mountain for a few days!
It was a good first day and a great way to forget everything else!
Sandy
So happy for the positive update! Hopefully Cecelia foals while youre there and hopefully youll be able to find them again once she has!!! Have a great trip!!
Thank you Sandy for the update. I am so happy every time reading your posts and seeing your pictures of the beautiful horses. I hope you and Lori enjoy the time on the mountains. Thanks again.
Wow, Sitting Bull is breathtaking!=) Thank you so much for this update.. It’s good to be reminded that life carries on up there:)
Does he have any offsprings btw? And is Cecelia’s foal his?=)
Jumping Badger and Inniq are he and Cecelia’s. Jumping Badger is at Britton Springs in the gather. Inniq wasn’t with the family in June, and no one has mentioned seeing him for a while. He’s 4, so may very well be with other bachelors. My guess would be that Cecelia’s foal IS his. They seem to be a pretty stable family. Matt and the folks at the Mustang Center would know more for sure.
SOOO glad you found them! They look a bit bored without Inniq and Jumping Badger, but that’s about to change. I’ve got my fingers crossed that you and/or Shawn will get a glimpse of the new foal while you’re there so we can all have the same. : 0 )
Sandy-great photos! These guys look so tame! I think that Lakota is sending you fortunate vistas!
I adore the blaze on Hidalgo. What a handsome guy with those white sox. All the horses look so fat, fit, and happy this time of year.
Thanks Linda:) I guess a 4 year old covers huge areas:) So nice to get to know this little family as well!
Has anyone heard about Quelle Couleur btw? Has she had her foal yet? And would that be Lakotas or Grijalas?:)
Hi Anne, I saw QC today. I am not sure if she is pregnant. She has that body shape that makes you think she is one day and then the next, not so sure. She had Kohl in October 2010, so maybe there is still a chance. However I hope she does not foal in October this year. She had Lakota to watch over Kohl, but I am not so sure if Grijala would be as great…If she is pregnant, the sooner the better for the chance of it to be Lakotas…
Would have been a wonderful gift to have another little Lakota foal on the range, but it is getting late in the year and she’s not a young mare anymore. I guess we should just hope it’s her bodyshape.
I hope you have a nice trip despite the removals.. Have you heard any more on when they might stop the gather? I really hope they don’t take the full 40 horses:/