It is January, and here in Montana it is very cold and we have quite a bit of snow. But a hope for spring comes with every minute of daylight that has been added to the days. I know I have already been noticing it. So my thoughts have turned to this years foals. I thought I would take us into spring and summer by sharing with you who I think will foal.
This post is simply based on who was not given PZP. The age group for this group are those mares born from 2003-2007. I am also going to include the mares born in 2008.
Of course this last year we all received many surprises, many of the younger mares had foals. I am hoping that does not happen this year. From what I have learned, it is much healthier for the mares if they do not conceive until they are in the 4-5 years old.
It was my understanding that the spring of 2011 the weather conditions were so that the PZP was not able to be given at the optimum time. (Remember that was the spring after the huge snow year of 2010-2011). So that may be the reason for last years surprises.
I would welcome a few surprises from other mares other than the ones I am about to list.
So let’s start in the Dryhead of the Pryors.
1. Icara, daughter of Waif and Corona was born in 2008. I am listing her here because I said I would include those born in 2008. But I do not believe she will have a foal. I saw Durango breeding her in late July. (which made me think she had been given PZP) Since she had Morgana in March last year, she would have most likely conceived one month after that, which would have been in April. She is currently in Fools Crow’s band.
2. Fresia, born in 2005, and the daughter of Buffalo Girl and Durango, will most likely have a foal this year. She was with the Band Stallion Merlin last spring, so he will most likely be the father again this year. Merlin was injured in June last year and lost his band briefly, but I believe because Fresia’s colt Montana was born the first part of April that she would have conceived in May, so I feel it will be Merlins. She is currently in Hidalgo’s band.
3. Halo, born in 2007, daughter of Waif and Corona. She was in Merlin’s band. Depending on when and if she foals will determine who the father is. She is currently in Hidalgo’s band.
That is unfortunately, all of the mares that fall into the “No PZP” group in the Dryhead this year.
So let’s move up to the Mountain Top Horses.
1. Halcyon, born in 2007, daughter of Blue Sioux and Coronado. She had Miocene the first part of May last year, so let’s watch for another foal this year around that same time. She was and still is with the Band Stallion, Blue Moon, so the foal will most likely be his.
2. Isadora, born in 2008, daughter of Rosarita and Starman may foal this year. She is currently in Blue Moon’s band. She had the foal Lemhi in 2011. Lemhi has not been seen since the spring of 2012.
3. Gabrielle, born in 2006, daughter of Brumby and Jackson. She had McKeahnie the middle of May last year. Gabrielle was and still is with the Band Stallion Cappuccino, so the foal will most likely be his.
4. Fiasco, born in 2005, daughter of Topper Two and Chino. She was and still is with the Band Stallion Custer, so he would most likely be the father. I know there are many of us that really want her to have a foal this year!!!
5. Fools Gold, born in 2005, daughter of Amethyst and Shaman. She is with the Band Stallion Coronado. Another one that we would all love to see a foal from this year.
6. Dove, born in 2003, daughter of Phoenix and Teton. She is with the Band Stallion Coronado. Dove just had a foal in mid August of this year. Although she is on the ” No PZP” list, I hope that she does not have a foal this year and is able to give all of her nourishment to her young filly, Manuelita, instead.
7. Demure, born in 2003, daughter of Broken Bow and Two Boots. Demure foaled last year the middle of May, giving the Pryors a beautiful colt, Malpais, from the stallion Santa Fe. She was with the Band Stallion Doc when she gave birth in 2012, so this years foal will most likely be Docs. This will be another great foal!
8. Graciana, born in 2006, daughter of Barcardi and Baja. She is currently in Duke’s band and was last year as well.
9. Helenium, born in 2007, daughter of Rosebud and Sandman. She was and still is in Duke’s band, so if she foals, it will mostly be Duke’s.
10. Hera, born in 2007, daughter of Audobon and Morning Star. She had the filly, Maia the middle of April last year. We all saw Galaxy breeding Hera on National TV, last May, so if she foals, the foal will most likely be Galaxys. I have to say, I hope she does! It would be Galaxy’s first foal and of course the grandfoal of Lakota’s.
11. Greta, born in 2006, daughter of Belle Starr and Chino. She has been with the stallion Garcia for almost 2 years now. So if she foals it will most likely be his. She had Millicent the end of April last year.
12. Galadrial, born in 2006, daughter of Atlantis and Duke. Depending on if she has a foal and when, will determine who the father may be. Tecumseh was the band stallion up until the middle of June, 2012. Since then Gringo has had this band.
13. Firestorm, born in 2005, daughter of Scarlet and White Cloud. She is in Jackson’s band. Firestorm had Malelstrom at the beginning of May 2012.
14. Galena, born in 2006, daughter of Blanca and Lakota. She is also in Jacksons band. She had Moenkopi April 22, 2012. Her foals are always stunning. Am I favoring her foals because she is Lakota’s daughter? Yes, well yes I am.
15. Hertiage, born in 2007, daughter of Warbonnet and Lakota. She is Kootenai’s mom, I would like to see another foal by Hertiage on the range. She is also in Jacksons band. So there is a possibility of a “Jackson 3” this year. Another one that I will be favoring!
17. Hailstorm, born in 2007, daughter of Aztec and White Cloud. She is in Morning Star’s band.
18. Gaelic Princess, born in 2006, daughter of Ireland and Prince. She is also in Morning Star’s band. If she foals, it will be beautiful, I already know that!
19. Hataalii, born in 2007, daughter of Sapo and Shaman. She is in Morning Star’s Band. So Morning Star may have 3 foals in his band this year!
20. Half Moon, born in 2007, daughter of Rosarita and Starman. Mother of Missoula and my Kiowa. She is in Teton’s band. She had Missoula in the middle of April, 2012. Well, of course this will be another favorite!
21. Feldspar, born in 2005, daughter of Rosarita and Starman. She had Mica May 6, 2012. Feldspar is in White Cloud’s band.
22. Inocentes, born in 2008, daughter of Fiasco and Baja. She may have a foal this year. She is also in White Cloud’s band.
23. Damsel, born in 2003, daughter of White Cloud and Sitka. I have decided to include her in this list, even though at the time she is missing. Until spring comes, we may not really know if she is gone. She was due to foal again in September 2012. So perhaps she will be found with a new stallion and may have a foal and/or be pregnant with a healthy foal, due in September 2013. She was in her father White Cloud’s band the last time she was seen.
A total of 26 foals may be born this year. It will be interesting to see what really occurs! Some are more favorite than others, but all are going to be equally adored!
Here is a link to an interactive website that allows you to see what color a foal may be. It is a great site about Color Genetics. Click COLOR to go there! Thanks Shawn for letting me know about this!
Sandy
I wonder if Kelly is going to hold out until spring. Or did I just jinx it?
I am not sure if Kelly is pregnant or not. For her to have a foal in January would mean that something was messed up with her timing on the mountain. With the PZP, that is a possibility. A foal was born this month in McCullough, where they use PZP fairly heavily.
If Kelly is pregnant and due soon, it makes me wonder if some one like Jasmine, that Jackson was at least trying with over Thanksgiving, could end up with an “out-of-season” foal.
So, should we start throwing out N names for different pairings? Or is it too soon?
Never to early for name ideas! 🙂 I agree about Kelly. When I heard she was possibly pregnant I had the same thoughts as you.
I’m not sure either, but she has gotten a lot of publicity over it. Was Jackson trying to breed Jasmine?
That is the thing about PZP (from what I understand), that once they are PZP’ed they will continue to cycle. So that is why we will witness more breeding (off season) then what would normally occur if there was no PZP (they would then be pregnant).
And it’s always unfortunate when the pzp causes them to continue to cycle, but then they do end up getting pregnant on one of those late cycles. And then if they continue to get pregnant in reaccuring years after that it will be a the same late time in the year. For example Dancer foaling in September the past few years. I’m hoping that Kelly’s the only one so drastically out of season and that there won’t be any of those kind of surprises with the still wild ones.
No, it wasn’t Jasmine he was trying with, now that you mention it Clarissa. She was just there and kept getting near Aztec, who he was mounting. Sorry I messed that up, but if Kelly is pregnant I still wonder if the PZP might be why she is off. I agree with Sarah that once they are off they will probably stay late like Damsel.
I just don’t know what to think about Kelly!
Some N names I can think of are: Nighthawk, Night Sky, North Ridge, North Wind, North Star, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Nez Perce, Nelson….I don’t know what you could do with that one but I like Nelson. And North Ridge.
Oh! And Navajo
I really like all of those names Clarissa. 🙂
Nightwalker, might be another name, as in Nightwalkers Butte, TRNP ?
Thanks so much for sharing your research and knowledge, Sandy. What a beautiful group of splendid horses—from the younger ladies to the older matriarchs! 🙂 My wish is that all goes well for any and all who bring new little lives into the mix this year. It is a pretty large increase for the herd size, however, if they all produce and if they would all survive.
The Park Service should be happy that there are only 3 mares likely to produce this year in the Dryhead.
Love all your pics. Thanks again.
You are welcome Linda, and thank you. Yes, the prospect of 26 foals is a lot. We will have to see how it all works out.
I love your comment Linda, and I do hope that in the future the Park Service/BLM realize that the wild horses bring thousands of visitors to this area and that they need to allow a balance of mares/foals/stallions to happen in order for a genetically viable “sub” herd to survive in the Dry Head!
I completely agree. Trying to purposfully skew the ratio to have more stallions than mares is not helping anyone. Especially not down in the dryhead. Only three reproducing mares is definitely not good for the future of the dryhead. There are plenty of other mare down there who are older than the “no pzp” group, but are still at a perfectly reasonable age to foal. I’d like to see some of them taken off the pzp list, especially those with stallions who have no offspring.
I am impressed at how well you know this herd! As I read your blog It helps me realize I need to be doing this for Oregon and for the South Steens herds. I have all of the information. In my head! Some on paper and some documented on the computer. Your group of wild horse enthusiasts impress me with the knowledge and the love for the horses. Oregon needs a group like this! Thank you for the time you take to share your pictures and your documentation.
Thank you Mustang! If you start a blog, let me know and I will add a link to it here!
I have been looking forward to this post!! There’s so many foals that I’m excited to see this spring! Haha ok I’m looking forward to all of them, but there’s some that I’m especially excited about. I really liked Kaelia and I’ve always thought Halo was gorgeous so I’m looking forward to seeing Halo foal again. Even if it’s not Hidalgo’s this year I’m very much looking forward to that combination in the future. With those two as parents, it will definitely be a flashy foal! I really want Fiasco to foal too! I really like Custer and he needs to have some representation on the range! Also Fools Gold/Autum. She was Texas’s only foal and then Kiva was her only foal and she was sadly removed. And I just want to say that picture of Manuelita shaking her ears is precious! If Dove does foal again it will be interesting to see if she ends up with another “mini me.” Demure and Doc is going to be a good combination too. And I’m definitely looking forward to Hera X Galaxy, that will be a great combination! I wonder if we’ll get a surprise from Electra as it seems the pzp doesn’t always work with her. That would be a great pair too. I’m hoping that Galadrial will foal and it will be Chance’s. Poor guy tried so hard to win his band back and Galadrial and Gringo are half siblings anyways. I can’t wait to see what Firestorm will give us. She always has gorgeous foals. I can’t decide if I want to see another blue roan like LeDoux (he reminded me so much of Velvet!) or a mealy bay roan like Ember. (Alex said that’s what her color is officially called.) Ember is just so gorgeous and I’d love to see that color return to the pryors although Maelstrom is similar and he is gorgeous too. Ha and Lady Jane, I really liked her coloring too. So basically whatever color foal Firestorm throws it will be gorgous! 🙂 I’ve always really liked Galena too and since she’s Mariah’s only offspring on the range I hope she gets to have lots of babies stay too! I have been looking forward to Hailstorm being in the “no pzp” group for so long! I just LOVE her! I’m wondering if she’ll throw a cream foal or even another smokey black roan like herself. Aztec and Cloud make really pretty babies! I know Gaelic Princess will have a pretty baby too. I hope Honey will have a cute little baby with attitude like Lenape! And Half Moon and Diamond surprised us with a flashy little chestnut colt who turned sorrel that I can’t wait to see what they’ll have this year! And Mica was so adorable and has such a great personality that I can’t wait to see what we get from Cloud and Feldspar this year! I’m hoping Ingrid will foal too and that maybe we’ll get a buckskin since she has the cream gene (from Chino). I’m glad you decided to include Dancer. I’m holding onto the feeling that she is with another stallion like you said. And I think it would be the best surprise of all if she appeared come spring with a foal by her side and pregnant by her new stallion. Fingers crossed! I’d love to see some extra surprises too especially in the dryhead where there’s not many in the “no pzp” group. And of course from other mares up the mountain who have no offspring or even just one still who’s still free. (ex: Sequoah not has no offspring.) We shall see! Haha sorry for such a long comment. I tried to not “comment” on every mare, but I felt like there was just so much to say! Thanks again for keeping up this blog. Like you said, it’s a lot of hard work, but just know it is VERY MUCH appreciated!!
Thanks Sarah! Love the long comment! 🙂
I also think that Dove’s filly looks like a baby moose in that photo! 🙂
Haha she does!
Now I really wish it was spring already! I know that no other foal will be the same as Malayna, but I’m hoping to see lots more this year! 🙂
And Sandy, the information you provide, who the parents are, who’s with who, helps SO much! If I just keep reading your blog, I’ll learn it all in no time! 🙂
Thanks Brianna! Hope you find a new foal again this year! 🙂
I am going to make a “name” post in a few days. Somewhere where we can all go and leave names we are thinking about for this year. I think it will be a good way to keep track of them.
That’s a really good idea!
Wow Sandy, this is such a great post! I really need to study up! 🙂 Your efforts are much appreciated and so valued by many, thank you just doesn’t seem sufficient! 🙂
Thanks Brigitte!
wow what a great post tks very much,,,great job well done ,,,ross
Thanks Ross! It is nice to have you comment!
Looking forward to spring and all the new little ones. Thanks for a great post.
You are welcome Karen!
Great post Sandy, and I am, as always, very impressed with your knowledge of all the horses.
I had made a list also of the mares who may foal this year and we are on the same page!
I do wish however that there were more mares who might foal on the Dry Head (in the park) area of the range, and still to this day I am saddened by the removal of Kaelia & Malayna, Kerry & Maclean. If they were still on the range we would have more one year olds and more 2013 foals! I also wish that Lewis (the only 2011 foal born on the Dry Head) was not removed. I miss seeing Kokopelli on the range more than I can say. This was a very difficult year for me as far as the horses that were removed from that part of the range. We all know that there are more stallions than mares on the Dry Head part of the range and I do hope that things will change in the next few years as this is the easiest road to view the wild horses and visitors from all over the world come here specifically to see them.
On the good side, at least we still have Montana, Mercuria, Morgana & Mato to see and watch them grow up. I do hope that in the future they are allowed to stay on the range, and I do hope that the only three mares who may foal this year do!
Brianna, I hope you can find one of the first born on the range again this year! We will make many trips and do some hiking to find them!!
Thank you Sandy for this post. I am excited to get out on the range this spring and look forward to your trips to the Pryor’s!
Thanks Lori. Can’t wait to get over there and spend time with you and Brianna on the range looking for horses!
This is a slightly random thought, but has there ever been research in the Pryors about natural selection?
Not that I am a where of Livi! I found this article that Ginger K wrote in 2007, where she mentions it: http://www.saveourwildhorse.com/PDF/PZP/PZP_Results-PryorMts-GingerKatherns-4-07.pdf
How ever, it should be noted that she is now in support of PZP and actually would like a more aggressive approach then what is even happing now. I am not in agreement with any thing more aggressive then what is in place right now. The current PZP program, needs to have more time to see how it works before it is changed. That is my opinion anyway.
Thanks. I was thinking about the bitter-sweetness of removals and that got me wondering about other forms of management. I also agree that more time should be used in PZP research, but I also worry that if PZP doesn’t work as well as people expect then that will mean a roundup down the road. Personally I would find a natural selection study fascinating, but it doesn’t take much for me to get excited about wild horses.
I agree with you Sandy as far as the current PZP Plan. I do not support a more aggressive use of the drug. This herd is small and I fear that if they interfere with nature and/or put a more aggressive PZP plan into effect it will be the end of this herd. Oh…maybe that is what the BLM want, to exterminate all of the wild horse herds in the west!? We the people need to keep a close eye on this issue and document every single horse that is on the range.
I believe for years the herd was managed by natural selection and a handful of locals who would round up some of the horses to use for themselves. This book by Christine should be very interesting and will bring more awareness to this herd and the people who have been involved with them.
Personally, I would rather see some removals every few years than a more aggressive PZP plan. For the record, I would really like to see the horses left alone and let nature take its course, but I doubt that will ever happen..but then again, we never know!
I agree with you fully Lori.
Interesting thoughts Lori, but I am a little confused. Why would removals every couple of years be better than PZP? It is my understanding that when applied correctly PZP limits herd size without jeopardizing a mares ability to reproduce completely. Thus keeping the population size in the Pryors at numbers favorable to the BLM. Of course, removals would put the herd size at those numbers sooner, but it would also mean that the genes of the horses removed would be taken away. Wouldn’t that interfere with nature more than PZP? I don’t know as much about this herd as well as I would like, so if someone could explain these things to me that would be most appreciated.
It sure is exiting to imagine what kind of foals will pop out this summer! It will be nice to see the bands re build after the gather ! I am sure there will be many surprises, Like with Hailstorm maybe having a cream foal and If Half moon pops out an other Chestnut (hopefully a filly this time) it would AWESOME !! Beautiful Pic of Halcyon, and Melita sure looks funny haha!
Hej from Sweden !
Wow what a beautiful post with such beautiful photos. You really are a fantastic photographer. I sure wish I was; i so enjoy taking photos of my goats and wildlife here at Gullringstorp.
Thanks for liking my recent post. Welcome back anytime.
Thank you! I enjoy your posts too! 🙂
What color is Firestorm? I’m having a hard time figuring out whether she is a buckskin roan, dun roan, or bay roan…. What a unique color she has.
Hi Kiya! She is a Sorrel Roan.
But if she was sorrel roan she wouldn’t have black points?
Oh, dear, I am not the one to discuss this! HA! 🙂 I am just going off what the Mustang Center has her listed as. She turns so many colors during the year. Take a look at her photos in some of my summer posts. It may give you a clearer look.
Ok. She is definitely bay roan.
She isn’t sorrel roan because she has black points, and she isn’t dun roan because she has no dorsal stripe, leg barring, or ear barring… plus, both of her foals in the last 3 years have been bay roan. Actually, I’m not sure whether or not LaDoux is bay roan, he might be blue roan. Not sure. I don’t know what colors Jackson’s parents or Firestorms parents are (is White Cloud palomino roan?) but here are the chances of colors of Firestorm’s and Jackson’s foals:
28.13% Bay Roan
28.13% Bay
12.5% Chestnut Roan
12.5% Chestnut
9.38% Blue Roan
9.38% Black
Thank you Kiya, that is really interesting! I appreciate it. 🙂 Jacksons parents are: Broken Bow (who is dun) and Two Boots (who is black). Firestorms are of course: Cloud (who is a palomino roan) and Scarlett (who was a Blue roan). Yes, LeDox is a blue roan. Would love for you to give us a run down of the chances of color on any others if you like to do that! 🙂
Do you have the Challenge of the Stallions book by Ginger Katheryns? It show Firestorm as a baby and she is bright orange chestnut with no black points. Likewise, some bays have minimal black points. Sometimes chestnuts/sorrels have dark or black points but doesn’t mean they are bays. Quelle Colour is a chestnut/sorrel but she has a black mane and tail. Hope that helps! Some roans are hard to distinguish!
Thank you Clarissa! 🙂
Oops! I spelled Ginger’s last name wrong, it’s Kathrens. 😛
Sometimes sorrels have a black mane and tail but they will always have light colored pasterns. I calculated the colors of all the possible foals:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CuxurlhWTKdKLslyi-0xNL0SdfFy8lUdpdrmU8KCfuQ/edit?usp=sharing
Thanks. I tried accessing your doc. and I need your permission to be able to do that. I did send the request.
Sandy
Ok, I made it so that all people with the link can view it 🙂
Thank you Kiya!
Thank you Kiya! 🙂
Wow! Very interesting! Custer, Mescalero, and Blue Moon are all full brothers. All are heterozygous roans. Their parents are Sitka (blue roan) x Shaman (bay dun). Blue Moon is a grullo roan. I find this stuff very mind stimulating! 🙂
Jackson is a Coyote Dun, so you are right on that one. 🙂 Morning Star is a dark Bay. Thank you so much for sharing this! It is so interesting to have it all written out in front of me to look at! Sandy
Firestorm is a Sooty red roan! thats why she is so dark
I was wondering if the foals born in early spring like March will be OK? I have a mustang mare that is about due to foal and we still have snow on the ground. I have a run in for her, but not sure if she will use it. Thank you!
Hi Shirley, Last year there was a foal born in the Dryhead in March and she was okay. Of course I do not know where you live, but I would say that the mustangs know how to survive. If it was me personally (I live in Montana) and I had a mare about to give birth this month, I would probably try to provide a heat lamp and also spread down some straw for her to lie on. Also, perhaps you could put up some panels around the run in so that the area is smaller and she would be more likely to use it. But watch that heat lamp, so it does not cause a fire. Ask your vet for his advice as well! Keep me posted on how it goes! 🙂