The night was pretty quiet. I only heard a few horses off in the distance just before I got up. The mornings were darker now, just like the evenings. The air had the feeling of fall. This summer had passed too quickly.
With no horses in sight, we hiked beyond the pond, heading towards the north woods. I stopped and glassed towards the trees. I could see several bands over there. I hoped that perhaps this would be the morning we would see Washakie with her new foal.
Tecumseh was still dogging Gringo, but I noticed that Tecumseh’s wounds had healed and he had put on some well needed weight. They must have worked out some type of deal. It was peaceful.
But the other thing I noticed this morning was the tension between Coronado and Santa Fe. It seemed to be accelerating. Santa Fe has been dogging Coronado’s band since early this summer.
At one point this morning, Coronado suddenly started chasing Santa Fe (for no apparent reason that I could see) and we had to grab our cameras and jump for cover, as Santa Fe decided to head straight towards us. Of course I missed getting those shots.
Neither stallion had any open wounds, but Santa Fe looked so thin. I found myself feeling sorry and worried for him.
I noticed that Doc was looking off in the distance with ears up. That usually means they see something, so I followed his gaze, and spotted Cappuccino and band down in the shadows of some trees down the hill. I looked through the binoculars and was happy to see McKeahnie back with the band. Shawn had reported that he was missing from the band and off by himself. I thought at the time it would be a temporary thing, but still found myself very relieved to see him standing there.
McKeahnie is a very bold and self assured colt for a yearling. I watched him help Cappuccino snake Demure into their band back in April. He has his fathers power and looks. I look forward to watching him grow up and become a bachelor and then a band stallion. I have no doubt he will be a very powerful stallion.
After our near miss, I decided we should move on and take a look at the other horses just a short distance away.
Duke, Baja and Garay were just over behind some other trees. I could see that there was not a new foal with Washakie.
We selected a safer place to sit and watched these bands enjoy the morning coolness. No flies were bothering them now and they were able to relax in the sun.
I found myself putting down my camera and just watching the peacefulness. We were still the only other humans on top of the mountain.
Over an hour later, we decided to leave them to their morning and hiked back to our camp. Still no other horses in sight.
I was pretty sure, but wanted to confirm, that Mystic Pond was dried up. So after a short break we headed down to make sure. It was just a small mud puddle now.
I then reluctantly agreed: after lunch we were going to go sit by the pond and wait for horses. I stated in my pervious post how much I disliked doing that. But after our very long hike the day before and the short one this morning, I was out numbered in the decision department.
So we sat and waited…by the pond…
I watched as Cloud, Inocentes and Aztec headed down to the water, leaving Feldspar, Mica and Nimbus up on the hill. Jackson’s band was in-between.
Finally with the “help” of Moorcroft and Nye, Feldspar, Mica and Nimbus headed down to the water.
I have to admit, I enjoyed seeing the horses down by the water. It was the waiting that I disliked. I am more of a hike-and-find- horses-person, rather than a sit-and-wait-for-horses-person.
I found myself taking photos of whatever came to the pond.
Finally after about an hour, we were rewarded with some horses making their way through the trees towards the pond. Umm, this was interesting. It was some bachelor boys with a dun stallion. It took me a minute to realize that the dun stallion was Cappuccino. He was with Jasper, Jupiter, Hamlet and Grijala!
It certainly was not all peaceful. There was a lot of sparring and screaming going on. They left as quickly as they came.
We kept hearing the stallion screams off and on, but for the most part, there was nothing and no one coming to the pond. I turned my focus on some butterflies in the near-by flowers and a Clarks Nutcracker that came to drink.
I then heard more screams and thundering of hoofs. Looking up we saw Cloud, Cappuccino, Jasper and Jupiter chasing Santa Fe down towards the pond. It had been a couple hours since I had seen Cappuccino with the other bachelors. Had he lost his band? What was Cloud doing here with them? Had he lost his band?
They also left as quickly as they had come.
We stayed watching for several more hours. Watching band after band make there way down the hill to drink.
We continued to hear stallion screams in the background. I wondered what was happening.
It got quiet again. We decided that after 5 1/2 hours of sitting by the pond, it was time to head back to camp for a while. Our plan was to come and share another sunset with the horses later.
It was another beautiful sunset. Some of these shots are a bit blurry, with the quality of light. But I thought I would include them for you to see anyway.
I still wondered about Cappuccino and Cloud. Were they back with their bands? Just as it was about to be dark, I saw Cloud and his band come up from the pond.
That answered one question, but I still had another unanswered. How was Cappuccino and his band doing? It would have to wait until tomorrow.
Sandy
I guess boys will be boys! LOL!
Awesome! It’s good to know where everything is at now 🙂
Thanks Clarissa!
Hey, I was watching Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies, and there was a white mare in one of the bands, you can only see brief glimpse of her. That would have to have been before the year 2000. I think there’s a picture of her with her foal in the companion book. Would you know who that was?
Haha I’m about to go get my book out and look! Cloud’s sister Mariah used to be a lot lighter and she was born in ’98.
Blanca did cross my mind Sarah, but I think she wasn’t even born or was very young. 🙂 She was the mare with the dun foal with the huge star.
I don’t have the book. If you can send me a photo of her, or give me any markings, I may be able to tell you. Was she in Ravens band? If so, it could have been Isabella. She was buckskin or it could have been Phoenix. In 1997 she had a buckskin foal. What color was the foal?
I was thinking it could have been Isabella or Pheonix’s daughter too, until I looked through the book and found the picture. I’m posting in on your facebook Sandy.
Cute picture of Autumn and Nickel! Doc is so gorgeous with that long mane! I’m glad Gringo and Chance seem to have come to some kind of agreement and that he was able to put on some weight before winter, hopefully Santa Fe will do the same. Both Red Raven and Gringo aren’t so thin, but are looking more trim than some of the others. Kohl looks so grown up! And she really reminds me of Lakota in that picture you posted. It’s cute how Moorcroft decided to help move Feldspar, Mica, and Encore to the pond just like a “grown up” stallion. He seems to like spending time around Cloud’s band. I always enjoy seeing picture of him and Mica playing together. I wonder what made both Cappuccino and Cloud decide to run with the other boys on the same day. You got some great picture of them all! I wonder what was going on back in the trees. And I LOVE that gorgeous picture of Bolder!! Absolutely love!! I can’t tell if it’s just that picture, but is Madonna looking thin across her topline. I can see she has a belly, but I can’t tell if that’s the top of her spine that seems to be apparent or not. I believe she’s 25 this year. I enjoy seeing Horizon’s band. How was the dynamic between him and Fiesta this time?
Thank you Sarah. Madonna is showing her age. 🙁 She was born in 1989, so she is 24 this year. Fiesta and Horizon were about the same. But, I think Fiesta was a bit more on the outside then before. Fiesta no longer goes charging after the other stallions that are near. They both have calmed down a bit. I believe Tonapah probably has something to do with that. She is teaching these boys a little self control. I think she has been very good for this young band.
I agree. She can definitely teach them things. I think she’s been good for them too.
Hi Sandy! I really enjoyed this post. I just feel like I was right there with you sharing the moments. I do appreciate all the time you spend up there!
Nancy
Thank you Nancy!
Hi
I am so happy to see all the beautiful pictures from you trip. I agree with you, I feel so sorry for Santa Fe, he is such a beautiful stallion even though I don´t want him to split up Coronado´s band and even though in future it would be good for LaBrava to change bands this is really not the time for her.
I just wish he could have a small band of his own. Has he ever had a band with the exception of Judith?
Dove doesn´t seem pregnant in the photos so that is good although I was kinda hoping for one.
Is it only Washakie who hasn´t foaled yet?
Looking forward to seeing more pictures and hearing more stories from your trip
Thank you Thora! Doc took Santa Fe’s band from him in winter or spring of 2012. Demure and Broken Bow were with him, making Mandan (Malpais) Santa Fe’s son. Also the filly Kindra (who is missing) was their 2010 daughter (Demure and SF) That is the most recent band he had before Judith. I would have to go back and look at lists to find out who were in his bands, but I do know that some point Gabriele (who is Cappuccino’s band) was with him as Kodiak (who was removed last year) was also his son.
I know Washakie is a sure thing, but not sure about the others. No, I do not believe that Dove is. Everyone looks so good right now, that I think if they were, it would be very apparent now. There are even some stallions that look pregnant to me! HA! 🙂
I’m pretty sure he lost his previous band courting Firestorm in the summer of 2007. Then he picked up Demure, Broken Bow, and Gabrielle that winter. I believe him and Demure also had a 2008 foal that was removed in the 2009 gather as a yearling.
It was actually that fall that Santa Fe picked them up, along with Demure’s 2007 foal.
Did you mention at some point that McKeahnie had a wound? If so, I’m starting to wonder about Cappuccino. Do you remember when Knight was a yearling? He was kicked out of his band and alone with big gashes on his shoulder and side. I’m wondering if Cappy isn’t tolerant of his yearling sons in his band.
Hi Clarissa. Yes, I mentioned on my FB page that Makeahinie had a wound. That will be in part 4 of my trip. But I doubt very much that Cappuccino had anything to do with it. You must be mistaken. Guneivere left Cappuccino when Knight was just a foal. She was with Ferdinand when Knight was less than 6 months old. From there she was briefly with Blue Moon. She died before the winter ended in 2010-11. It was then that Knight just barely a yearling ended up with Lakota, where I saw him in July of 2011. From there he was with Grijila until he became a young bachelor colt in the spring of 2012.
Cappuccino also took in Kootenai and Gabriele had Kodiak. Both of those young colts remained with his band until they were removed at the age of 2.
My mistake 🙂 I thought Guinevere died in Cappuccino’s band.
I’m no sure what happened on the rest of the trip (after day 3), but I saw Santa Fe this morning and he did look really thin to me. The good news is that he was on his own and way down below the pond (dried) opposite the road from Krueger’s. I had seen Coronado down close to Krueger’s cabin, far away from Sante Fe. Maybe Coronado will get a break from being pushed and Santa Fe will concentrate on putting some weight on.
I never saw Santa Fe back with Coronado after that morning. I am pretty sure that story is over. He was hanging with the boys off on the rest of the time I was there.