Two more foals have been born on the mountain. Both were born to three year old filly’s. How did that happen? They were supposed to be vaccinated to prevent this. Let’s take a look at how that may have happened.
In 2016, an east coast group (Friends of Animals) filed a lawsuit against the BLM. This lawsuit caused the delay of the 2017 PZP vaccines until later in the spring. I believe this is what caused both of these 3 year olds to give birth. As a three year old, they need to have two injections, spaced a few weeks apart. Penny was given her first booster on 4-17-17, her second was given on 5-4-17 (she was already pregnant by then). Pegasus was given her first booster on 3-29-17, her second on 4-14-17. While she was not pregnant yet, there may not have been enough time for it to become effective. After the first year, the mares only need one injection each year. This should be noted on their records, and not be held against them when deciding who and if they should be removed.
The fifth 2018 foal has been born to Penny (Pele) and Irial. Penny is the 2015 daughter of Fools Gold and Coronado. The foal, a colt, was born the week of May 13. The name Sparrow was chosen for him. I will post photos as soon as I can get some recent ones. At the time of this post, I had been informed that he was missing and presumed dead. Rest in peace little one.
- Penny/Pele nursing from her mother, Fools Gold, July 2017
The sixth 2018 foal has been born to Pegasus. She was born this week. Pegasus is the 2015 daughter of Ireland and Galaxy.
UPDATE: When Abbie and I got a glimpse of Missoula and his band just down the road, we were very excited! I couldn’t wait to see Shamrock. Unfortunately, it was not to happen. Sometime between Sunday June 17 and the day we saw them (Tuesday June 19), Shamrock disappear. Another heartbreaking discovery. Rest in Peace little one.
Pegasus holds a special place in my heart. I was one of the first to see her, shortly after her birth, and I was able to pick her name.
Pegasus has had a rough winter/spring, somehow being separated from her family band with her sister Limerick. At the time of her foals birth, Pegasus was with the young stallion Missoula. (another that I was lucky enough to name!) An unexperienced filly with her first foal, along with an unexperienced stallion, is not an ideal situation, I am hoping for the best for this young mother and her filly.
Time will tell who the likely sire is to this foal (color will give us a better idea). As of now, I will say sire unknown. My first reaction was that no other horse could get close enough to Galaxy’s band to breed her (meaning the foal would be Galaxy’s). But Galaxy had his hands full last year, and I do believe that a determined bachelor could have zoomed in and bred her while Galaxy fought with another. But for now, I only hope that both mom and foal will be okay.
Thank you to Dennis McCollough for the use of his photos!
Sandy
I support Friends of Animals and applaud their suit to protect the horses on the Pryors. Thankfully, foals were born this year as nature intended. The Pryor horses need protection.
That is fine. I am just stating the facts on WHY this is happening. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Unfortunately, the skewing of ages and gender in some of the management practices for wild horses have burdened many young mares with carrying on the survival of their species in the wild public lands, despite application of pzp. The photos of the foals and their dams as foals are wonderful to see and I appreciate your historical documentation – I love the Pryors horses. too.
I agree, all citizens have the responsibility. East Coast based Friends of Animals litigates and files it’s interventions from its Denver-based office .
Once again I was surprised by the birth of a foal from a mare born in 2015 but it is so unexpected that it gives me a smile. I love Pele so much and Sparrow looks good. I think Ryden hope was the filly Pele because Ryden hope was born in June and Sparrow in May (11 months of gestation for Pele). I look forward to seeing the band of Irial this summer with all his foals! I think it will be beautiful to see as in 2014 in the Duke band (2 foals: Outlaw lady and Odakota). The filly of Pegasus is so clear! it makes me think of Prima at the same age. I think Shamrock’s father is not Galaxy maybe Killian? what do you think ? I’m also so happy to know that Missoula has a band, I do not know if he will manage to keep them but if Limerick is not pregnant it would be possible to see their colt next year! I would have thought that Niyaha had been with Missoula since the beginning of winter, but no, she may be with another stallion. I hope with all my heart that Pegasus and Shamrock will not be removed from the range …. Thank you for this great article and sorry for my english.
Hi, I agree that I don’t think Galaxy is the sire. Especially after seeing the photos of her. I’m leaning towards Missoula…., as the sire. As the filly grows into her colour, we will have a better idea. I don’t think Killian has figured any of that out yet….
Killian’s father Bolder is also palomino and if Shamrock turns out to be palomino he could also be the sire. I agree with what Sandy said about Killian. He was just a bit unorganized last summer, but I’m sure he will have his day. If this filly turns sorrel and isn’t palomino I think there’s a good chance Missoula cpuld be the sire too.
I am really happy that we have more foals this year regardless the reason, simply because after the last few years the herd needed a small population boost. However i do worry at what will happy in a potential removal since Pegasus was number 1 candidate, i hope all things will be taken into consideration before any actions and maybe delay any potential removal for a year or two.I also hope the mares that are supposed to give birth this year won’t be in a disadvantange and we will see many bloodlines preserved
As for Shamrock’s sire i hope its someone unrelated to her. I have red speculations about Bolder or Killian because she might be palomino, but aren’t they related to Pegasus as well, since Ireland and Phoenix were sisters?,not to mention that Killian is Celt’s son who also is Ireland’s daughter and Pegasus sister. Still better than Galaxy but its still incest.
Anyway for now i can’t help being optimistic for the new births,Thank you for your beautiful posts that keep us updated
Welcome to the world Sparrow and Shamrock!!! Hopefully you will live a healthy free life
Thank you! I few of us have a theory that it could be Missoula! 😉 I doubt Killian would know what to do….:)
You do have a point about Killian. Seems all these years he was giving trouble to Bolder and his mares came back to bite him, since he missed valuable learning time as a young bachelor.,although he is toughening up lately. But yes it will be difficult for him and Lobo to become band stallions, i am just curious to see if Killian would continue Bolder’s disfuctional tacticts if he managed to obtain a band.
I hope the Missoula is sire since like i said both Bolder and Killian are closely related to Pegasus
Thank you for taking the time to point out the reason for several unexpectd births to young mother’s this year. I really hope that it won’t be held against them or sited as their reason for removal in a potential upcoming removal. I believe FOA likely had good intentions but their lawsuit was not well thought out or practical. They are not the first party to file a lawsuit on behalf of these horses, however all of the other parties who work to protect these horses (some who have filed lawsuits in the past) were surprised and confused by this lawsuit. Unfortunately all this lawsuit accomplished was to delay necessary and proper management practices that benefit the herd, including the application of the pzp program.
However we can still admire these two new beautiful additions to the herd. Shamrock’s color is so lovely and interesting. I can’t wait to see how it develops. I am glad that Limerick is there to help Pegasus raise her filly. I believe Limerick may have left Galaxy’s band to join up with Pegasus because she knew her younger sister was close to foaling. I hope they can find some stability with Missoula even though he is unexperienced as a band stallion. His father was a good role model for him so I hope he will fill his new role well. Penny has a good support system too with her band. I am hoping for the best for these new young moms and their foals.
Your welcome Sarah! Thank you for you insights!
FOA has caused so much damage to wild horses and the dedicated people that sacrifice so much to manage them. They are an anthropomorphic fringe group and don’t seem to have a single clue about how ecosystems work. Anyone who believes them need to educate themselves. Thank you advocates for the work you do keeping horses in their home ranges. Without fertiltyncontrol we would lose them all.
There’s a lot of things I could say about the FoA lawsuit but I won’t because what’s done is done, and I’d rather spend my time and energy talking about the horses. My main concern about it is that all these extra foals being born could be used as justification for a removal to go ahead this year. I hope that’s not the case.
It’s always sad to lose a foal but not unexpected. The harsh reality of life as a wild animal is that many young animals never survive to adulthood. It doesn’t make it any less sad when we lose one, but it sounds like Sparrow at least had a good life in the short time he was here.
There’s been a lot of discussion about Shamrock’s colour, and the first thing I thought when I saw the pictures of her is that she’s a palomino. She’s that funny apricot colour that a lot of palomino foals start out as. If she is, that would certainly help to narrow down who the potential sire is (and rule out Galaxy as the sire). There’s always the possibility that she’s a flaxen chestnut but unfortunately that wouldn’t rule out Galaxy as the sire so I have my fingers crossed Shamrock is a palomino.
With a young, first-time mother and a very inexperienced band stallion it certainly isn’t an ideal situation for her. I don’t know how much help Limerick will be, as she is still quite young herself and has never raised a foal of her own. All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best for Shamrock. Hopefully her name is prophetic and she has luck on her side.
Thank you for your comment Phoebe!