Merlin – Wild in the Pryors

Seattle. Merlin and Fiero. An Update from Lori

June 11, 2013June 11, 2013wildinthepryors

I always love good news about the horses, and yesterday Lori gave me some. She had spotted Seattle! He had not been seen for a while. He looks really good. Heavier than I have seen him in a while.

I head to the top of the mountain soon for the first camping trip of the year! I am so looking forward to it. My daughter Amber will be joining me. Lori and Brianna will be joining us to for a couple days too! Linda Dombeck is planning on joining us on the last day there. It will be a great time with the horses and good friends.

Thank you for the report Lori!

Sandy

I decided to take a trip out to the range as I have not been out there for a couple of weeks.

I was so happy that I did because I found Seattle, who I have not seen since last fall. I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to him, or if he had survived through the winter. He was out on Mustang Flats and alone.

Seattle is one stallion who appears and disappears. He is very elusive, shy and is very protective of his harem and offspring. I felt happy and relieved that I was lucky enough to find him, yet sad that he was alone. He has always been thin, and also has the scars to prove just how tough he is. I am hoping that he will win back Sacajawea this summer.

Another pleasant surprise was just around the bend. I saw Merlin and his son Fiero. They had just come from Layout Creek where there is plenty of water for the horses. This creek is at the very north end of the range. They both looked to be in good shape. I spent some time with them and then they walked off heading out of view. I felt blessed to have seen these two and especially together. I don’t think I have ever seen them together.

IMG_2937 (1024x683) — Fiero (in back) and Merlin. Son and Father.

I did see the Greeters, minus Jesse James. I am thinking that maybe Hickok told him it was time to grow up and find his own band. Last year he and Hickok would come and go from Seneca and Hightail. If this is a permanent thing then I sure hope that Jesse James can find his own place in the herd and win a mare. I would love to see Admiral and Sam’s bloodline passed on through Jesse James.

I kept on looking for him as I drove through the range but never did see him. Maybe he is over on Sykes where there are more mares to win. So far this year I have not seen one mare at all in the DH. I have seen only bachelors.

I hope for the day when there are more horses, (mares, foals and stallions) on the Dry Head. The balance of males and females is definitely off. It would be a wonderful experience for the people who come many miles to view this herd, if they were able see more horses and have the chance to observe the family life of these special horses.

Lori

Finding Merlin! An Update from Lori.

December 5, 2012wildinthepryors

This afternoon I was out working with Kiowa and Kootenai. When I came in, there was a phone message from Lori. “I found Merlin”!!!

I don’t think I have heard 3 better words in a long time. It has been a long painful year and this was the best possible news that I could have heard! Thanks Lori!!!

It just goes to show you. Anything can happen in the Pryors! Hopefully this good fortune continues and we soon see Damsel too!

Sandy

I feel as if the Horse God’s shined on me today as my eyes looked into the eyes of Merlin!
Merlin is ALIVE!!! After days and months of searching and hoping to find him, today was the day!
Here are the many photo’s of the strong survivor, Merlin!

He was digging, eating and walking fine with the three bachelors: Issaquah, Hawk and Chief Joseph.

I feel so blessed, and I feel so relieved for Merlin. He is with three other bachelors and so he is not alone.

He will be fine and he will come back strong. Let’s all hope and pray that this winter will bring much healing and nutrition to Merlin!

Lori

Logo designed by Amber Bushnell

Another Merlin Update

October 2, 2012October 2, 2012wildinthepryors

A new friend and Pryor Mountain Wild Horse lover, Laura Curtis, sent Lori and I these photos of Merlin. Laura gave me her permission to share them with you. Below is her description of Merlin and his injury.

Merlin1_Sept28_2012 — Merlin, September 28, 2012. Photo by Laura Curtis

It was difficult to see Merlin’s foot with the grass around it. I could not see it close enough to tell if there was an open wound. When he raised it, it looked as if the hoof area was not firmly attached to the leg.

I took them about 6:30 pm Friday evening, Sept 28. It was almost dark, misting rain and windy with a heavy rain coming in. Merlin was grazing in grass beside the road with a steep drop-off on his other side. I did not want to cause him to stop eating or need to take extra steps, so I did not get close in, and with the grass could not get a good shot of his hoof area without taking a chance on disturbing him causing him to try to move.

As we watched, he did take a few steps, limping very badly. I had to fight back tears just to watch.

On our Saturday morning drive-thru he had crossed the road and was about 20 feet from road up a small slope about 6 feet. It seemed he was putting some weight on the leg, but the hoof looked to be “dangling” when he lifted it. But I don’t think he could have gotten from where he was Friday evening to where he was Saturday morning without using that leg some. We did not see him Sunday morning when we made our last drive before heading back home.

Laura

Merlin2_Sept28_2012 — Merlin, September 28, 2012. Photo by Laura Curtis.

Merlin3_Sept28_2012 — Merlin, September 28, 2012. Photo by Laura Curtis

It is difficult for me to see Merlin in this condition, but the will to survive in these wild horses is very high. I have to hold on to the hope that Merlin will heal and get healthy before winter comes. The thought of losing another great stallion this year is something I do not want to think about.

Please keep Merlin in your thoughts and prayers and send good healing energy his way.

Thank you so much Laura for sharing with us.

Sandy

The below photo if from Linda Dombeck. She took this in June when Merlin was injured. It is the same leg that is injured now. Thanks Linda for the photo.

I emailed both the NPS and the BLM about Merlin this morning. NPS emailed back and said that they would be watching for him.

Merlin’s injury on June 16, 2012. Photo by Linda Dombeck.

WildinthePryors_logoColor_small_revised — Logo designed by Amber Bushnell

Merlin Update

September 25, 2012wildinthepryors

Lori and I have been worried about Merlin for about a week now. We both received reports that he was injured and that there were several bachelors trying to get his band. If you want to read about that click on Dryhead and it will take you to Lori’s report. She last saw him with the Greeters.

Here is Lori’s report from yesterday:

I went out to the Dryhead hoping to find Merlin.

I did not find Merlin, but his harem is now with Hidalgo. Let’s hope that Merlin is laying low somewhere and healing from his injury.

The last time he was injured, which was not too long ago, Corona and Waif took care of his harem for a little while, then Merlin eased himself back into his harem. Also, Hidalgo has not been the one fighting with Merlin. It was Medicine Bow, and Chief Joseph I believe; at least that is what I have been hearing from others visiting the range.

I also saw Hidatsa and Johnston on Mustang Flats. Off in the distance was Hawk and Issaquah.

On my way back I saw Jemez, Medicine Bow, Johan and Chief Joseph. They were not near Hidalgo and “harem” at all..so I really don’t know when this came about, but it has been since I was last out there last week.

I searched for Merlin a bit stopping all of the time and looking through my binoculars, but no Merlin.

I heard that someone saw Seattle, Sacajawea and Kemmerer today, and also Fiero, Strawberry and Bakken.

that is good news as I have not seen them for quite some time.

Lori

Hidalgo with Merlin’s band, September 24, 2012. Photo by Lori Graham

Montana, September 24, 2012. Photo by Lori Graham

Montana, Fresia and Halo, September 24, 2012. Photo by Lori Graham

Thank you so much Lori for keeping us up to date on Merlin and spending the time to try and find him!

I have tried to stay calm, hoping for the best. Merlin is only 15 after all and should have many more years ahead of him.

I have a special feeling for Merlin. He is the father of my filly, Valerosa, who I adopted in 2009. Every time I go up the Dryhead I hoped to see him. I have seen him off in the distance with his band several times, but never up close until last May.

Bill and I felt very lucky to spend some time with this amazing stallion then. It was raining that day, but we covered our cameras and watched them. Merlin was every bit the stallion I imaged him to be. He was a good band stallion, watching closely over little Montana, and keeping his mares together.

I am holding on to hope that it will be a repeat of last spring when he was injured. He went off by himself for a while to heal and then returned to claim his band. Please Merlin, let’s see that happen again.

Merlin, Fresia and MT — Merlin, Fresia and Montana, May 2012

Sandy

Drama In The Dryhead? Report from Lori.

September 21, 2012September 23, 2012wildinthepryors

I decided to go out to the range early this morning and got
lucky!
I am sending this picture of Montana, who has been very elusive to me…but
I hiked up the hill and got a few shots.
I saw Hickok, Jesse James, Seneca & Hightail. They had Halo, Fresia &
Montana with them, sort of. I did not see Merlin with them, but he could
have been somewhere nearby.

I drove up all the way to the end of the range and only saw Medicine Bow
with Jemez.
Out on Mustang Flat I saw one black horse a very long ways away. I could not
tell
Who it was, even with my binoculars.

When I drove back down I did not see anyone.

I am concerned about Merlin, but hopefully he is taking it easy and healing,
yet again!

Lori

Dry_Head_Sept._2012_026 — Medicine Bow and Jemez, September 21, 2012. Photo by Lori Graham

Dry_Head_Sept._2012_019 — Montana in the early morning light, September 21, 2012. Photo by Lori Graham

The Greeters and part of Merlin’s band. Photo by Lori Graham

The Greeters with part of Merlin’s band. Photo by Lori Graham. September 21, 2012

Both Lori and I have received reports this week that Merlin is injured. It sounds like it may be the same injury from earlier this year, or could possibly be a new injury. Hopefully he is healing and doing fine.

Thanks Lori so much for the report. I am looking forward to seeing more photos and I will post them here!

Sandy

Mountain Update, The Dryhead, May 18, 2012

May 25, 2012May 25, 2012wildinthepryors

We arrived in Lovell early in the afternoon. It was pouring rain and windy. So we decided to head up the paved road of the Dryhead.

The first horses that we saw were the “Greeters”, Hickok, Jesse James, Seneca and Hightail.

Despite the rain I got out. Covered my camera with my raincoat and took what photos I could. They were very active. More active than what I had seen them ever be. I wonder how much longer Hickok is going to allow Jesse James to remain with this band.

Hick and JJ — Hickok and Jesse James, May 18, 2012

JJ and Hic — Jesse James and Hickok, May 18, 2012

We kept driving. At Mustang Flats we saw Hawk and Issaquah far in the distance. With the rain we decided not to hike to them. I was glad we decided to keep moving because the next horse I saw was Merlin! I had not seen Merlin for a long time. The fall of 2010, was the last time. Merlin is my filly Valerosa’s father. I knew that his mare Fresia had her colt, and I was happy to see them!

Fresica and MT — Fresia and Montana, May 18, 2012

Merlin band 1 — Merlin Band, May 18, 2012

Merlin decides to make his mare move.

We spent a long time with this band. Montana was really fun to watch. It started to rain harder, so we headed down the road to see who else we could see.

On our way out we saw Medicine Bow and Joseph. It was raining pretty hard, but I snapped a couple photos.