McCullough Peaks Wild Horses – 9/09

The day before the Pryor Mountain roundup ended, Tom and I made a quick trip down to the McCullough Peaks HMA to see the horses – their gather is scheduled for this month and I wanted to visit with them one more time before that took place. We didn’t get to spend nearly enough time there – only one evening and the next morning. We missed seeing several bands, but it was still so good to see the ones that we did manage to find.

This family was just off the highway in that wonderful late afternoon light.

McCullough Peaks youngster

The first band we ran into the next morning was Indigo’s.

Indigo snakes a mare that had wandered too far away

Band stallion Rerun is close by and watches Indigo bring his mare closer into the herd

Indigo's band

Indigo and his band

This is Kenya – a young stallion who’s family was disbanded when the stallion Spirit Walker went missing and presumably died. A photo I took of Kenya and his mother a couple of years back made the cover of the catalog Back in the Saddle last year. I was really pleased they featured wild horses!

Kenya

Back in the Saddle catalog cover with Bourbon and Kenya

Kenya next to his dam Bourbon taken a couple of years ago

Bourbon with the band stallion Spirit Walker - taken a couple of years ago

Next we came upon a snoozing Bridger. Last year, Bridger had a family. I noticed he was hooked up with a small band of bachelors on this trip.

The big gray stallion Bridger

A backlit Bridger

We left the Whistle Creek area and drove west to see if we could locate the Red Point Band. We did, but we never even got close to them as something had them “bugged” (literally – they were running from bugs I was told) and they ran back and forth across the range. Sometimes seeing a large band of horses running in the distance is the best way to enjoy them.

Part of the Red Point band

This stallion popped up out of a waterhole area we were checking out

A youngster with the black stallion

And a young mare that was part of the family enjoying a good roll

A family on the eastern side of the range area

A gorgeous foal with this group

I had run into Jen, (the USGS gal that helps monitor both the Pryor Mountain and the McCullough Peaks horses) at Britton Springs during the roundup. I asked her about the Peaks horses – Utah in particular. She told me all about Utah’s new babies (I never got to see them last year). She told me that one of last year’s babies was the spittin’ image of him. A black Sabino with four white stockings. I really hoped to see them for myself. Luckily, I was able to. Just a couple of distance shots, (minus last year’s foals unfortunately) but satisfying nonetheless.

Utah, facing away, and his family

Utah - third standing horse from the left - and his family

It was strange not to see Hooter amongst all the colored horses. I even caught myself looking for him a couple of times. Whether it’s to a roundup or a death, losing the horses is the hardest part of getting to know them as individuals.

Hooter - never forgotten