El Mariachi & Hope – February, 2011 (Part 3)
March 25, 2011
Part three and the final post from our trip to Arizona to see the wild ones. Mostly just a pictorial. Images from our last morning with the horses.
(Click on the images for larger/sharper views)
In the mornings, El Mariachi and Hope can almost always be found in a little pocket of vegetation beside the other horse's paddock area where El Mariachi can keep an eye on everyone throughout the night. Always the sentry.
Working his way around to the barn area for breakfast.
With Hope following close behind
Beautiful light on a beautiful boy
Hope hears Tom in the barn
Ready for their feed
I never tire of just watching them eat.
I decided to leave the horses in peace and walked around the property just enjoying the morning and sights.
Hope watches Tom go about cleaning
Time to be out and about
Hiding
We were running out of time, but both Tom and I wanted to take another hike before heading to town. It’s difficult terrain to do our usual trail blazing, but I think we did pretty well for the most part.
This is one amazing cat - he followed us out for quite a distance. He looks like a mini mountain lion out there in the desert (Michael's description that is just so fitting).
Meowski
Timid and Diana came with us too.
I don't know how he manages it on almost every trip (since I've never been bothered), but Tom is snagged by another Jumping Cholla. HA!
And what’s the best way for a black dog to cool off after a hike in the desert? Why, a dip in the pool of course! 🙂
The very athletic Diana
Another wonderful visit with Michael and all the critters. We very much appreciate the privilege of spending time at Wolf House.
Part One of this series: https://nickolesphotography.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/el-mariachi-hope-february-2011-part-1/
Part Two of this series: https://nickolesphotography.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/el-mariachi-hope-february-2011-part-2/
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Pam Nickoles Photography 
March 25, 2011 at 11:56 PM
You can have all your Pacific Islands or big city vacations. Michael has the most fantastic place on earth to relax and rebuild and gather yourself together again. I envy you and Tom and the 2 Wild Ones
March 26, 2011 at 12:15 AM
Gorgeous, love love love these guys. Wish I could be there too!!! They are looking so wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing the pics bring joy to my heart.
March 26, 2011 at 12:18 AM
What BEAUTIFULL PICTURES! I wish El Mariachi hadn’t been gilded. Him & Hope would throw beautiful Mustang foals.
I agree with you, Linda. It looks like Heaven there and so much to see.
March 26, 2011 at 12:20 AM
Just stunning photo’s Pam. I am always so thrilled to see how good they look. And it is a real treat to see them in the Arizona landscape!
March 26, 2011 at 12:36 AM
I agree Linda – Michael’s place is a little piece of heaven. We are very fortunate how things worked out.
Hi Lori – it was so good to see the horses again. I wish we could manage more than once or twice a year, but grateful for any time we can be there.
Thanks Barbara – who knows – there’s a chance Hope may surprise us with a foal one day…
I think they make striking desert horses Karen. 😉
March 26, 2011 at 12:45 AM
Thank you for sharing these beautiful creatures and your visit, God bless. Amazing. Just amazing.
March 26, 2011 at 1:16 AM
What a beautiful pair they are and the scenery is something else!
I guess I never realized that El Mariachi had been gelded after they were rounded up. What a shame – those great genes wont be passed on anymore.
Thanks for sharing, Pam
Maggie
March 26, 2011 at 1:19 AM
El Mariachi was not gelded, but he may be sterile (or maybe it’s Hope). They have been together since 2008 – no little one.
March 26, 2011 at 1:30 AM
have you ever thought of adding one or two more mares to give El Mariachi another band?
March 26, 2011 at 1:35 AM
I just LOVE getting updates on them! They are both so beautiful and so lucky to have all of you guys taking such incredible care of them. I think they are both gorgeous, but there is something about the poses that El Mariachi strikes that just stop me in my tracks. His face is so expressive, and his posture just oozes with strength and masculinity. He is definitely one of a kind. I am so happy he has Hope as his loyal companion. They are living such a good life. If they can’t be free on the range, then this is the next best thing! And, they are both safe from the mean BLM helicopters forever!
March 26, 2011 at 1:40 AM
[…] https://nickolesphotography.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/el-mariachi-hope-february-2011-part-3/ Posted in Wild Horses | 121 Comments »Tags: "Twelve The King", 3-Strikes Ranch, Alliance Nebraska, BLM, BLM adoption, BLM gather, BLM roundup, Bureau of Land Management, Dances With Wolves, El Mariachi, International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros, Karen Sussman, Michael Blake, Morrill County Nebraska, Mustang rescue, Nebraska horse rescue, Nebraska Mustang rescue, Nebraska Mustangs, Pam Nickoles, Pam Nickoles Photography, White Mountain HMA, wild horse legislation, wild horse protection, wild horse sanctuary, Wild Horses Like2 bloggers like this post. […]
March 26, 2011 at 2:21 AM
luv this stud mate his makings are awesome wish i had one the same color……………
March 26, 2011 at 2:47 AM
Wonderful, beautiful post Pam. Thank you for being there for Mariachi and Hope and thank you for being our eyes with the wild ones.
March 26, 2011 at 2:57 AM
Very nice. Thank you for sharing with us.
March 26, 2011 at 5:53 AM
El Mariachi and Hope are so bonded and live a peaceful life, yet I suddenly felt a great sorrow at this lonely existence for these herd animals. Hope has no sisters to groom and teach nor babies to mother and auntie, and El Mariachi has no girls to look after nor sons to train and prepare to follow after him. Their lives are peaceful, and I know horses love peace, but I feel such a lack of the extended family that is the true nature of the wild horses. Michael Blake has done the most a person can do to compensate these magnificent souls for their terrible losses, and Pam and Tom, you have rescued this noble stallion. We simply must keep pressing home the truth about the travesty that is occurring on our public lands represented by this figure: 72 % of the wild horse herds remaining are below the BLM expert’s number for genetic viability, i.e., under 150 horses. We may be looking at the last generation of healthy wild horses. We need to keep speaking up to stop these roundups now.
March 26, 2011 at 6:00 AM
Dear Pam and Tom, thank you so much for following through with El Mariachi’s safety. He is magnificent.
Please delete my first comment; I corrected a statement in the 2nd one and was unable to delete the first one. (“El Mariachi has NO girls to look after” is what I intended to say.) Thank you.
March 26, 2011 at 6:04 AM
They look happy and healthy. Glad to see all the dogs are still wandering around keeping an eye on the horses. Mariachi’s head is so big and strong….it’s so much larger than a domestics head(it seems to me) what a majestic looking boy!….especially compared to Hope’s dainty little frame and petite little face. She is so pretty. It was good to see you and Tom again too.
March 26, 2011 at 7:03 AM
Pam they are so wonderful. But you are too for adopting them when the BLM took them. And then that awful man did his best to …best not to go there.
And then Michel stepped up to help out. They look so good. I wish they had never been rounded up but Michael is doing the very best he can to give them what they do have. At this point its the best we can do.
Thank you again for all the wonderful images.
March 26, 2011 at 1:27 PM
Why does he look more like a draft horse than a mustang. Gosh he is huge next to Hope.
March 26, 2011 at 5:23 PM
Thankyou for the updates and beautiful photos of El Mariachi and Hope Pam this time I too felt the loss of thier family bands and the adjustments they have to make to thier new lives in strange places.Very grateful to Michael for offering them a home and a wild safe place “to be”-love and light Katrine.
March 26, 2011 at 9:35 PM
Beautiful pictures. So glad they are happy and safe.
March 26, 2011 at 10:28 PM
Now that you mention the possiblility of his being sterile – I probably did read that in one of the earlier posts.
But didnt he have a herd of mares of his own when he was rounded up? Now I’ll have to go back thru the earlier posts you sent – fortunately I’ve saved them!!!
Actually doesnt matter at this point – except what beautiful babies he would have thrown.
What a blessing for the two of them to have a home with Michael – where you can feel they are safe.
Maggie
March 26, 2011 at 11:31 PM
NICE series! And the world keeps turning, tho’ with a deserved element of genuine safety and peaceful existance in the still fairly ‘new’ home! Great area shots, too – do you really let Tommy Tee play with sharp objects? Had a little Spring here, but it’s back to Winter – cold and wet! Blessings for all, Love & prayers, Bill and Pat
March 27, 2011 at 12:06 AM
What a gorgeous slice of heaven. As always, so incredibly gratifying to see El Mariachi and Hope looking SO healthy and beautiful! Glad you and Tom had such a wonderful visit!
March 27, 2011 at 9:12 PM
Your photos are simply breathtaking!!!! Words can not describe the joy I have from seeing them. They are just awesome! Thanks so very much for sharing them w/all of us.
March 27, 2011 at 10:30 PM
They both look so happy and healthy now. What a fantastic ending to their story of hardtimes caused by stupid humans.
March 28, 2011 at 2:03 AM
wow Pam..The boy is fat and happy again ! the pics of him in the desert setting are beautiful.
how regal he is..one of the most gorgeous horses i have ever seen..period. i see him every morning on my bedroom wall..and am moved every time i see him,wild and free. you saved him..and this is a great 2nd best from being totally wild. bravo again..to you. here’s to El mariachi and HOPE !
🙂 Mary Ann
March 28, 2011 at 6:27 PM
Loved this series, couldn’t wait to see each one. They have a beautiful place to live out their lives & they are stunning in scenery! Thank you so much Pam & Tom for all you do & for adopting these two beautiful Wild Horses.
March 29, 2011 at 8:54 AM
Wonderful Pam! Makes me really happy to see them both looking so well. Thank You so much for sharing!!! //Marie
April 1, 2011 at 10:44 AM
thank-you – they are so wonderful !
October 23, 2011 at 12:52 PM
Hi — was happy to see an update (I was just given a link on this story but it was dated in 2009). I’m wondering how your mother is (she seemed like such a great lady with providing the trip, going herself even though it looked like she wasn’t feeling the best, and with how her interest was, how she supported you, etc.). Your horses are absolutely beautiful — thanks for saving them and to Michael who homes them! God bless you all!
October 26, 2011 at 5:27 PM
Hello Mona – thank you for your note and asking about my Mom. She is doing well. In fact, she just returned with us from a trip to see the horses and Michael last weekend. A great time and it’s always good to see how well everyone is doing. There will be another follow-up post about this outing in the near future. Thanks again for your very nice comments.
November 26, 2011 at 4:29 PM
Thanks so much Pam for what you, Michael & everyone have done to help the Stunning, beautiful, breathtaking, Mariachi & his lovely Hope! I had always been taken aback when looking @ the photo of him on your fbk page & always wanted to know more about him!! I was devastated to see him in such a tragic, horrible, condition as I’m sure you were as well!! This is a story fit for the big screen, which could possibly help to educate people of the tragic plight of our wild horses!! Thank-you, Tk-you, Tk-you! for sharing these wonderful photos and for all you do!! Such a great ending, & in the end karma will come around & find you in horseheaven!!! God bless +
November 27, 2011 at 2:47 PM
Thank you for your comments Patricia. I’m grateful for all the help that was given to these horses during their journey. Maybe someday, Michael will write a book about them. 😉 I know he’d do justice to their story.
March 25, 2017 at 6:31 PM
They are looking sooo great. still love looking at them. And I LOVE Mariachi’s big beautiful head.
Thanks for sharing