Challenge Painting #233 Favorite Horses of Sand Wash Basin: Corona

One of my very favorite Stallions of Sand Wash Basin is Corona.
  His name is Spanish for the glow around the sun.

"Corona"
8 by 8 inches Watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist
$250.00

His long light colored main flows around him like a sexy European model. Thus his nick name is "Fabio" as well. He is the first dunalino stallion I've ever seen photos of or heard of. Meaning he is a golden palomino in color while at the same time having leg stripes and a stripe down his back both in a darker shade of gold.

His build reminds me of  those  Spanish Lippizanner horses of Austria. Even though he looks like the equine version of a fashion plate all the time, don't be fooled. His is a strong and powerful stallion, who is quick on his feet, and gives no quarter to stallions that are even bigger than he is. In fact I think one of the reasons for his success is that he doesn't tolerate younger stallions too near his mares. His personal space is really wide.

One photo documenter caught him on camera chasing after several more aggressive stallions and in the background Picasso moved his band further away to make sure he wasn't in the line of fire so to speak.  Corona's mares tend to stay with him. It has been reported that even his filly offspring will sometimes return to his band after they have been taken by other stallions.

A portion of the proceeds from
the sale of this painting will go to
John Wagner to further his efforts in
documenting the herd at 
Sand Wash Basin HMA

Corona is wise and expert at keeping his family healhty. Because of his station among the wild horses of Sand Wash Basin his band seems to be among the top in authority. This means that they are among the bands that get the water first and the choicest pasture.

He is also a veteran of two BLM management round ups that I know of, the last being in 2008 when he and his lead mare Cheyenne were captured on film leading the band into the capture area. He kept his mares and the younger horses close together  while his lead mare led the way and from what I could tell the band was released together after they were examined and  the selected mares  had been given the  PZP birth control drug.

I have so many reasons I  admire this stallion for his strength, his efficiency in managing his mares and foals And certainly his beauty.

You can read more about Corona and his band and all the horses of the Sand Wash Basin HMA in Colorado by "Liking" the Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses page on Facebook.