Primative Markings on Wild Mustangs: Dunalino Mare Red Desert Complex / Facility Born #479

Delores Jean
Happy Adopted Dunalino Mare
Dam was from the 2011 Red Desert Complex Round up in Wyoming
Painting is 4 by 6 inches Watercolor
by Linda L Martin Artist
$35.00

 Dun is considered a wild or primitive color pattern among horses wild or domestic. This little mare is also a palomino.  She not only has  a dorsal stripe but she has striping on her legs and  darker red outlines on her ears. One of the more famous of the Dunalino Mustangs in the us is Corona of Sand Wash Basin HMA. In addition to his dun striping and he also has a darker burnished face during the Summer like some of the more acient breeds.  

This little mare is owned by Kirren Dolan.

The image on the right can be clicked to see it larger. You can see
her dorsal stripe along her back as well as her leg strips.
And you can clearly see her WH&B Program Brand on her
neck.  She really is quite pretty.

Mustang A Day Challenge Painting # 303 Burro #2531

Burro #2531
5 by 5 inches Watercolor
by Linda L Martin Artist
SOLD

Burro #2531 is part of the Eastern States Internet adoption That started April 11th and will end on April 25th. 
 All bidders must be approved before they are able to bid on the available horses and burros. You can get information about this burro and 9 others and how to qualify to adopt through the BLM sight:
https://www.blm.gov/adoptahorse/horse.php?horse_id=5123

 ***
Here is the information as provided by the BLM.:

Burro #2531 Ready to Adopt
Photo provided by the BLM

 Sex: Gelding
Age: 8 Years 
Height (in hands):
Neck tag #: 2531  
Date Captured: 09/26/09
Color: Gray   
Captured: Slate Range (CA)

Burro #2531 Ready to Adopt
Photo provided by the BLM

Notes:
#2531 - 8 yr old gray gelded jack, captured Sept 2009, in the Slate Range HMA, California.
This burro is currently located in Canon City. For more information, contact Lona Kossnar at 719-269-8539 or lona_kossnar@blm.gov.
 
Pick up options (by appt): Canon City, CO; Elm Creek, NE; Pauls Valley, OK; Piney Woods, MS.
Other pick up options: Rutland, VT (6/15); Unadilla, GA (6/23).
  
  
The opening bid is $125.00        
You must be approved to bid
***
This is your opportunity to own an amazing piece of living US History.  Personally I think he is a very cute boy and doesn't even begin to look his age.He has a lot of potential for the person wanting to take on a gentling and training project for the summer.

If you are interested and have never adopted I suggest two things: 1) read the requirements and then 2) locate a Tip Trainer near you to guide your through the process and the training.

Tip Trainers can be found through  the Mustang Heritage Foundation: http://www.mustangheritagefoundation.org
Requirements and available horses can be found on line at the BLM On-line Adoptions site. http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/adoption_program/facility.html

The Mother's Day Week on Sand Wash Basin HMA Challenge Painting #102

Pablina and her new 2011 foal.



Pablina and Her 2011 Foal
9 by 6 Watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist





Pablina’s foal was photo documented for the first time the last week of April. Less than a week old she was photographed with her family band  by Nancy Roberts on May 3^rd. Pablina is a mare in the liver chestnut stallion, Rounder’s band. Rounder was Challenge painting # 10

To read more about the horses of Sand Wash Basin HMA and see some of the amazing first hand document photography you can Follow Nancy’s blog : http://sandwashwildhorses.blogspot.com/

To inter act with the other 2500 plus people who follow the herd at Sand Wash Basin you can join the facebook page: Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses.



Rounder Band Sallion of Sand Wash Basin
Challenge Panting #10
Painting Available on Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MustangADayChallenge



Wild Ponies of Grayson Highlands Challenge Painting #98



"Hurricane"
9 by 6 inch Watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist

The Wild Ponies of Grayson Highlands is a herd of feral ponies, mostly of Shetland pony descent, employed to live upon the Forestry Service and State Park lands surrounding Mt Rogers in Virginia.

One of the people who are documenting these feral ponies is Amy Flood, a professional photographer, who has love and passion for the ponies as well as professionalism in documenting their habitat, their behavior and their lives.

Today Amy talks about Hurricane. In her own words: "

Hurricane with HoneyBear
Photograhy by Amy Flood. Use by Permission

Hurricane

"His sire is Tornado. He and his step daddy, Gideon, are particularly close...I see them playing together frequently. Hurricane is also fast friends with Eminem and HoneyBear (Ocelot's yearling pinto filly).



Hurrricane in the Hawthorn
Photo by Amy Flood. Used by permission.

Hurricane has a mischievous streak - he is always into some sort of trouble. He will take any excuse to stampede across the balds, bucking and kicking up his heels. Somewhat possessive of his dam, he is quick to express his jealousy whenever another pony pays her attention.

 Interestingly enough, Lady left Gideon in fall of 2010 and returned to Tornado's band briefly while in estrus(heat). "

"Hurricane"
Photo by Amy Flood.
This photo and reference photography used by permission.

To read more about these ponies  and their history  you can read the the Mustang A Day Challenge News blog with additional links to the Grayson Highlands State Park  http://mustangadaychallengenews.blogspot.com/ 

and follow Amy's visits and photography on her blog http://graysonhighlandsponies.com/

For more information on the Grayson Highlands State Park Pony Auction The Wilburn Ridge Pony Association holds an auction at 2:00 PM on the Saturday following the 4th full week in September. The auction is part of the Grayson Highlands Fall Fest. All auctioned ponies have passed veterinary examination and testing, and the proceeds from their purchase goes toward sustaining the pony herd and local charities. For further information call: 276-579-7092 or go to 

Contact Information

Primary Contact: Grayson Highlands State Park Phone: 276-579-7092 829 Grayson Highland Lane Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363

Email: GraysonHighlands@dcr.virginia.gov
Web Address: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/gra.shtml



Alder Hill Farm’s Branson Rescue: Part 3 “The Redemption”: Painting #94

"Spirit"

So far the two trips to remove the three horses near Branson, Missouri had been filled with twists and turns and a great amount of frustration. Three wily horses, tame enough to receive affection and food, but smart enough to evade the best professional attempts at capture them, were beginning to tax the resources of The Alder Hill Farm Team. 

"Spirit"
9 by6 Watercolor
By LindaLMartinArtist



The Alder Hill Team had followed the three horses to a property  in various stages of neglect but in which the owners of the three horses were discovered. They lived in the house trailer on the property.

The revelation that the owners were still active in the lives of the horses put everything into a different perspective. Upon meeting the owners and surveying the situation it was decided that instead of a long drawn out court battle to seize the animals; it would be better for Alder Hill Farm to simply purchase the Animals. This would take the horses out of their immediate situation and prevent a lengthy and expensive legal battle. The owner was agreeable and said she would take $100 a piece for the three of them.

It is not the policy of Alder Hill Rescue to purchase horses. However,  in this case the condition and safety of the horses made it imperative that the animals be removed quickly and with as less additional financial impact as possible before the horses or a person was injured.

During the course of the visit Scott’s suspicion that the horses were mustangs was confirmed. The owner’s had adopted a mare and stallion from the BLM many years ago. The two original mustangs had passed away but these three were full brothers and sister from those two adopted Mustangs.  The oldest  stallion was 10 years old and named Prancer. The most dominant stallion was 8 years old, named Spirit. The filly was a 3 year old and named Honey.

Now the race was on, not only to raise the funds to remove the horses from their dangerous situation but also to prevent the filly from being bred by one of her brothers.

Alder Hill Farm Rescue with its policy of transparency kept a running documentation going on their Facebook page and on the pages of the Rescue team members. Nearly the total amount of money to purchase the mustangs and make additional return trips to capture them was raised by the time the team when back to capture the first two.

Keep in mind that the three had never been handled. They didn’t have even the most basic of training. In fact they had been treated as pet dogs not as horses from the time they were born. There was no documentation of vet care and their pasture with its long neglected fences was filled with old appliances, farm equipment and what the Alder Hill team described as simply trash.

The impression is, that the dominant stallion, left to his own devices and filled with generations of intelligent independent mustangs in his heritage, pretty much took things into his own charge and took care of his family in the best horse fashion he could.

On appointed day the Alder Hill Farm Rescue Crew brought their capture set up to capture and remove the first two horses.Once Alder Hill paid them $300.00 for the horses the owners waved all rights of ownership.   and very shortly had the two submissive horses haltered and an hour later loaded the first into the horse trailer. This being their first horse trailer ride, it was amazingly uneventful and the two horses did very well. Plus Alder Hill already had a request for adoption for the submissive stallion, Prancer.

Tonight's painting is of "Spirit" the Dominant Stallion.

The removal of the two submissive horses left the dominant stallion, Spirit, alone on the farm.  Without his herd, he was considerably less excitable than on the previous trips. On the day the Alder Hill team went back to get Spirit, the owner put horse treats on the top step of the house trailer and he stood there calmly munching on them ,while one of the volunteers slipped the halter on Spirit. With the help of the owner Spirit was caught in good order, loaded into the trailer and transferred to Alder Hill Farm. Over all the Alder Hill Rescue team made 4 trips to the Branson Location.

Update. Both Spirit and Prancer have now been gelded. Applications are being accepted now for Spirit’s adoption. Potential owners will be carefully screened.  Prancer’s adoption is in the process. Honey will spend another year at the farm growing up and being a horse, then after training she will be offered for adoption as well.

Alder Hill Farm Rescue is a 501c3 Non Profit in the state of Missouri that rescues horses of every breed and every color. To see how you can adopt an Alder Hill horse or donate to the ongoing work or sanctuary of the Alder Hill Mustangs please go to www.AlderHillFarm.org

"Lean On Me" Tango and Madeleine ~ Challenge Painting #92

 Fort Collins Makeover Horse Tango and Madeleine LeClerc:

At this point in the training both Madeleine LeClerc and Robert Carlson are consistent and repetitive, adding a little more activity to the horse to give it confidence and build a connection.  Every thing is serious work, but it is also fun for the horses. There is lots of affection and encouragement. Already they have both ridden their horses, led them through an obstacle course, ramped up their grooming by teaching them to pick up feet and yield their feet. And Both horses have had their first bath. These are just a few of the daily activities the two trainers from R&M Performance Horses have accomplished with their Fort Collins Colorado Makeover Horses.



Madeleine and Tango. In this photo Madeleine is
getting on and off Tango on the wrong side.
 Generally the proper side to mount is the left side.
 However, in an emergency or in the case of
someone who is unable to use their left foot
 to mount, it is helpful that the horse be trained
 to mount from both sides.

 One very important thing in the training of any horse is teaching it to feel comfortable receiving weight.  The horse should be quietly unconcerned and attentive to its handler whether that weight is just someone leaning on its neck, standing on its back, leaning across the saddle, or mounting on either side.  Really good trainers teach the horse how to accept weight very early on in the training. Not just the weight of someone sitting on their backs but weight that shifts, weight that pushes, weight that drags and weight that pulls. All of these aspects of training not only keep the horse safe  for those riders a little on the clumsy side, it also prepares the horse for all sorts of opportunities to partner with its rider on the trail,  in unexpected  pleasure riding activities and in work.



Robert  and Watson working
on mounting and dismounting.

 This painting "Lean on Me" shows Madeleine leaning with her arm on the saddle with the reins on either side. This is the first step to mounting alone. Through this exercise she stands with one foot in the stirrup, then actually sits in the saddle, then dismounts. Then repeats, sometimes getting on and off on the wrong side. Sometimes she standing with one foot in the stirrup, so that Tango becomes use to having someone high above him. 

You can follow Madeleine LeClerc's and Robert Carlson's  weekly training updates and more amazing photographs provided by Lightning Bug Creek Photography documenting the training of their  Fort Collin's Makeover Horses Tango and Watson on their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/2011-CO-Mustang-Makeover-with-RM-Performance/119433394800806

Prints of this painting are availalbe for sale begining Wednesday of this week on http://www.fineartamerica.com/  Search LindaLMartinArtist

Reference Photography for this painting were provided by Lightning Bug Creek Photography and used by permission.

Josie's Black Foal of The Sand Wash Basin Challenge Painting #89

The First of the Sand Wash Basin 2011 babies has been spotted.



This pretty black filly foal is out of the beautiful sorrel mare named Josie. The foal has a white star on her forehead. This foal was spotted and photographed by Nancy Roberts on Sand Wash Basin on April 3rd.

Josie's Black Filly 5 by 7 inches watercolor
by Linda L Martin Artist

Josie is in, the gray stallion, Whiteout's Band. Josie's black foal was named by the, Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses Club, to be "Cinder" in honor of the little black Piceance filly who passed away.

If you would like to suggest a names for some of the yet un-named Sand Wash Basin Horses go to the Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses Page to make the connection with the rest of the club of Horse Watchers, herd documentors and photographers. The Club's purpose is to identify and track the behavior of the wild horses of the Sand Wash Basin and better help with management and adoption.  People who participate do it for the love of the horses and preservation of their way of life.


Josie and her foal on the Sand Wash Basin HMA
Reference photo provided by Nancy Roberts
Used by permission

You can see more of  Nancy Roberts  wonderful photography of Sand Wash Basin and the Surrounding country side on the Sand Wash Basin Horses Wild Horses Page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sand-Wash-Basin-Wild-Horses/101181969939406

 

This page was updated on 4/15/2011

"Can Wakan" of The Sand Wash Basin Challenge Painting #88

The First of the Sand Wash Basin 2011 babies has been spotted.



"Can Wakan"
5 by 7 inch watercolor
by Artist LindaLMartin

The newly named Can Wakan is the Filly in Corona's Band out of the pretty sorrel mare named Lona. She was spotted and photographed by John Wagner on Sand Wash Basin  this week. He and his daughter, Megan, named her Can Wakan which is Lakota for Sun Daner. 

Photo of  Can Wakan by John Wagner
Used By Permission

You can see more of John Wagner and Nancy Roberts  wonderful photography of Sand Wash Basin and the Surrounding country side on the Sand Wash Basin Horses Wild Horses Page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sand-Wash-Basin-Wild-Horses/101181969939406

"Just A Bit" Watson and Robert Carlson Painting #87

"Just A Bit"
Watson and Robert Carlson
8 by 10 inch watercolor
by Linda L Martin



Robert leads Watson using the halter while
Watson becomes comfortable with the bit.
Photo provided by Lightning Bug Creek Photography
Used by permission

 First the Saddles and then the bits. This painting shows Robert Carlson's Ft Collins Makeover Horse getting used to wearing a bit. it will be sometime before Watson is ridden using reins on the bit. In the mean time Robert will do a series of bending and give and take exercises to prepare Watson for  the full use of the bit.  He is currently riding Watson using his cowboy halter.

Madeleine and Tango.
Getting used to wearing his bit.
Photo provided by LightningBugCreek Photography
Used by permission

 Madeleine LeClerc’s horse for Ft Collins also has been Named. His name is Tango.  Both Madeleine and Robert will continue working with their horses  for response and suppleness beginning first riding in the cowboy type halter and later and very gradually but consistently transferring control through a bit In the horse’s mouth.

You can follow the training of Watson and Tango on the  R&M Performance Horse page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/2011-CO-Mustang-Makeover-with-RM-Performance/119433394800806

Tarora of The Sand Wash Basin Challenge Painting #86

The First of the Sand Wash Basin 2011 babies has been spotted.



"Tarora"
4.5 by 6 inch Watercolor
by Artist Linda L Martin



The newly named Tarora is the colt of Sophia from Centuaro's Band. Sophia did not produce a foal in 2010.  Sofia has been documented with Centuauro for her third spring.




Sofia with her new born colt, Tarora.
Sofia has been documented with Centuauro for her
third spring. Reference photo by Nancy Roberts,
 used by permission

 



Ready to Adopt Mustang Babies~ Challenge Painting #85

Adoptable Palomino Weanling
5.5 by 5.75 inches Watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist

Gorgeous! Palomino Colt available for adoption.  Contact Tracey Westbury at Mustang U for more information on this special baby. tracey.mustangu@gmail.com.

Palamino colt ready for adoption/
Reference photo provided by Tracey Westbury.
Used by permission.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of this painting benefit the work of Mustang U.

Ready to Adopt Mustang Babies~ Challenge Painting #84



Looking for Adoption Roan Filly
5.5 by 6.75 inch Watercolor
LindaLMartinArtist



Reference Photo provided by Tracey Westbury
Used with Permission

 Beautiful Roan Filly available for adoption.  Contact Tracey Westbury at Mustang U for more information on this special baby. tracey.mustangu@gmail.com.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of this painting benefit the work of Mustang U.

Crow, Harem Mare of Sand Wash Basin HMA Challenge Painting #73

Crow of Sand Wash Basin.

Crow
8 by 10 Watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist

Crow is a beautiful black mare with no white markings. Horse watcher,  Nancy Roberts said of her that she is the darkest black she has ever seen. Last season Crow was with the band stallion Yellowman. She had a late bay foal that was quickly starting to turn gray.

Crow is also one of the Sand Wash Basin Mares that is currently being given the birth control drug PZP to try to control the population growth of the Sand Wash Basin herd. The idea is that if the study  that begun in 2008 is successful then there will be zero population growth in the Sand Wash Basin Herd while still maintaining the genetic viability of the Herd.   Ideally the mares given PZP should not produce a foal for  up to three years.   If the study proves successful then round ups of the wild horses will happen less and less and thus prevent disruption of the normal behavior of the wild horses of the Sand Wash Basin. The study,  currently being conducted by the HSUS is due to be completed in 2012.

Correction: Crow with her 2010 foal is on the Right in this photo.
The black horse on the far left if Crow's 2009 colt.

Steens HMA Week "Jingles and Juniper" Challenge Painting #67

"Jingles and Juniper"
5 by 7 inche Watercolor
by Linda L MartinArtist
SOLD

The Story of Juniper and Jingles as told by Tracy Westbury:

"The story of Juniper (colt) and Jingles  (mare) has captured a lot of hearts.  These photos were taken in late Oct, 2010.  Wildlife Photographer, Barbara Wheeler spotted Jingles and her newborn in mid-Sept.  When we reported that we'd spotted a mare who was extremely down in weight, we had a lot of people telling us that was normal for a mare who'd just foaled.  But upon seeing the photos, people were surprised at just how down in weight she was.  Coming into winter, when the snow could be several feet deep, we questioned whether she and her colt would survive.

When this photo was taken at the end of Autumn
you can see the dip in the mare, Jingle's,
 backbone,that is caused by loss of condition.
In an older mare such as Jingles, this is probably
 because she is feeding all the nutrients
she consumes to her foal instead of  building up
 her own stores for winter. Had the winter been
worse the mare would have probably perished and
her foal would have been nurtured by an aunt
with in the herd.

The two have been spotted a couple more times this winter.  Juniper is now 5 months and a very healthy colt.  Jingles, who at the time of these photos appeared to be a lead mare, now staggers along a good hundred to two hundred feet behind her band.  Her stallion appears annoyed with her, willing to leave her behind, not giving her a second glance.  When at the watering hole or a mineral deposit, Jingles stays a good distance away, waiting for everyone else to finish before cautiously moving in.

The winter has been kind to her...no snow on the mountain!  This has enabled her to continue to get enough nutrition to feed her colt.  If she were to die tomorrow, Juniper would be strong enough to survive.  But there is no doubt that Jingles won't be with us much longer. "

Editor's Note: This story was written in February and as of Tuesday March16 both Juniper and Jingles have been photographed. Juniper is in fine condition and has lost all of her baby fluff and has turned into a beautiful rich chocolate silver that just glistens in the sunshine. Jingles did indeed make it through the winter. The resilience of Mustang mares is remarkable. She is now beginning to put on weight. According to one horse watcher they are hopeful that after 15 years of having foals she will be barren this year and in coming years, which will allow her a chance to live out her life  healthy. If you would like to follow more of the Steens horses please log into Facebook and go to the "Sister's of the Steens" page. There are photos, discussions, and a number of people who can tell you how to visit these horses safely.

A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this painting will benefit Mustang U.

Silvers and Golds of the Sand Wash Basin " Band Stallion Tuscarora's Little Girl"Challenge Painting #63

Another Gray Stallion Tuscarora, seemed to have produced a beautiful late filly by the Black Mare Gia. She appeared in the spring of 2010. She probably was born in the late autumn of 2009. The first thing everyone noticed that saw her was that she was healthy and that she was missing the tip of her left ear.

Frost bite is an occasional occurrence in the SandWash Basin and several mares and the occasional foal can be found with part of a missing ear. One or two of the stallions have partial ears missing. While it might be attributed to bites during fighting. More likely that it was due to the harsh weather.

Gia with her Palamino filly

Tuscarora had two mares one was black , Gia, and the other rose gray. The rose gray was seen to have a  chestnut filly  who was a yearling in 2010. It is possible that Tuscarora is aother of the slow to gray stallions.  One of the important things to understand about color inheritance and wild horses is that in the spring as the mares drop their foals( give birth) and come into their first heat the stallions begin sparing for mares. There is a lot of mare swapping that goes on as a stallion might steal a mare who has already been bred. So its possible that with Gia's foal that he isn't the father.

The interesting thing about the Sand Wash Basin is at this time there is no Palomino stallion with a band or of breeding age as of the fall of 2010. The only stallion of color is Corona the Dunalino Stallion. So where is the growing number of Palomino babies coming from?  Well its possible that Tuscaro and Centauro carry the recessive gene for cream gene for Palomino.

Here is the color site recommended by our guest blogger Debra More McGuire : http://www.equine-color.info/content/dilutions

Quote from the page on dilutions of color:

" Palomino: A red horse (chestnut or sorrel) who is diluted to a golden shade over their entire body. They can be as dark as a true chestnut or appear almost white. They usually have a white, cream or silver mane and tail. Self colored manes and tails occur, but this is rare. Their eyes and skin are usually dark, but some palominos never attain full pigmentation. They may be born with blue eyes that never fully darken, and pinkish skin which develops mottling or freckles. They are very easily confused with the Gold Champagne phenotype, and also occasionally with flaxen chestnuts."



Gia on Left, Tuscarora center and
their palamino filly right.



One of the reasons I think that Tuscarora may possibly be the father of Gia's palomino foal has to do with her white markings. If  Tuscarora was a Chestnut with a gray gene and that gray only affected his base color and not his white markings then he could still father a  palomino if he has the recessive dilute trait. He has 4 shocks which you can see fairly clearly still in his photograph. If Tuscarora also had a dilute gene for palomino and a cream gene that would  have produced a palomino when bred to a mare with the same gene hidden away inside. You notice that  the filly has a wide blaze.. her mother also has a star stripe and a large snip but her  white markings are limited to her face unlike Tuscarora.

If I remember my history correctly,  It was often that sometimes a black foal would be produced from a palomino mare and a palomino stallion when the stallion didn't breed true. That black foal would when bred still produce palomino foals when bred to a palomino but with a one in 4 chance of producing a black or off color foal.

At one time, years ago the white markings of this foal by Tuscarora and Gia would have been  highly favored with her 4 socks and wide blaze. With so much flash she is a real beauty. However only time will tell if  Tuscarora's gray gene will show up in her. Should this little girl be rounded up a genetic test will be done that will confirm  her sire.

Adoption: "Chica" from Onaqui HMA, Utah- Challenge Painting #59

Chica is one of two mustangs that Bobby and Karen Strawbridge have adopted from the Onaqui HMA in Utah. At the time of the Adoption the plan was to remove the entire herd. The complete removal of the Onaqui herd was a point that Karen didn't know at the time they adopted. " Had I known I would have gotten more of the herd."



"Chica"
5 by 7 inch Watercolor
by LindaLMartin



The official reason for the complete removal of the herd was lack of sustaining water source and grazing forage due in part to drought.  Even after the  entire herd was thought to have been removed Karen told me  it wasn't long until  she discovered that to everyone's surprise there were still 75 wild horses roaming around on that particular range.

According to the censis in 2008 there were approximately 177 wild horses still in the Onaqui HMA. And From photos by horse watchers at the time, the BLM put out huge wooden watering troughs so the horses remaining would have a water source.

The tenacity and survivability of the Mustang never ceases to impress as they seem to thrive in the wildest places one the least amount of forage. Still many people, my self included, question the wisdom of leaving to chance the water sources needed for the horses to survive on the range. Like some eco-gerrymandering, sometimes the Federally controlled range lands are cut off from water supplies in some desert areas. The lands are often interspersed with private and state lands. Wisdom would say establish a water source on the Federally managed lands and that way in drought the horses wouldn't be invading lands where they might be seen as more than just competition for resources, but where they are more than likely seen as pests and worthy of destruction.

Alas conventional wisdom does not always apply. In this economic time it would seem a far more economical avenue to put in some sort of water source where its needed rather than to entirely remove a herd which costs thousands per horse rather than $25 or $30 a head to establish a fresh water location available to all the wildlife on the range. And pennies per horse to maintain.

When doing a bit of research on the Onaqui Mustangs I came across some very stark photography taken in 2008 and 2009 of the range. Very similar to the Sand Wash Basin in Colorado in plant life, how ever there was far less off it and the vegetation was much lower to the ground. Were that area in normal rain and water levels, one wonders how the range there would look. If you want to know more about the Onaqui Mustangs just search Onaqui Wild Horses and lots of information will appear on google and yahoo.


In their new home with lots of rain, lots of shade from the many hardwood trees, plenty of lush green grass, Chica and her herd mates had gone from complete desert to the green green forests and pastures of the East, specifically in Tennessee. The Mustangs  have more than made the adjustment, they are part of  daily life for the Strawbridges. " Chica is my love" Karen insisted in her last e-mail. In fact Karen and her family have made it their mission to act in an attitude of gentleness and love toward all of their animals. The more I go on my quest of paint a mustang a day there is one over-riding thing I have discovered: the great ability of mustangs to gently show affection once there is a bond of trust between their owners and themselves. More on getting to that point later in the series.

Adoption: "Tavaci" From Nevada Wild Horse Range- Challenge Painting #57



"Tavaci"
5 by 7 Watercolor
by  Linda L Martin Artist

     Tavaci was adopted by photographer Amy Spivey and her husband, Christopher,  in September 2010.
Tavaci, was rounded up in July of 2008 from the Nevada Wild Horse Range. He was born in 2007 according to his Bureau of Land Management Tatoo.  The sorrel gelding with the long silver flaxen mane and tail was trained by Texas trainer Robert Carlson. 
According to Amy, Robert, along with Fiancé Madi LeClerc, have both worked with Tavaci.  
Readers may remember that Artista and Riley in previous Adoption posts where both horses that came out of Robert and Madi’s  Training Facility. In addition to training TIP and adopted mustangs, as well as other horses, both Robert and Madi compete in the Mustang Makeovers held by the Mustang Heritage foundation .org.

"Tavaci"
Reference Photography by
Amy Spivey/Lightening Bug Creek Photography
Used by permission

Amy’s Lightenning Bug Creek Photography documents the training activities of Robert and Madi through out the year as they prepare for competition in the Mustang Makeovers.
Amy says that Tavaci is to be her husband’s trail horse.

Adoption: "Riddle Me Dino" Stormy Ranch's Kiger Mustang. Gathered Riddle Ridge HMA 1999 Challenge Painting #54

From the Stormy Ranch blog: "We have been gentling mustangs since 1996. We love to work with wild horses. My wife and I have adopted 36 wild horses. We like to train them to ride and find good homes for them. We have a 15 year old Kiger stallion (Dino) that we adopted in 1999. He was 4 years old at that time. He is our show horse and we have traveled many miles to many states to show him. We love to take him places as he attracts a lot of attention and we can show the public what a Wild Mustang can become! We love to take our mustangs out to ride the wild horse herds in Oregon and take pictures."



________

"Riddle Me Dino"
16 year old Kiger Mustang
8 by 10  watercolor
by LindaLMartinArtist



He is now 16 yrs. Old. He is still a stallion and owned by Kevin and Lisa Sink of Sheridan, OR. According to Lisa in a recent email, Dino is known for his super calm demeanor.  "He was not hard to gentle and very easy to train. He is a joy to ride and he can even ridden by small children. "

She told me that Dino started his show career in 2002.  "Since then he has traveled many thousands of miles to many states to compete! He has won numerous championships and creates a fan club everywhere he goes."

Lisa also told me that this beautiful Kiger also is a bit of a camera hog. On the day the reference photo was taken he proved it.  "In the picture were Dino is looking back on the camera was a day I was trying to take pictures of other horses and He was keeping an eye on me because if I pointed the camera at another horse he would step in front of the camera. He was telling me he is the only one that matters!!! ", Lisa Shared.

Dino as they call him is well loved and a wonderful example of a great family adopting a special and talented horse.

A special thank you to all the folks at Stormy Ranch for their participation in the Mustang A Day Challenge.

A note of interest. A print of Riddle Me Dino will be made available to the Sink Family as a donation to help raise money for their grand child with Cystic Fibrosis. If you would like to make a donation to the family for on-going treatment please contact them through facebook or email through their blog.

To read more of their experience with Lisa and Kevin Sink's Stormy Ranch, their is blog: http://mustanggentling.blogspot.com/

Romance on the Range " Picasso and Monet" SWB HMA Mustang A Day Challenge #47

Just a Little Kiss
Picasso and Monet
Sand Wash Basin HMA
8 by 10 Watercolor
by Linda L Martin

Today being Valentines Day I decided to do a special Watercolor of Monet and Picasso from a delightful photo by another wonderful Colorado Wildlife Photographer, John Wagner. He spent quite a bit of time in the Summer and Autumn of 2010 capturing images of the Sand Wash Basin herd  and the families of Wild Mustangs there. In a series of shots with  Picasso and Monet they always seemed to be close to each other and Picasso doted on the buckskin mare.



John just recently published his first book of photography where he captured the family life of eagles even through the hatching and raising of their young. He tells me that now he is working on his second book. This one a pictorial essay of the Wild Horses of Sand Wash Basin HMA.   I hope you enjoy this collection of Sand Wash Basin couples in  my Romance on the Range Series.

Picasso and Monet
Reference Photography by John Wagner
Used by permission