Winter Blues

I wonder if the wild horses feel the same as I do, is this winter and snow ever going to end?

In my travels the last few weekends it is amazing the difference in the tempature and snow depths that can be found from one valley to the other in the west country.  At the eastern edge of the foothills the snow just keeps accumulating and gets deeper with each snowfall and most of the trails are inpassable due to the snow.  The wild horses have also changed their feeding and wintering patterns and are becoming harder to find.

Then as I go further to the west, the warming sun and chinook winds have helped in clearing the hillsides and also in reducing the snowpack in the valleys.  Here the wild horses are finding their foraging quite a bit easier.  However, no matter where they are, the wild horses in the west country are wintering very well.  All the wild horses that we have come across are in excellent shape, even the young ones.  A good number of the wild horse mares are very heavy in foal and in April/May we are going to see a lot of foals on the ground.  Hopefully the spring will be warm and sunny and the survival rates for the wild horse foals will be good this year.

Slightly pregnant!!!!

In my travels I have  also been taking other people out to photograph the wild horses.  These include professional photographers and one television network photographer.  It was during a day with Rick Bremness that I was blessed to have one of those fascinating moments with the wild horses.  We had been out for two days filming the horses and late on Tuesday afternoon we came across a small herd, consisting of one stud, three mares and a 2010 foal.  Rick was in the back of my truck filming and we would slowly go forward as he needed in order to get his pictures.  Finally we were close enough, but the five horses were still hanging back in the edge of the trees.  I offered to go around back of the horses through the trees so that I would push them into the opening a little more for Rick.  As I slowly made my way through the trees, of course taking photographs myself, I could tell the horses were more curious than afraid of me.

Curious mares

Coming in close for a look

As I got toward the edge of the trees where the horses had been standing, two of the young mares turned and came right up to me.   The young foal was right behind mom looking around her at this stranger in their territory.  Less than five feet away, I talked to the horses in their language.  The wild horses, when not afraid, but curious make a purring sound, similar to that of a cat.  As I mumered back at them, they just stood there inquisitively twitching their ears and looking at me with those beautiful soft brown eyes.  After a couple of minutes they turned and walked back out of the trees and started to feed again.  My heart just soared at the opportunity these magnificent wild horses had given me to share their space with them.  When I got back in the truck, Rick continued filming as I jabbered excitedly away at the experience.

Hello

Young stallion

Then again this Sunday, while out with another photographer, we came across the herd that contains two mares that in the past we had named Thelma and Louise.  Both of these mares are very heavy in foal and also looking in very good condition.  As the other photographer stayed back taking photographs, I again moved in with my camera.  This time it was three of the younger horses that came  within a few feet of me as I talked to them.  Somedays, for me at least, life is just perfect.  Everytime I can share these close encounters with the wild horses I feel truly privileged.  This was one of those days.

My friends

Sniffing at the camera

You woke me up for this

As far as the young foal, that belongs to the lead mare of the Wild Horse Creek herd, it is doing fantastic.  The herd is very skittish and moves off quickly in order to protect the new addition and so great photo opportunities are not the easiest.  It was fascinating though on Sunday as the herd started to move off, the youngster wanted a drink of milk and so the mare stopped to allow her foal to quench it’s thirst.  The stallion, a beautiful black stud, immediately moved to the back and stood defiant and on guard protecting the mare and the foal.  No wonder I love these wonderful creatures.

Doing just fine

Catching some warm sunshine

Magnificent Black Stallion "Raven"

I have one more short story from this past week.  On our way home Sunday the 20th, we came across a wild horse foal that seemed to have been abandoned.  Only about 5-6 months old it was trying to find food under the larger pine trees where the ground was free of snow.  No herd was in sight and I feared that the foals mare had died or had been taken by wolves.  The young thing would allow me to approach within 10 feet, but then would slowly move off keeping that distance between us.  It was getting dark and so I decided to leave it, but I knew I should get some feed for it.  I hurriedly got hold of Dan McIntyre, who lives north of Sundre.  He offered me a bale of hay to take back to the foal.  Off we raced up to Dan’s, picked up the hay bale and then back to the young foal.  I slowly approached again and spread out some hay for it to feed on.  It would have been worse to scare it off in the dark  and so we left it alone for the night.  Talking with Dan on the phone that night, plans were made to take horses back out on the Monday, along with some panels and try to rescue it.  We feared without help it would perish.

Family day morning found Dan out with some help trying to locate the foal.  I had not been able to locate it myself as I headed west with my crew.   As Dan rode into the area he found a herd of wild horses moving toward where the foal had been and it appeared that they had returned to find the young one.  Dan at that point decided to leave it like that.

Then this Sunday I came across the herd close to the road and indeed the young one was with the herd.  l still do not know about it’s mother, but will keep an eye out for how things do turn out for it.

Orphaned foal?

Thanks again to all who still write and e-mail with their support for the work WHOAS does in protecting your wild horses.

Bob.

News | 2 Comments »

A group of students in the Equine Program at Olds College are putting on a presentation about the Alberta Wild Horses.  The night will feature a screening of Michael Nietzel’s film “Spirits in the Wind”, which is about our wild horses and the difficulties they are facing.  I will also be there to field questions about the film and the wild horses at the conclusion of the film.  I have attached a copy of the poster they have circulated outlining all the information about their event.

I am very grateful to these young students for the caring and interest they have in trying to protect the Wild Horses of Alberta.  Some of these students travelled all the way to Banff on January 13, under adverse conditions, to support me as I participated in a panel discussion at the Banff Centre.  It is also noted that they are circulating a petition that asks the Government of Alberta to stop the needless capturing of these horses.  They hope to have 500 signatures on this petition by March 9, 2011.   I still believe that it is this generation that will make the difference in saving all aspects of our environment.  Thank you.

Olds College Presentation

News | 1 Comment »

I have another nice story to tell about a wild horse that we rescued and what has happened in it’s life.

A couple of years back, WHOAS rescued 13 wild horses that had been caught up by a horse trapper.  Their stories of rescue and the new homes we found for them, have been posted in previous blogs.  This is a story about one of the young studs that were in that group. 

Jack Nichol took two of the young studs in an act of kindness and with great hopes of making a matched driving team out of the pair.  Both looked so very much alike that he knew that they would make such a fine team.  Jack worked with the two, who he named Mike and Pat, gentling them down and beginning the process of breaking them.  However, both the boys, at two began to feel their oats and it became time to geld them.  It was arranged to have the vet come out in a few days do this.  Mike must have known.  A gate was accidently left open and two of the mares that belong to Dan and Karen, where Mike and Pat were calling home, just happened to be in cycle right then also.  By the time the gate was noticed, Mike must have done his job.

A few months passed before it was noticed that two of the mares looked like they may be pregnant.  One of them, Cricket, a pretty black, who is also out of wild horse stock, was thought to be just a maybe, as she showed less sign.  An eye was kept on both mares however.  Then on a very cold morning in the second week of January, Dan arose and looked out the window.  There in the pasture was Cricket with a brand new foal lying beside her.  Dan and Karen were out the door right away.  They scooped up the foal in blankets and quickly got him and Cricket to the warmth of the barn.  With a little bit of effort they got the foal to start to suckle on mom.   His journey in life, although off to a little bit of a rough start had began under the loving care of Dan and Karen and of course Cricket.

Cricket’s foal and the young wild horse foal, mentioned in the previous story, were probably born within days of each other.

When we visited them the foal, who they named “Little Jack” was doing so very good.  He was full of energy and running about the pen, as Cricket stood patiently by watching us carefully and antics of her foal. 

Cricket and Little Jack

Little Jack

Little Jack

Just another little side note.

In earlier stories this year, I told you about two young wild horse foals that had been rescued from sure death, “Lucky” from the Sundre area and “Tia” from south of Bragg Creek.  As it turns out and isn’t it a small world, both foals are now at the same boarding facility just south of Calgary and now are playing together.

Oh by the way, both Mike and Pat are doing great.  They have been in harness and hooked up to a sleigh and a wagon.  This summer Jack hopes to have them going full time as a team.

I just love that it shows the wild horses can be trained to do anything. 

Bob

News | No Comments »

Wild Horse Country

When not at work,you can usually find me out west visiting in the land of our Wild Horses.  It seems that there is always something new to see or a new adventure to be had. 

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I thought it would be adventurous to visit the wild horses in the muskeg meadows, by cross country skiing.  I must admit that so far this is not going that well.  Although we did manage about five miles through heavy crust snow with no tracks to follow, the only horses we saw were at a distance and on the move.  There could be some other reasons for this, but most of it was probably because of my loud moans and groans as I tried to get on my feet, time after time.  I would of made a gymnast proud with some of my body positions just before hitting the snow again and again.  I did make it back to the vehicle though and at that point it was enough skiing and it was time to go looking for horses in a more comfortable mode of travel.

PS.  I have gone out again and the sking is getting better and my falls are not as frequent.  Joint pain medicine does really work!! 

Our Wild Horses

On one drive on a sunny afternoon we headed toward the Ya Ha Tinda.  I wanted some  photographs of elk and other wildlife and of course those of the wild horses.  We checked a few back roads and came across a few small herds of wild horses and a couple of young bachelors that were together.  Then while heading toward the ranch we came across one herd in the Big Burn Flats.  While I was taking photographs of the herd, I noticed that the lead mare, a beautiful red roan, was extremely nervous and anxious to move out of the flats.  That is when I saw the reason, for with her was a young foal  only a couple of weeks old at the most.   A beautiful gruella filly with a dark muzzle.   

First foal of 2011

This astounded me as I looked at this beautiful young creature.  Very seldom would you ever find a wild horse mare with a foal this early in the year and if it does happen the foal rarely makes it.  The mare was in excellent shape and as it ran along side it’s mom, we could tell that the little foal was also in very good shape considering the time of year.   The stallion made sure they were safe, as he came bursting to the front blowing his warning and putting himself between the intruders and his new off spring.  The courage of the wild horse stallions, who are willing to sacrifice themselves, to protect their herd, still thrills my heart.  

Feeding on moms warm milk, will hopefully keep this young foal going.  The area they inhabit is pretty wind blowing and the hills bare quickly of snow cover.  That will allow the mare to stay strong and produce milk for the baby.  I will continue to check as often as I can for it’s well being during the rest of the winter. 

New born wildie

After taking numerous photo’s we moved on to let the herd relax from our presence.  That is when a highway robbery took place.  As I proceeded slowly up the road, always looking to the sides of the vehicle for animals to photograph, we were suddenly confronted by a small band of bighorn sheep.  Lead by a ewe, they stood in the middle of the road daring me to come closer.  The ewe was licking her lips and stood trying to stare me down.  I wilted under the pressure of this bandit’s intense look.  I stopped the vehicle in wonder at this beautiful site and began to take pictures.  That is when the whole herd came right up to the vehicle.  They then started to lick under the wheel wells for salt oblivious to the fact that we could reach down and touch them.

The salt bandits

After finishing the hold up on our vehicle, another vehicle came up behind us.  So off the herd went and blocked the path of this next victim.  They then started to lick at the salt off of it.  Both of us and the people in the other vehicle were laughing in pure delight at this wonderful occurence.

I have made a few more trips out to wild horse country.  The snow is continuing to pile up and the roads are becoming a little more difficult to negotiate.  In all cases the wild horses are looking in great shape, despite the snow and the varying winter temperatures.   There coats are thick and their body reserves are still good.

Wintering well

Snow Ghosts

In the last two trips out west, including this past Sunday, the westerly winds have been blowing exremely hard.  The barren hilltops although being blown free of snow, are impossible to be on because of the force of the force of winds.  In the bigger and more open meadows the snow piles even deeper as the wind howls through them, bringing in the snow from the surrounding trees.  This has made the horses more difficult to find, as they do what I call “tree up”.  Here they go into the heavy forest and await the winds to abate.  There is still feed under the trees, but this is the danger zone.  The wild horses rely heavily on their eyesight to spot possible predators and their ability to smell a predator is also greatly reduced because of the swirling wind wind currents.  The wild horses are extremley alert for danger.  They are however far more vunerable to attack from the wolves but especially the cougars who usually pounce on their prey from above.

"treeing up"

On another note, the Wild Horse trapping season comes to an end on February 28, 2011, but by that time it will be too late for many of the horses that have been capture.  I urge all of you to continue to write to the Minister Mel Knight, to protest these capture seasons.  The SRD continues to say that they have to do it for population control, but come with me and I can show you that the wild horse numbers a far from being to a point of being over populated on their range.  The SRD continues to bow to the big money concerns who want to see your wild horses removed from their natural environment.

On a more positive note, two major television companies are interested in doing good news type stories on our wild horses.  One of them is a European network and the other is a Canadian one.  I will keep you posted. 

Thank again, to all of you for your continued support.  Bob.

News | 2 Comments »