Wild Horses, Spirit of the Wind

By far, I am not a videographer, I only used my tiny pocket camera, and filled with excitement and coffee when videotaping. I put this together simply to share how outstanding our American mustangs are in their natural environments.
Songs, 'Child of the Wind' and 'Illusion' are the two songs that complete this journey. The good people at Opus Moon Music, were kind enough to give me permission to use their captivating music for the video. Their music is beautiful and inspiring. See them at www.opusmoonmusic.com . Now about the time spent roaming among the mustangs...

'Go Where the Mustangs Roam' ...was the theme of this trip.
However, that also competed with the often used and chuckled at themed moment, 'Catch that Camera!' when one of my photo buddies stumbled, and my first inclination was to dive and catch her long-lensed camera first, before it hit the lava rock!

In summary, the weather and photo conditions were optimal. Three days of varying weather from cloud/diffused lighting on the first day; storm cells with rain curtains all around the next, and our last day was warm and in the low 70's and puffy white clouds.

The newest addition that we saw was a beautiful dishfaced little cream-colored palomino foal belonging to Charm, so new as there were still signs of afterbirth on his tail. (Since, we've found from another friend, that one of Honor's mares just foaled yesterday!).

I had a trigger-finger and have 1,621 new photos and 88 video snippets. This was a highly memorable trip, while they all are, and in their own ways, but this one had so many amazing moments, horses, stories, and behaviors observed, from individual behavior- to band, and intraband dynamics, that I stood in awe with mouth gaping opened, and had no intelligible words that I can form. All I can say is thank goodness for digital, as one picture or video can say the thousands that went through my mind.

A large number of bachelors are stalking Jack's band as well. He's very busy worrying and defending his sizeble harem, while his offspring, now three year old Benson, is demonstrating maturing stallion behavior around some of the mares and other lurking bachelors hanging near, though still clacks submissively to his sire, Jack. Scar/Spitfire has a new open wound, and we're sure he's lost his eye, and for the first time, since May, has stepped somewhat back, but Jack has picked back up the reins, so to speak.... keeping bachelors at bay, and guarding and getting up newbies, when lagging behind or other stallions near.

Cortez shown gallantly in his intelligent ways of leading and caring for his band- so strong, dynamic, and oozing confidence. His girls and foals are in good hands. Holly, his pretty dun 3 year old, has a lovely black foal with only one tiny sock on the hind leg exactly like the little sock... same size, same one leg, born a couple weeks ago..

What a treat. We were Shaman's paparazzi and there are moments observing him that took our breaths away. He left his mare and foal quietly grazing, as he caught a scent on the breeze. We watched him work his way down into a draw, and quietly back up the other side.

Before heading up, at the bottom something spooked him among the rock at his feet and we suspected a rattler. But undaunted, he continued to pick his way up the steep side. Once at the top, he looked toward a distant band.

With a breeze playfully blowing his long mane about, like a wild stallion from our kid dreams, he gazed at the distance. He often looked back at his little family, but his mare and foal were far across the draw, grazing peacefully. You could see him thinking- and weighing the situation, looking back again at the distant horses. When he turned back to look at his mare and filly once again, this time he saw a small band of three work down from the ridgeline. He quickly determined that the immediate need was to be near to defend the mare and filly from another stallion or more.

I decided to quickly work my way down to the bottom of the draw, anticipating Shaman to go down and run back up the other side to rejoin them.

As I was carefully picking my way among the steep rocky embankment moving loose rock and sand beneath my feet.... from the rimrock just in front of me I saw little stray sands and pebbles fall from above, which had nothing to do with me. Looking up, I was stunned and surprised to see this breathtaking stallion standing above, watching what I was doing. I snapped a quick photo or two, feeling the sliding dirt beneath my feet.

A favorite moment, seeing him from above was a new perspective, and seeing his curiosity when observing me, was a moment never to be forgotten.

Keep walking the mustang trail with me on fb www.mustangmeg.com

To see my photography website: www.mustangwild.com . For my fine art and products, www.wildhorsespirit.com

Contact:
MustangWild
PO Box 785
Lebanon, OR 97355
info@wildwindart.com

Видео Wild Horses, Spirit of the Wind канала Sonya Spaziani