Post by prizmbluekigers on Jul 26, 2010 9:08:35 GMT -5
HOT! It was hot!! I apologize for not posting pictures at this time. Our laptop has a virus and is away being cured. The Riddle horses remain elusive even with hints as to where they might be, but as we left the area Sunday, we got some helpful information about that HMA that all but assures us viewing the next time. There were horses galor on the Kiger HMA. Again, my disclaimer about not being an expert, or a vet or a rangeland specialist, but we saw well nourished, shiny horses - about 60 total.
We finally found horses on South Hill altho they were more standoffish than the main herd near Wood Camp. We saw about 8 between North and South hills on the side facing away from the Lambing Grounds. There seems to be ample water for now.
The main herd near Wood Camp is full of Grullas ( four or five mares), altho many of the Grulla mares have dun foals. We saw a very dark dark almost black looking colt several months old. There are two Grulla stallions in this group. One has only a half rignt ear and a left rear sock. I believe he has some years on him. The other Grulla stallion looks younger and is the stallion from our 2008 video taken near the Little Kiger Gorge side of the HMA in past the old horse trap. I have seen one other Grulla Stud on the Lambing Grounds with a small band.
There look to be pregnant mares in the group, and we watched a stallion breed a mare who had a young foal and one from last year at her side. I watched that foal carefully pick its way across a rocky field following mom and the thought of those babies possibly having to run across that terrain causes my heart to break. Did anyone send the horses a memo saying that BLM is changing foaling season? Some of these mares will be out of compliance and heaven forbid that BLM would be inconvenienced.
The bachelor band by the Ant Hill numbered five last year and seems to be six this year and even though they are a smaller band and on the Diamond Grade allotment, they all looked good. The limping stallion from last year was there again so despite what is I guess a permanent injury, he is doing well. He has a long scar on one shoulder for those of you who didn't see my post last year and a noticible limp. Last year we saw him fall behind the others as they trotted off and watched two others turn back and wait for and escort him along. Pretty cool!
There is a blaze face mare out there who seems to throw blaze face foals ( big blazes). Perhaps she could be gathered and find a good non breeding home because there are at least three young horses with that large blaze in addition ot her and one is female for sure.
We'll get some pictures and an short clip posted soon. It was interesting to watch my husband move towards a stallion, mare and two foals. He has learned so much in the last few years about these horses and he can move in without raising alarms so instead of just footage of fleeing horses ( we have some of that too) they stay near and return to grazing and ignore him.
I met a state trooper near Wood Camp on Sunday. It was a little suprising to see a trooper in the middle of nowhere and he did ask me if I had seen anyone else that day so perhaps he had a reason the be all the way in there.
The 2011 gather should be interesting based on what we see now. Start saving your pennies.
Several gates that have been closed in years past were open. The gate into the Lambing Grounds was open so the Band of bachelors can move in and out of there. The fenced off spring (Poison Spring) to the right of the main road by the cattle guard had an open gate. Ironic is the fact that we almost never see horses from the "Kiger viewing area" and we usually have to hike up from almost anywhere to actually find some.
Medusahead Rye or Medusahead weed is spreading and will choke out all the other grasses and not support wildlife. From the Oregon government web site it states that in an Oregon test area they have planted bands of desert wheatgrass at the edge of a medusahead infestation, and so far the barriers have practically "stopped the noxious weed in its tracks". We saw a lot of it this year. I know our BLM folks are aware as Travis mentioned it last week.
We finally found horses on South Hill altho they were more standoffish than the main herd near Wood Camp. We saw about 8 between North and South hills on the side facing away from the Lambing Grounds. There seems to be ample water for now.
The main herd near Wood Camp is full of Grullas ( four or five mares), altho many of the Grulla mares have dun foals. We saw a very dark dark almost black looking colt several months old. There are two Grulla stallions in this group. One has only a half rignt ear and a left rear sock. I believe he has some years on him. The other Grulla stallion looks younger and is the stallion from our 2008 video taken near the Little Kiger Gorge side of the HMA in past the old horse trap. I have seen one other Grulla Stud on the Lambing Grounds with a small band.
There look to be pregnant mares in the group, and we watched a stallion breed a mare who had a young foal and one from last year at her side. I watched that foal carefully pick its way across a rocky field following mom and the thought of those babies possibly having to run across that terrain causes my heart to break. Did anyone send the horses a memo saying that BLM is changing foaling season? Some of these mares will be out of compliance and heaven forbid that BLM would be inconvenienced.
The bachelor band by the Ant Hill numbered five last year and seems to be six this year and even though they are a smaller band and on the Diamond Grade allotment, they all looked good. The limping stallion from last year was there again so despite what is I guess a permanent injury, he is doing well. He has a long scar on one shoulder for those of you who didn't see my post last year and a noticible limp. Last year we saw him fall behind the others as they trotted off and watched two others turn back and wait for and escort him along. Pretty cool!
There is a blaze face mare out there who seems to throw blaze face foals ( big blazes). Perhaps she could be gathered and find a good non breeding home because there are at least three young horses with that large blaze in addition ot her and one is female for sure.
We'll get some pictures and an short clip posted soon. It was interesting to watch my husband move towards a stallion, mare and two foals. He has learned so much in the last few years about these horses and he can move in without raising alarms so instead of just footage of fleeing horses ( we have some of that too) they stay near and return to grazing and ignore him.
I met a state trooper near Wood Camp on Sunday. It was a little suprising to see a trooper in the middle of nowhere and he did ask me if I had seen anyone else that day so perhaps he had a reason the be all the way in there.
The 2011 gather should be interesting based on what we see now. Start saving your pennies.
Several gates that have been closed in years past were open. The gate into the Lambing Grounds was open so the Band of bachelors can move in and out of there. The fenced off spring (Poison Spring) to the right of the main road by the cattle guard had an open gate. Ironic is the fact that we almost never see horses from the "Kiger viewing area" and we usually have to hike up from almost anywhere to actually find some.
Medusahead Rye or Medusahead weed is spreading and will choke out all the other grasses and not support wildlife. From the Oregon government web site it states that in an Oregon test area they have planted bands of desert wheatgrass at the edge of a medusahead infestation, and so far the barriers have practically "stopped the noxious weed in its tracks". We saw a lot of it this year. I know our BLM folks are aware as Travis mentioned it last week.
