Kiger filming -PICTURES ARE IN

[prizmbluekigers]

Hi,

June 1st begins our 2012 filming in the Steens and I will finally be riding Fit out there. Lee and Donna Williams are taking horses out on a much more ambitious trip than I have planned but we are co-ordinating our search efforts. We hope to find the horses and see new bands and hopefully foals. Several other photographers may show up also, Bob Pettit, Ron and Carolyn. Where's Maggie Rothage when you need her? ;D

We will post pics and info when we get back later that week. I am looking forward to fiding out there. We are skipping the ACHTA ride at the corrals. I was on a trail course a few weeks ago and found several holes in our training. I don't want to take a Kiger there and put in a poor performance. Not after Bravo and the other Kiger on ACTHA.

If you are out that way on the Kiger HMA look us up. Blue Ford truck, balck shell and tan trailer. We should be camped in the Wood Camp Res Canyon and Lee and Donna will be a little further in.

[DianneC]

Maggie is on S. Steens I think. I'm green, green, green with envy! Have fun!

[lindad]

I will look forward to more of your great work. I too am envious!

[lindad]

I will look forward to more of your great work. I too am envious!

[fantasykiger]

I look forward to your fabulous photos out amongst the herds and enjoy your ride on Fit. I still don't know if I will be going up to ride in the ACTHA or just to trail ride out on the Steens. Maybe I will be staying home that weekend, so much going on here right now, no decisions will be made until last min. I am afraid.

Gosh I hope your not comparing Fantasy and I, to Bravo' with our attempts at ACTHA ..LOL Bravo' is amazing. The last ride Fantasy and I did we tied for last place. Some rides are better then others but always I have fun and it's a great experience. Us Mustang owners like to joke that in a real situation a Mustang wouldn't walk thru' what appears to be an unsafe obstacles when you can obviously walk around On certain obstacles Fantasy clearly thinks she knows best and refuses, other times she humors me....LOL. I go because though I never expect to be on top ..it is great fun and the people are a joy to be around, I take it as just another trail ride, only with a score card. Good for me and my horse to get and enjoy new experiences.

[prizmbluekigers]

Tiffany, The plan - weather permitting is to camp on the Kiger and Lee and Donna will camp there several nights and then move to the Riddle and S. Steens. We will stick to the Kiger this time.

I guess I just meant that I don't want to take Fit to a ACTHA ride and make a fool out of myself therby making him look bad. Funny, he fits the description of a mustang taking the saner way around or thru an obstacle. He gives me the same attitude at times that you get from Fantasy. We need ot get the two fo them on a ride together There is still the ACTHA ride in Prineville in July. I am just at a point where my confidence (carefully built after a bad fall) was building again and I was feeling good about riding when I went off again.

We were at the sheriff's trail course in April and something spooked him. Imagine a large dun frog - that was my boy. When he gets spooked he does not bolt off headlong, he gathers himself up and hops. I lasted 2 hops, slid sideways and had to let go and drop. I only dropped 2-3 feet according to Rick who was watching, but aside from a broken finger and bruises, I cracked my sternum.

I have ridden since and he spooked again, but he does telegraph his intent when he squats to jump, so this time he gatherd to hop and I was able to turn his head and stop the jump. As long as I can pay attention and know in advance BEFORE it happens I should be okay. My son wants to get me a vest to wear and I already hate the helmet. Oh well it was 7 years between falls so maybe I am not due again. Note: I still have no intention of hanging up my spurs so to speak. I just need to hang on better ;D

Anyway, the trip will be fun and we want to report on how the herd (s) is doing post gather. Too bad there is no wi-fi out there or we could post real time.

[fantasykiger]

I really look forward to seeing all your pictures and your report back on how Fit does I won't be doing the ACTHA ride in Prineville it is during the endurance race and there will be so much going on. Instead I think I will participate in the ACTHA ride at Brasada at the end of June and one of rides out at Graham corrals, both are not to far to drive and trails I have ridden on before with Fantasy. Of course you and I could always get together to just hit the trail too.

[prizmbluekigers]

Pictures to follow but we saw about 40 Kigers and they only released about 50 there. Lee Williams has already posted some video he shot. We saw the largest herd that splits into two bands sometimes in Wood Camp Canyon and The Lambing Grounds. Our buddy Van Gogh the escape artist was there with the largest band. We know of or saw 6 or seven foals and all the horses look good. Some of the Junipers have been cut and/or burned so there is more grass than we have even seen on some hillsides. There are 6 Kigers at least in the Upper Diamond Grade allotment, three were seen in Swamp Creek allotment.

We saw a red or brown foal white two white hind socks with a white faced dun mare. There are some nice grulla mares on the Kiger. We did see pregnant mares who will foal soon.

Fit was a study out there. He seems very calm, even with a hellacious thunder and lightening storm Friday night. He stood up against a small tree and never flinched at the lightening. We were in Wood Camp and the lightening was right behind us in the Lambing Grounds. He sure liked smelling the horse trails, stud piles and the breeze. We let him find his own game trail to go uo to the meadow between Wood Camp and Lambing Grounds. He was curious, a little cautious at being ridden by himself.

He was adopted at about 5 months in 2003. Does anyone think they DO carry some sort of collective memory or that he might remember being out there as a baby? I'd like to think so, but that is a big leap of faith. He just seemed at home the whole time.

[gotkiger]

I cant wait to see your pictures and watch the video. I would love to be able to go out and see them out in the wild like that.

[prizmbluekigers]

For anyone who lives elsewhere, if you get a chance to come to Oregon and visit either Kiger HMA, we would be glad to share info and maps to give you the best chance of viewing them. I will never tire of seeing them in the wild and the opportunities to see other wildlife are good. Pronghorn, Coyotes, a variety of birds, hawks hunting, soaring and swooping, Eagles, ground critters, snakes (??) not my personal favorite after almost treading on a hiding rattlesnake but there are non poisonous snakes there also. I believe we will go back in August to ride and film again. Come join us!

[zhiaral]

Question... you posted above that Lee Williams had already posted some video. I was just wondering - where might I see it?

[stormyranch]

Oh it's on facebook!

[zhiaral]

Ah... okay. Yet another reason for me to dislike Facebook! Thank you for letting me know.

[prizmbluekigers]

Lee posts on youtube also. He has posted recently. We will post stills here and video on youtube. Search for Kiger HMA wiht june 2012 as the date and that is his most recent. Kiger and Van Gogh will also yield results.

[zhiaral]

Excellent - found them! Under DanmarOutfitters.