Wild Horses: The Roundup of the Pryor Mountain Herd

Over the last two weeks, despite thousands of phone calls, emails, and letters to Senators, Congressmen, Ken Salazar, Bob Abbey and President Obama, the Bureau of Land Management proceeded after a two day delay, to round up horses of the Pryor Mountain herd in Montana. Their goal was to round up most of the 188 horses in the area, and to remove all of the 39 horses outside the horse range, living in Custer National Park, as well as 31 additional horses.
I have followed this herd for the last 6 years, visiting and photographing them 2 - 3times a year.


After driving all night Saturday, on Sunday morning I drove up Crooked Creek Road. Conquistador and his band and many other horses on Commisary Ridge had eluded capture the previous day, so the Cattors, the contractor hired by the BLM were sending the helicopter out one more time in that area. I arrived just as they were loading the horses, including Conquistador, a gorgeous dun stallion born in 1988 into a horse trailer to transport down to the pens at Britton Springs.


We drove quickly down the mountain, because they were going to start driving the horses from horse range on the top of the mountain by helicopter, a distance we were told by Sue Cattor was only 10.8 miles. However, that may be as the crow flies, and horses are not crows. Who knows how many times they doubled back trying to elude the helicopter, and how many miles they added to their journey?
The first two days of the roundup, the BLM had stopped mid afternoon when the heat was in the high 90s because many public and press were there. On Sunday when the temperature hit 96 degrees, they continued on until the helicopter had flown for 8 hours.
Bolder's band came running in with a beautiful buckskin filly. Next was Cloud's band. He tried to evade the helicopter, running far off on the hills to one side and then the other. Ginger and I were encouraging him under our breaths as we watched. Finally they pushed his band into the jute passageway, and released the Judas horse, who runs to the pens and that the wild horses are supposed to follow.

Cloud ignored the Judas horse completely, and turned to face the helicopter. I have NEVER seen a wild horse behave in this way. I think if he did not have his band to worry about he might have tried to charge by it. Finally he turns and leads his band to the corrals.
When we did the walk through that afternoon, I was never so happy to see a blue spot of paint on a horse's rear, as when I saw it on Cloud's!
Blue paint means to be released. Unfortunately Image Cloud's grandson, Rain, and Arrow were all removed from his band to be adopted.

We were rushed out of the corrals that night at 5:00 even though the helicopter was bringing another group in. We found out whey the next morning. Jackson was the last stallion whose band came in before we left, and his mare Brumby had tied up - this is a condition caused by overexertion. One of Cloud's daughters, Rain, had colicked as well. We asked to see both of them and were led on a tour of the corrals - both Brumby and Rain appeared to be fine and had been observed and treated by the vet. We watched the horses being processed and run though the pens to the squeeze chute where the mares were given pzp, the horses to be adopted were shaved and freeze branded, hair samples were collected, and those to be adopted were separated from their families. The cries of the newly separated family members was wrenching, and the reunions when they were put back together were very sweet.
Roundups by their very nature are extremely dangerous to horses under the best of circumstances, and this was my third roundup I had observed. Because this was under so much public scrutiny I believe that they were much more careful with the horses and took more time to do things than is the norm. Still, there were problems. A young bachelor stallion named Hunkpapa reared up 5 times before being forced into the electric squeeze chute - which made a terrible noise.
When they put Conquistador in with several other stallions including Trigger and his sons, there were horrible fights between the stallions.
And of course the worst was yet to come. They brought in Baja's band on Tuesday. There were 3 young foals in his band. he only came in with 2, and apparently his mare Bacardi and her foal, the youngest of the 3, had been left behind on the mountain when they could not keep up. However, when we had the opportunity for the walk through that evening I went to see the foals as soon as I could, and called Ginger over when I observed how terribly lame and sore the younger of the two, a sorrel colt was. he kept picking up one foot after the other trying to get comfortable, and when he hobbled over to his mother so slowly it was heartbreaking to watch. Both foals were under veterinary care, and we were told they would be kept with their family until they healed and could be released. We were extremely concerned for Halcyon's foal, only 10 days old, and sure she would never be able to make the trecherous trip down the mountain if Red Raven's band were driven in as planned the next day.
We went to the morning briefing and were told that gather operations were over because they had footsore horses coming in and there was a new black foal on the mountain, and that they would take more horses from the 130 they had now to make up for the ones who had not been brought in. This was good news for Electra, Cloud's sister, Quelle Colore, the 19 year old mare, and Halcyon and foal, but bad news for Sage in Bolder's band, Sax in Diamond's band and many others. Cloud Dancer, Cloud's daughter was removed from her family and put with a young bachelor stallion Exhileration. Unfortunately, this was done immediately before Cloud's family was released, so Cloud did not want to leave. We watched as Cloud herded his mares back to the corrals time and time again, not willing to leave so many of his family members behind. Finally the wranglers forced him to move on out and back up the mountain. Several other stallions were unwilling to leave family members behind, including Bolder and Chino. Morningstar, one of the stallions with the largest bands on the mountain had no family members removed. Baja, the stallion with the two lame foals was not kept in till his foals were healed - he was released with the black foal and his mother, still very sore while the sorrel colt and his mother were marked for adoption! This was completely the opposite of what we had been told.
After the release of the last horse at that time, as Duke's band was being kept in because of a sore foal and Cloud Dancer was being kept with her new stallion to try to form a bond, they were supposedly going to be released in a few days.
I drove Ginger and Ben her intern up Crooked Creek Road to see how the returning horses were doing. We immediately saw Doc's and Two Boot's bands, drinking, and having evaded capture int he trees. The first band back on top of the mountain was Bolder's , with Bolder in the lead, running for water at the reservoir waterhole. He chased Doc's band out of the way, as if to say, you have no idea what we have been through. It was such a beautiful peaceful scene, with the birds calling, the wind blowing gently, and the afternoon light shining, such a stark contrast to the hell of the pens below. Many horses had red clay on their feet from stopping at the waterholes on the way up the mountain. The next band to come in was Cloud's, with Cloud in the lead, proudly trotting down to the water. This was coming home for Cloud and his band, and he was whinnying, as if calling for his missing family. The next group to come to water was Diamond's , with Phoenix, Cloud's mother in the lead.

We headed back down the mountain, happy to have been there to welcome them home.
There is more work to be done now. Here is a link you can go to for phone numbers of the Senate Committee of Natural Resources - we need them to move the ROAM Act out onto the Senate Floor for a vote, and we also want to pressure the BLM to release the horses over 10 years old that were removed from the Pryor Mountains: http://bit.ly/CallAction

Youtube video of the Pryor Mountain Roundup:
http://bit.ly/jfXAS

Wild Horses: The Honoring Freedom Ride in the Pryor Mountains

On August 29, 2009, people who love the Pryor Mountain wild horses came from all over the country to ride, walk and drive to honor them. James Kleinert and Ginger Kathrens, both filmmakers who make films about wild horses organized the ride.

We met Saturday morning at Sage Creek Campground, in the heart of the Crow Indian reservation.

We then drove up to the intersection of Crooked Creek and Sage Creek Roads, and very appropriately, Howard Boggess, Crow Elder and historian opened the ceremony speaking about the wild horses, blessing them and the people here.

Everyone mounted up, and rode in a circle three times, then headed up the road.

James asked the group to be purposeful on the ride, so there was not excited chatter, but instead people in tune with their horses and the dramatic country around them.


There was a mixture of people and horses, some mustangs, some domestic horses, and they had to share the road with the vehicles driving up to the horse range - sometimes a huge number of 4 wheelers - and the horses behaved admirably for the most part!

Part of the way through the Cheyenne contingent caught up to the group and joined the ride. James led two of their children mounted on a pinto pony.

The ride was nearing its end.

At the top of the mountain,at a sacred vision quest site overlooking the Dry Head, the group dismounted and formed a circle so that the Cheyenne elder could perform the closing ceremony.

It was a very quiet and solemn closing to an inspiring afternoon in one of the most beautiful places on earth, where the Pryor Mountain wild horses call home. We were all united in our desire to see that these horses continue to roam free on their lands.

Today the federal court in DC denied the request for a restraining order to stop the roundup until the case for a preliminary injunction can be heard, and the two day reprieve is over. Tomorrow, things will never be the same for these wild horses as the peace in these mountains is shattered by helicopters, and some will never again return to these mountains.

Wild Horses - McCullough Peaks Herd soon to be rounded up

Last month I was feeling a sense of urgency about visiting two of my favorite wild horse herds as impending round ups loom large for both herds.
When I drove out to McCullough Peaks, the first morning I was able to get a little closer to the elusive horses of the Coon Creek area, and have a better look at a gorgeous grey stallion. Unlike the Adobe Town Herd, greys are not very common in this area - pintos, cremellos, buckskins, palominos and other extremely colorful variations yes, but not greys. This stallion was extraordinary, and he was sparring with another stallion.

In the past, I have found that certain bands stay in roughly the same area, but this trip the horses were moving around alot. The first afternoon I was out I realized that there might be a good reason. I had my binoculars out, and at a far distance spotted a huge group of horses running. This was curious because the horses don't usually run unless they are headed to water and thirsty, and there was no waterhole nearby. I drove over to the area I had seen them go, and the horses were grazing, but seemed a little jumpy. Suddenly a white private plane came very close overhead, buzzing them, and the entire large group, including a couple of very young foals, set off at a run, kicking up dust as they went. I was reminded of how terrifying the wild horses find the helicopters that are used to drive them into traps during round ups, and that soon this would be happening to them - in October in fact. Many of these horses have experienced this in the past, so a small plane or helicopter flying over them is very frightening.

The next day when I went out I watched a cremello colt that I have been following since the year he was born,in Indigo's band, playing with a bay filly the same age. I am always amused by the play when two colts or bachelor stallions grab for each other's legs, but this is the very first time I have ever seen a filly play this way! Maybe growing up with two brothers the same age she has become a bit of a tomboy. I got a close up of them playing with my very long 500 lens.

The last evening I was out the little palomino foal that I saw playing on my last trip got very frisky at the waterhole just as it was getting dark, and zoomed around his friend and the rest of his band for over 10 minutes.

I am planning to visit this herd again when I am up in the area for the Pryor Mountain roundup. There is a petition you can sign to prevent the round up of Cloud's Herd:
http://bit.ly/CloudPetition

Please pass this link along

Wild Horses of the Pryor Mountains

A week and a half ago I travelled once again up to the Pryor Mountains. A sense of urgency gripped me this year with the threat of the impending round up at the end of August looming large. How many of these horses would I never see again, how many would never see their families again?
So I headed up Crooked Creek Road, my favorite route to the top of the mountain, at 3:30 am so that I would reach the top of the mountain where the horses are just before dawn. I am one of those morning people, and for me the "magic hour" of photography with the most beautiful light is not the hour before sunset, but the half hour before to the half hour after dawn. Luckily I know the road well as I am driving in the dark. Just before I reach the top of the mountain, I see eyes flash in my headlights, and I brake suddenly, realizing this is a mountain lion, standing in the middle of the road. I am struck immediately by the sheer size of this beautiful animal. He (or she) saunters off slowly, unalarmed by my presence, and now I have first hand evidence of the reason many of the foals I was captivated by on my last trip are no longer on the mountain.

I continue on and see my first band of wild horses just as the sun is coloring the sky. It is Lakota's band, and I am sad to see that the little newborn red colt Jethro I had seen on my last trip was missing from the band.
I continue on the road to the horse range, and am delighted to see that many of the horses are in one area. I walk down the hill and watch the foals play. I am happy to see that Madonna has a beautiful new filly this year who looks just hours old. She spends quite a bit of time napping in the flowers.

It's summer, and the grass is lush, the temperature is mild, and it is a great day to be free in the Pryor Mountains.

I am always delighted when people ask me how Cloud is - delighted to tell them that he is doing great, at 14 years old in the prime of his life, and always a wonderful photography subject.

Soon I realize that Bolder's band is starting to move downhill with a purpose. Since one of the main waterholes near Penn's Cabin is just over the hill, this means that they are probably headed to water. I get in my car and head down the hill so I can set up my camera at a good spot for watching the bands come down to water.

Bolder's band come first, and I get to watch a very good example of heirarchy among the bands. The more senior, dominant band stallions have priority and get to stay as long at the waterhole as they like. Then, the next dominant, then on down usually with the bachelor stallions drinking last. Morningstar came down too soon for Bolder, however, and Bolder chased Morningstar and his entire band away from the water.

I did enjoy watching bands interact peacefully a little later when Diamond's band came down to water. Diamond's two year old colt came over to Morningstar and they played together for a little while, while Diamond's yearling colt played with Bolder!
Soon all the bands had finished drinking and moved down into this deep canyon, which would be hard to follow, so I pack up my gear. As I drive back down the mountain, I think about the coming round up, and how nothing here will ever be the same. How much better to allow the mountain lions to naturally keep the population in check, than to put the horses at incredible stress to them through a roundup, over 70 horses to lose their freedom and their families forever.
You can make comments on the EA for the roundup of the Pryor Mountain Herd by August 17. Here is a link to the Cloud Foundation information for commenting and also for contacting Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar's office.
http://tinyurl.com/m5dfnf