(Warning: This post contains graphic injury images.)
As many of you know, Disner and I often go to Sand Wash Basin to photograph the wild horses. We love to photograph all of Colorado's wildlife but there is something special about the wild horses. Perhaps it's recognition, knowing that you are seeing the same horses and knowing who they are. We are often asked how the wild horses get their names. This herd is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, with the help of advocate and volunteer groups. These groups keep track of the herd and part of that is naming the residents and the new arrivals to the basin.
In November of 2021, Disner and I visited Sand Wash Basin. We photographed a striking paint stallion and a gray mare. We didn't know who they were while in the basin but later, posted their photos online and learned their names. Scamper is the beautiful stallion and Evening Star is the lovely gray mare.
Evening Star was pregnant when we saw them in November. In April of 2022, we were back in the basin and saw these two again, with an adorable little addition!
Scamper and Evening Star's precious little filly was named Ariat. She was as stunning as her dad, with a strong chance of graying out over time and looking a lot more like her mom. She was the cutest little thing and Evening Star was such a good momma, paying close attention to her as they grazed.
Scamper was extremely attentive of his new little family, constantly scanning their surroundings for other stallions.
We watched them for a while, noticing how close Ariat stayed to Evening Star and how good they all looked after coming out of the winter. A week later, we were back in the basin and saw them again at the water hole.
Ariat had already grown from the week before and was running into the water hole full speed with her little family band. They made such a striking band and Scamper just has such a strong presence.
For those who don't know, bands usually run in hot to the water hole. The band stallion will usually do some posturing, sizing up any and all competition who may be around, sending a clear message to the other horses not to mess with his family.
They will typically drink and then move into the water for some splashes to cool off, before taking another look around at who may be a challenge.
Disner and I aren't experts at horse behavior by any means but we have been photographing the wild horses at Sand Wash for a year and have learned some of their rituals.
Water holes are hot spots for horses and as such, there are clashes and fights that take place there.
Stallions will sniff and then add to the challenge pile. There is really no other way to say this, the challenge pile is just a massive pile of horse poop that gives the stallions some type of information about each other. What they are getting from it, I don't know! But any wild stallion showing up on scene will always give the challenge pile a sniff before adding their deposit to it!
When this happens, stallions present will either engage in a fight with each other or just posture.
Scamper was absolutely a force to be reckoned with during this time. After getting his fill of water, he moved to the top of the water hole, scanning for competition.
He found it in this dapple gray stallion. They get very close together, wrapping their heads into their bodies. They breathe deeply here and after about 3 seconds, moves will be made! Often times, they break apart rather than engage with each other.
In this case, Scamper didn't really engage with this stallion. Instead, he ran back to his family he had left at the edge of the water hole, tossing his head and showing off the entire time.
He gathered his family together and they moved off from the water hole.
The most recent time we saw Scamper and his family, was on April 30, 2022. When we first saw them, they were far away on a ridge. I had concern immediately when I saw Scamper with two different horses and Evening Star and Ariat were nowhere in sight. They were too far away to get good pictures but we still stayed and waited to see if Evening Star would turn up. Scamper seemed to be agitated, putting himself between the other two horses and the bottom of the ridge. After a while, we saw Evening Star below on the hill, no sign of Ariat. We waited a bit longer, then moved on, thinking Ariat may be taking a nap.
We moved north to a different water hole and after being there for an hour, we saw some familiar faces coming in to the water hole.
Scamper crested the hill first, leading Evening Star and Ariat, as well as another gray mare and another stallion we hadn't seen with them before. Excitement at seeing them quickly turned to sadness when we noticed Ariat moving slowly and limping badly.
My stomach clenched in knots as I saw why she was limping. Her back right leg had suffered a compound break, bone poking through the skin, her leg dangling badly.
We didn't know how this injury happened, it could have been a number of ways. The basin has extremely uneven, rocky terrain, full of snake and badger holes. It's possible she broke her leg running through the terrain. It's possible it was broken during a fight between stallions. No matter how it happened, it was devastating to see her this way.
They made their way to the water hole, Ariat navigating the muddy edges the best she could. Evening Star showed protection of her, sending a clear message to the other mare and stallion with them to leave her alone. Horses pin their ears back and lower their heads in a message to others to back off.
(Warning: Graphic image below)
We watched them helplessly, knowing this type of injury is a death sentence for a wild horse. We could also tell the injury had most likely happened that very same day.
Scamper did what Scamper does. He kept a watchful eye and ran off other stallions that had the nerve to appear at the water hole at the same time as his family.
Our hearts were breaking as they slowly left the water hole. Scamper and the unknown stallion were sparring off and on with each other and there was a general unease between all five of them.
Evening Star kept a very watchful eye over Ariat. When Ariat was unable to climb a hill, Evening Star came back for her and they took a different route.
Disner and I stayed at the water hole after they moved out of sight over a hill, but knew they didn't go far beyond that as Scamper would appear out of nowhere, chasing off any stallion that got relatively close to them before disappearing back over the hill.
We've photographed this little family band off and on since November last year. We've learned how they are together and what an amazing first time momma Evening Star has been. Scamper has been so patient with his little family and is always watchful, but also very relaxed when no other horses are around them. He has fiercely protected his little family band when they are around other horses.
As much as you know these are wild animals, you can't help but create attachments to them. Ariat was just starting out in this world and was already such a little badass before this injury occurred.
As we left the basin that day, I looked at Disner with tears in my eyes. He put his hand on my leg and said, "Some lives just don't last that long." My tears spilled over and I cried.
As soon as we had cell service, we reached out to the amazing advocate team who helps manage the Sand Wash Basin herd. We notified them of Ariat's injury and gave them the band's last known location. They searched for her all day on Sunday, before finding them on Monday and humanely euthanizing Ariat, rescuing her from the painful death she would have suffered otherwise.
I know this is an incredibly sad post but I felt compelled to tell Ariat's story. These are wild animals and these things sadly happen. This precious little baby was really only on this earth for a month but had already made such an impact on us during her short life.
Even thought it's sad, I thought you might enjoy hearing about her and seeing her beautiful little life.
Special thanks to the Sand Wash Advocate Team (SWAT) for your all your work with the horses.
