Whims of a Wilderness Stallion

A study in contrasts: the lovely Polish Arabian concave profile of the aged gelding, Mistral and the aristocratic convex profile of the four year old Sorraia stallion, Altamiro.

Eva left a comment in my last journal entry that included:
"How are the domestics doing? Have they settled into their own little society with their own rituals? Is Mistral putting on weight and enjoying himself? How do you divide your time between these bands?"

This seems as good a segue as any to show off Altamiro a little and at the same time answer Eva's queries.

Altamiro continues to keep the domestics away from his harem band. While the draft mules, Dee, Doll and Jerry appear to have "floater's rights", Zeus and Mistral are not allowed in close at all. Dee and Doll do not enter the nucleus of the harem, but they are tolerated enough to graze off fifty feet or more, and Jerry is often closer than that and engaged in playful sparring by Altamiro and (even Animado and Interessado on rare occasions).

Doll, takes a break from grazing to keep an eye out for where the primitives are going...soon she followed at a respectful distance, as did her other mule mates.

Whether it is pheromones in the wind or a casual derisive gaze the domestics throw at Altamiro, he occasionally puts a chase on the geldings or as in the sequence of photos (below) shows, goes out and has a "discussion". What I find especially interesting about the series of photos I'm sharing today is how ardent and earnest Altamiro is in delivering his part of the conversation, and how "ho-hum" Mistral's response is to what Altamiro feels is so important to talk about.
In the end, Mistral's self-control kept him from being caught up in whatever drama this young Sorraia stallion was hoping to create and the "event" fizzled into each of them going about grazing the grasses and herbs while slowly working their way back to their respective herd mates.

Altamiro is a stallion who has a lot of energy and is often motivated by whims that I have yet to come to understand that have him going off and trying to create something exciting to do as an outlet for his energy. One comment from a reader was compelled to point out that she had heard from the Portuguese themselves that "a typical Sorraia will often be aggressive and stubborn" and this same reader commented that "I also wanted to add that I have met Sovina [the Sorraia stallion in Oregon] in person. He is just as stubborn and aggressive as the Portuguese say that the Sorraia is typical for." Watching Altamiro express himself and delight in the way his body feels when he shows off, I can well imagine that if one were to take a horse like this and put him in a dirt paddock all by himself, or cloister him in a stall, he would, having no natural outlet for his extraordinary energy and verve, indeed become "aggressive and stubborn". This commentator felt this reflected the Sorraia's lack of quality, but I find it to be an example of the primitive wild horse psyche that is not so easily given to doing things the way humans demand. One comes to such a noble creature with great humility and a desire to engage each other in a more egalitarian fashion, which provides immense reward, as I'll describe further down in today's journal entry.

But first, to answer more of Eva's queries.

Zeus and Mistral will often now take their grazing breaks under the windblown spruce tree up by the house. Sly boys...they know that the more they are by the house, the more likely it is that Kevin and Lynne will come out with apples, adoring praise for their exquisite good looks and itch sessions! The next two photos, show Zeus enjoying the good itching Kevin is giving him.
Now that there are fourteen equines living here, I'm finding it difficult to give everyone the attention that I'd like to - but if I am honest with myself, probably it doesn't matter all that much to the horses and mules. Theirs is a life of fascinatingly rich relationships among themselves with a never ending variety of routines that they carry out over the varied 360 acres they call home. I believe they enjoy whatever attention they receive from us humans, but I don't think they consider themselves lacking if they don't get an in-depth one on one with either Kevin or I. It's a bit humbling to realize how unnecessary we are to them, at least when their entire environment provides all their needs. (In wintertime, our presence in their lives is much more essential to them.)

I'd also like to share today some photos taken on Sunday, after a good rain shower. I had gone out to where the primitives were and was once again delighted by the nuances of the varieties of their grulla colouring, especially against the slightly foggy character of the atmosphere.

Sovina's Zorita, due to have her foal in late August--I sure love her colour!

Altamiro was standing about thirty feet off from his harem, dozing. His senses picked up the presence of dogs moving through the area and in this photo he is suddenly fully awake, appraising the passage of our dog, Tobacco off in the distance. His posture took my breath away, and even though I wasn't at the best angle to take a photo showing his wonderful conformation to best advantage, this image nevertheless conveys what a spectacular presence Altamiro possesses.

The magnificent Sorraia stallion, Altamiro!

After Altamiro had determined the canine passing by was Tobacco and not some roaming wolf, he settled back down into a posture that would soon bring him back to the state of dozing. I went over and stood on a rock that was about fifteen feet away and beckoned him to come over for itches. He regarded me with a bored expression, cocked a hip and closed his eyes. So, I went over to him and began to scratch all the spots that the biting insects had left welts as souvenirs of their blood-gathering visits. I could tell by the way he was responding that the boy was now hooked. So I went back over to the rock and motioned him to come, which he did and he lined himself up right in position for me to slide aboard. Altamiro is an "unbroke" semi-wild young stallion, and yet here he was offering me his back. I did not throw a leg over, but I definitely used the opportunity drape my upper body over his back and itch him on the opposite side. He was very steady, very mellow and very pleased to have this type of scratching taking place. I was euphoric, of course! And, I can well imagine there will one day be mounted itches in our future - and if he is willing, perhaps even some explorations into brief artistic riding...

Last year, I would not have imagined this type of closeness with Altamiro--he was going through a period of aloofness and sometimes when I would reach out to caress him, he would snort and run the other way. I felt like he'd forgotten how close we had grown when he was one and two years old. I felt he looked upon me with a certain sense of distrust. It grieved me for awhile, so I had to remind myself that Altamiro's role as a herd stallion would likely mean that he would not ever want me to ride him or even share an intimate friendship. I came to accept this and admired how he was developing into such a spectacular, vigilant and vigorous stallion--I realized it was enough to just glory in his presence. But this year, we have had many great connections, hooking into that synchronized "heart to heart" resonance that has become, for me, the only way I want to be with horses.

This photo shows the position Altamiro took up when he wanted me to give his buttocks and tail a thorough itching.

To have a young stallion living among his harem of mares out in the big wide open make the choice of his own volition to come and have a heart to heart interaction with me has got to be one of life's most magical experiences--far better than trying to befriend him by putting him in a separate dirt paddock so that he has no choice but to pay attention to me.

After this special one on one time with Altamiro, I went over to share some time with Fada. Soon, Altamiro got whiff of something about Ciente that caused him to passage elegantly over to where she was and engage her in some soft, murmuring dialogue. I couldn't get my camera out in time to capture his gorgeous dance in collection, but I did get a couple of photos of the intimate talk these two were having. Does he sense that she is to deliver her foal in the next couple of weeks? (The one photo shows Fada's ears as I was taking the photos with one hand and continuing to itch her with the other).

Altamiro and Ciente converse about something only they know the content of.

The Way of Things/The Emperor is Ousted

A peaceful moment at Ravenseyrie
Zorita (left) and Ciente enjoy the spring grass

The way life plays out in front of me here at Ravenseyrie is so filled with lessons...some that are unsettling. One thing impressed upon me over and over again, is this: If you are going to place your horses in a vast open wilderness, you must realize how very little control you have over their daily affairs.

The difficulty for me, coming from a background where every element of my horse's day was structured and dictated by myself or other attending humans, is to determine when to remain "hands off" or when to "help, assist or interfere".

A major dynamic between Mistral, Zeus and Altamiro demonstrates the dilemma quite dramatically.

Mistral, Zeus and Altamiro shown just a few days prior to the arrival of Encantara.

Mistral was feeling a bit edgy and had been having sharp discussions with Altamiro throughout the morning.

Mistral and Altamiro have for the past couple of years played at challenges for ruler-ship, inventing a variety of sparring games that were never injurious and always left Mistral's god-ship unquestioned.

Since the arrival of Encantara, Mistral has been demanding to get closer to this new herd member, after all he considers himself the Emperor God of Ravenseyrie. He also considers it his royal duty to haze all newcomers, regardless of age. You might recall he made such attempts last year when Interessado was born (interestingly he did not attempt to haze Animado or Fada when they were born).

This year finds Altamiro a very confident, robust four year old stallion in full command of his spectacular body. So we find him insisting that Mistral keep a respectful distance and Mistral insisting that he go where he pleases.

Altamiro exchanging pleasantries with Ciente

For the first couple of days, Mistral, Zeus and the draft mules were easy for Altamiro to convince to stay a respectful distance, and a certain peace reigned. This truce did not last long, and soon once again, Mistral was determined to get closer to the filly. Altamiro deftly turned him away each time. You will say I am anthropomorphising and surely you are right, but as a very disgruntled Mistral stood outside the parameter with his stalwart second in command, Corporal Zeus, they both appeared to be plotting more than comiserating. Then something shocking happened...Zeus charged into the grulla group and began trying to round them up and drive them over to where Mistral was waiting! Zeus has never ever before exhibiting this type of behavior!







I was out visiting with the herd and breathlessly tried to take photos, keep an eye out for the pups and also make sure that I wasn't in the way of these galloping horses! At one point I became really quite concerned because Zeus was acting so much like The God of Thunder and no longer appeared to care about anything except stealing herd members to take back to his leader, Mistral. Zeus and the herd were running at a frantic pace at times, over an extremely difficult section of the prairie where there are numerous holes and rocks and tussocks where such a chaotic chase could trip a horse easily and break a leg. And, Ciente (who is nine months along in her pregnancy) was getting the worst of it...I feared such stress as this would cause her to lose her unborn foal.

Ciente on the run

But these horses seem to know precisely how best to negotiate the terrain even at top speed. There were no falters, trips or falls and, thankfully, no injuries. Sometimes they even moved with great elegance as Bella demonstrates here with her beautiful trot which shows wonderful extension arising from natural collection:



Zeus actually succeeded in claiming Ciente and the mules and for about an hour. While all was quiet with everyone focused on grazing, Ciente casually grazed her way back into the grulla group.


Over the next couple of days, Mistral and Zeus made nearly incessant attempts to penetrate the nucleolus of primitive grullas. Altamiro would chase them away, and turn around to discuss things when they would attempt to follow him. What a show he would put on! If they retreated, he felt okay with them on the parameter and had no hard feelings. But they just kept at it, sometimes working as a definite team with Zeus diverting Altamiro's attention enough that Mistral would make a dash to penetrate the grulla herd, with Altamiro having to instantly pirouette and gallop over to position himself once again between his herd and the intrusive, aged, yet powerful, Arabian gelding.

I managed to get a few sequences of moving footage of "episodes" of these sallies by setting up the camera on its tripod and using the teleconverter lense. Unfortuantely, the lense was quite compromised by the dirt blowing up by the wind. Even so you get a sense of the drama that has been taking place here.






On the day that I took these moving images, Mistral and Zeus kept up their harrassment of Atlamiro and the grullas all day, all evening and into the morning with brief "cease fires" where both camps could take some rest.


After these breaks for napping and grazing, Mistral began again:



There was a point where it seemed that Altamiro said, "enough is enough" and somehow put an end to these challenges once and for all. I was not around when the final decision was made, but by the next day, Mistral and Zeus were definitely expelled and the mere look of Altamiro in their general direction was enough pressure to cause them to move further off and there have been no new attempts since then to penetrate the grulla herd.

During all this sorting out of things, no one was coming up for their breakfast oats. Once the official ousting of the Emperor took place, the grulla group resumed coming up for oats at sun-up and the mules and Mistral only came up half-way. I brought their breakfast oats out to them and tried to make them feel good.

I counted 39 wounds on Mistral, none requiring attention, most just patches where the hide was exposed but not penetrated. Zeus had two such wounds. (Altamiro doesn't have a scratch on him--truly!) If I had attempted to intervene by removing Mistral and Zeus by creating a separate paddock for them, I certainly would have been able to spare Altamiro the hassle Mistral and Zeus put him through as well as protect Mistral from these wounds - but Mistral would have had a complete nervous breakdown. (Separation anxiety has always been a huge thing for this Arabian.) Clearly this is something he needed to go through...he could have chose to just let the matter rest and not keep challenging Atlamiro, but he didn't, he kept going back and going back until Altamiro managed to take over compelete authority.


There is such a different feel now when I go out to spend time with Mistral and Zeus, like an era has ended. Sometimes they seem a little depressed, but other times, they seem mostly accepting. And there is plenty of room and an overabundance of food for all, and still lots of freedom. It is my hope that Mistral realizes he is still master of his own world, even if he is no longer master of Altamiro's world.

Zeus for his part, has definitely chosen to remain with his old leader and their friendship appears deeper than before. Mistral is more allowing of Zeus (will even let him share his oats, something he never did when he was still the Emperor). This last photo I captured with one hand while I was itching Zeus with the other and Zeus was itching Mistral. While it appears that Mistral has lost his rulership, I'm so thankful he hasn't lost his friend Zeus.