Wild Horses

07/22/2026

07/16/2026

Sand Wash Basin, by Terry W Smith.

Sand Wash Basin in the early early morning.

07/15/2026

Wyoming, by contributor Ottilia.

White Mountain HMA, Wyoming

07/15/2026

Oregon.
Shared from contributor Alice McCammon.

South Steen stallion, maybe a Voodoo son.
Pony's Wild West Images

07/15/2026

About wild stallions..

Stallions, their life & journey
Wild equids have varied experiences throughout their lives based on hierarchy, personality, band sizes, experiences, environment, internal and external social pressures, and so on. But there is also part of a path they overall follow which we can anticipate from our years of observing stallions from c**ts, bachelors, to the mature, and the elders, and we are able to build a better understanding of the complexities of wild horse society. It's quite a journey.

Stallions grow and change through life, bridging the social, behavioral, go through a journey Bachelor bands like this one are always comprised of all young males which by a certain age tend to leave their natal bands- whether gently by choice- as we've seen, or typically by less friendlier methods- where the band stallion decides a young male is a threat- and run him off while he can. Rough when the band stallions run them out, and the youngster is confused- often seen 'satelliting' the natal band for a time, but it is a good natural social tool in the mustang community, as it reduces the tendency for inbreeding issues within the band. Because they are highly social, and when they are no longer welcome in their natal band by the stallion, the young males will eventually join a bachelor band.

The average age they leave, or where the extraction process begins is around two. However, we've seen them out earlier, and the opposite extreme as well- where some just become a permanent fixture. The process all depends on personalities, and what other internal or external pressures there are, which determine dynamics. In the wild, there's no one textbook model that we can say that it only happens one way- most are based on the typical, or a norm. One thing, however, which is a given- regardless of the situation, it will always be every stallion's goal to be the sole and dominant stallion of a harem of mares- and we can formulate many of our hypotheses around that notion in terms of mustang society and social order.

Even in these bachelor bands, eventually hormones will be the ultimate driving force, and young stallions will break off from their association. The band is a place where they've had the comfort of being together for safety and social connections, while maturing and growing bigger, stronger, and through play and sparring- developing those necessary battle skills and sharpening of wit- edging them closer to being a successful band stallion.

Those especially fascinating are the ones we observe leaving on their own and for months traveling by themselves- solo- like on a mission between bands, watching intently. These we call 'rogue stallions'. These rogues will travel between bands looking for opportunity where they can steal mares or fillies; displace older, weaker, or injured stallions; or attach themselves to a band with a dominant stallion and earn a place as a "Lieutenant". We recognize an Lt once we observe the following: Backing the dominant stallion; protecting the band from other intruders; keeping mares and foals in close proximity to the family unit (same duties as the dominant stud); and finally, when the two seem to overall tolerate each other. While it looks like a camaraderie, make no mistake- again, it's every stallion's goal to be the only stud of a band of mares, and many of these Lts are simply biding their time.

Like countless generations of wild horses before him, the life journey of a stallion is a complex one, beginning with a strong genetic foundation determined by survival of the fittest, and further shaped by natural pressures- both the mustang social codes, and the trials of living wild in the rangelands out west.

For the journal and album of this July trip ... https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153487841073956.1073741873.226517823955&type=3

About this photo: a large band of bachelors came down to water, and in their various moments of being, prior to taking off for the hills.
Thank you for helping me roam wild on the ranges, and helping to keep the WILD in our west... and our WEST WILD! MM

MustangWild
PO Box 785
Lebanon, OR 97355
www.roamwildfund.com

VIDEO LIBRARY
www.mustangjourney.com

SHOP WILD
www.wildhorsespirit.com

07/11/2026

Grulla Kigers of SE Oregon.

07/11/2026

07/11/2026

Dynamics

Wayward Fillies, a significant genetic component and influence in complex wild horse society

In terms of genetic diversity among herds, geneticists have taken baselines at gathers to determine situations of inbreeding, and Dr. Gus E Cothran as well as Dr Jay F Kirkpatrick, have stated there is little inbreeding found among wild horses in healthy adult populations. With that said, we've observed multiple ways that diversity promotes itself in mustang herds. Of course, we can't help but notice the dramatic moments of stallions in battle to achieve or protect a band, or of-age c**ts being driven out by the dominant stallions. But though more subtle, we have the quieter but powerful influence of mares and fillies which promote or influence genetic health and diversity.
As we know, c**ts beginning around the age of two typically are driven out by the dominant stallions, but we also have of-age fillies which become highly social and tend to visit with other outside stallions.

I've been very interested in the transitions among band members between bands. It has been interesting to find that not always does it happen dramatically as we may assume. Mustang society has it set in such a way that through social dynamics and variation, genetics stay viable.

Outside of the nucleus of the band comprising of band stallion, lead mare, and perhaps an Lt stallion of long-term bands, the rest of the band is subject to change beginning with of-age youngsters... built-in social dynamics which are beneficial for genetics. Leading geneticists have said that "...wild horses have little if any inbreeding issues"... because it's the way mustang society is set up- mostly grown c**ts driven out, and older c**ts that naturally gravitate to a bachelor band their age through play- one way or another leave their natal band. Then there are the highly social fillies who find themselves away from their natal bands, visiting with others- a great opportunity for another stallion to acquire the wayward filly. Some of those young mares in a common area of bands, have been observed visiting so often with another family group, developing bonds with others, that eventually leave and travel with them, becoming part of that new group.

As said and like often read in textbooks, beginning at age two, c**ts are typically driven out by the band stallion. But we've also seen where simply by interacting with other young bachelors, they have such fun they may eventually leave with them. Of-age fillies (observed earliest at 13 months old) are highly social, and on a number of occasions have observed that they tend to wander from their natal bands to visit with others, even stallions from other bands. This is how some may be bred outside of their bands, or picked up/swiped by another band stallion. Case in point the Caesar/Remington filly Porsche who visited and was bred by Commander- he tried to keep her but her stallions overwhelmed him working together to get her back. This black filly in the photo is another example... Ash, of the Shaman band at the time wandering out of her family group to visit with an outside stallion- Juniper....
This image is from 2016. Ash was in season, ignored by band stallion Shaman who stood next to mare Granite up above the waterhole. While Ash ended up staying with her family group at the time - but the potential was there. Ash was Shaman and Granite's oldest filly, and I was fully entertained sitting and watching this unfold- curious about the outcome. Ash walked into the waterhole directly for a stallion outside of her band- Juniper, who was Red Vogue's Lieutenant at the time, and socialized with him. He appeared surprised and as they sniffed each other all over, he was also paying attention - listening and anticipating repercussions from one of her stallions- Shaman or Lt Commander. But while he watched for the two stallions, he also seemed to like her attention, and pulled up water reeds. Ash was very curious, watching him with much interest, coming in closer. It was very endearing. Endearing until her chaperone intercepted.

Had Juniper been more prepared and experienced and less surprised by her approach, he could have snaked her away. I was surprised to observe band stallion Shaman watch this unfold but did not intervene, but rather remained with Granite. I've been suspecting that when fillies are imprinted onto band stallions as newbies, that the stallions are less likely to be interested in them when mature. I also am beginning to think that if a filly grows up with the "clacking" response (a behavior to show submissive "just a baby" by chomping their teeth together) at the stallion, may play a role why we don't observe incidents of inbreeding on ranges with healthy herd numbers in the wild. But more about clacking another time.

Shaman didn't seem to mind Ash’s interaction with Juniper, as he's also known Juniper since a c**t in the Hollywood area of the HMA, and watched her move toward him. Shaman's Lt, Commander, however, noticed after some time and charged into the water getting between Ash and Juniper- shielding her broadside with his body. Juniper knows Commander and has respect for the red stallion, and immediately left the scene.
Time and observation... together, we'll crack more of their complex social codes...

Another example of a mare visiting with a stallion frequently and ended up beoing part of his band- Bayley and Domino: https://www.zazzle.com/store/spaziani/products?st=price&sd=asc&cg=196655545310605908

My thoughts on inbreeding https://www.facebook.com/mustangmeg1/photos/a.10158717834863956/10158743414193956/?type=3&mibextid=cr9u03

More on mares and fillies... their timeless rhythms: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=278687046950674&set=a.10158717834863956

More of my rangenotes: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10158717834863956&type=3

August video from this trip..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F-kEixywhs

August 2016/SE Oregon SS HMA
*Please note that my images are shared here at a low resolution. To inquire about one of these photos at full resolution, feel free to send a message. You can also visit my MustangWild photography website www.mustangwild.com .

Thank you for helping me roam wild on the ranges, and keeping the "wild" in our west... and our west WILD! ~ Mustang Meg

MustangWILD
PO Box 785
Lebanon, OR 97355
www.roamwildfund.com

VIDS www.mustangjourney.com
WEB www.mustangwild.com
SHOP www.wildhorsespirit.com

07/05/2026

SE Oregon

Jackpot on the Steens...
Always, always good for a show.....