Because I assumed that the mares would stay together, I always kept my eye out for both of them with more emphasis placed on spotting Ghost Dancer because her coloring makes her more identifiable.

We have a stallion we RARELY see. He’s a dark bay from the Sheldon Hart Wildlife Refuge and aside from Phantom has been the most elusive.  I’ve been a regular at the WHS for almost 8 years and just saw him for the first time last winter. I think I mentioned that we were too far away and I didn’t have a camera but I thought I saw a mare with coloring similar to Ghost. What I didn’t see was a sorrel mare.

Last summer I saw our older red roan stallions with his 2 grey girls and a sorrel mare. We were closer to the western boundary of the property and the four of them were just hanging out under some shade trees. Because they were just relaxing I left them be and didn’t approach.

Again, it didn’t occur to me that the sorrel was Sage because: 1. No Ghost with her 2. That stud had a sorrel mare before. I did note that day, that the sorrel looked to be younger

That particular day we had gone off our normal trail ride route and had stopped for lunch in a different location than usual. Since I’ve been helping at the WHS, I’ve noted that he’s had a smaller harem than most of the other stallions and he doesn’t come around very often. I recall feeling happy to have found his hang out and that his girls looked good.

Without realizing it, I’d already found Sage.

Because of lighter rain fall this past winter and spring, much of the natural grasses that are available in t remote parts of the property have been consumed, forcing some of the bands that don’t usually  come to the feed ground to come in.

So, now that I know who she is with, I can continue to follow /track her. That is as long as they continue to come into the areas we feed or ride through.

AND, that stud is older… not sure how old. It will be interesting to see what happens – will another stud try to take the girls from the “old man”? Who will Sage end up with if he passes away?

I do know she hasn’t foaled since she’s been at the WHS. I’m involved in the sorting and during our first sort, mom’s and babies stay together.

If her family didn’t come in at all in the past few years, she/they would very likely have a yearling or a 2 year old with the family and they don’t - just one pinto foal born this year that belongs to one of the greys.

I believe there is a good chance Ghost is with that dark bay guy from Sheldon. They are just terribly difficult to find. Dianne (Nelson) said she just stumbles upon them once in awhile and although she knows the general area in which he resides with his harem, they don’t have a set location where we can count on finding them. I will keep looking for her!