Saturday, May 12, 2012

"Sky Drinker" Sand Wash Basin Mustang

 
16x20 oil on stretched linen 
available

The first of many paintings to come of the Sand Wash Basin Mustangs.  This is a stallion named Whiteout, the primary stallion of a small bachelor band.  With each painting I hope to include a story or two about the individuals in the painting. 

"Whiteout approached the wateringhole with his little band of two young stallions, probably two year olds.  Kiowa's band was already there so Whiteout and his young charges waited about a hundred feet away.  Kiowa approached the small band and Whiteout went to meet him.  They squeeled and struck and pawed the ground, sniffing "manure piles", a ritual where stallions "poop" on and sniff each other's pile, similar to dogs and wolves peeing on the same spot.  In sniffing these piles they can determine who has been there and when, and even what kind of condition the animal is in.  Amazing!  Kiowa and Whiteout seemed to come to an agreement.  Whiteout and company circled the wateringhole to the other side.  The two younger stallions of the bachelor band went down to water but Whiteout stood back until Kiowa and his band moved on.  Only then did Whiteout approach to drink.  Eventually all three bachelors moved to the other side of the muddy pond and drank again.  From the west emerged a bachelor stallion named Outlaw.  The two young stallions went to meet him, not Whiteout. "

Painting of Outlaw to follow!

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