Meet the Mustangs: Harriet - A Journey of Wild Beauty

By Deb Sutherland, Volunteer

Introduction:Meet Harriet, a captivating wild mustang from the Virginia Range. Born on April 1, 2013, amidst a vibrant herd of pintos, roans, and more, Harriet's journey from a foal named Little April Showers to a majestic mare is a testament to the beauty and resilience of wild horses.

(March 2, 2021) There were over a hundred wild horses in the canyon the dayHarriet(akaLittle April Showers) was born on April 1, 2013. The Virginia Range was dotted with the colors of pintos, blue and red roans, bays, blacks, grays, buckskins! Even the black and white stallion,Canyon Phantom, was there with his pinto and roan family. There was a newborn pinto resting in the sage that caught my eye.

Nearby her dam, we calledStarlite(AKAWithers), stood guard over her. As I looked closer, I saw the little pinto baby that captured my heart. Her sire was standing close by, making sure his family was safe. We called himHandymanbecause he had what looked like a white handprint on his left hip.

It was raining softly that day, so I called the tiny foal,Little April Showers, and I took many pictures of her and her family. I visited them often in the canyon. I watched them drink from the spring on hot summer days.StarliteandHandymanwould always cuddleApril Showers. After drinking from the spring,Handymanwould take his family to cool off under the shade of the pinion pine trees. After about a year, I didn’t see them in the canyon anymore; they seemed to have disappeared. I thought they must have moved onto a new grazing place.

Last spring, while I was out on the range photographing a band of wild horses, I noticed a beautiful pinto mare who looked familiar. A friend of mine, Ellen, compared pictures from a story I had written and noticed that the mare now namedHarrietwas indeedLittle April Showersall grown up! She lives withOzzy, her stallion, and has two of the cutest daughters,PegandSue. Both her daughters look so much likeHarrietwhen she was young.

I asked Cathy Cottrill, the one who documents the horses in that area, where Harriet and her new family band was. Cathy explained that they just showed up in the valley a while back, along with theDickensband, who she had fun documenting. I am very happy to seeHarrietagain! I’m getting to know her new family, which has been a great experience. Changes in family bands happen so quickly, andPeghas already gone to live with the stallion,Apache, along withShaggy’sex-mareSissy, and her daughterSunflower. I am so glad I will be able to spend time withHarrietagain, but I will always wonder where she and her damStarlite(AKAWithers) lived all those years that I couldn’t find them.