Horsing around

Yesterday I took a new friend on what is, for me, my favorite hike in this area.  It starts at the Caballo Riverside campground, crosses the Rio Grande (one small step for a man...),

through a fence, up a watercourse, then up a deer trail to the top of the bluff looming above the far side of the river.

 

From 160' up, you get a good view of the area.  I have found 10 routes up that bluff, some simply steep and rough, some downright dangerous that I have done once and will not attempt again.  In 4 years of going up there, I have never seen any animal life up there other than the occasional bird.

That changed yesterday. 

When we came up to the edge of the cliffs, two horses appeared.

 

The lighter colored one was smaller than I am used to.  I am taller than her.  I am guessing she was not fully grown.  The darker one was more the size I would expect.  Both looked to be in good shape - well nourished, smooth, clean coats and no signs of limping, just relaxed browsing on that high desert plateau.

 

What amazed us was how friendly they were, particularly the smaller one.  She came up to us, was petted, nuzzled my arm, gently tasted my camera, and they followed us as long as we stayed at the west edge.  As we headed east toward the trail down, they watched us go. 

Then, almost like magic, they had disappeared.  It was a very cool hike.

This, by the way, is how New Mexicans stay warm in winter...