I n Custer National Forest the early May sunshine fills a cloudless sky melting the last snow on the Pryor Mountains while nourishing patches of spring grass A wild horse stands with her powerful front legs braced for a climb up the foothills She raises her head nostrils flaring and sniffs the air She opens her mouth takes a deep breath and lets out a loud whinny A half dozen other horses gather around her
She swings her head nudging them and snorting Then she bolts up the mossy slope toward a stream lined with tall grass A mature male horse follows the group eyes and ears alert The horses feast on the tender grass and drink from the stream One of the females slips away from the group She finds a secluded spot in a stand of limber pines the perfect place to give birth to the first horse of the new spring
