This big stallion we named Mooch is single again. Despite his imposing size, he has somehow lost his following of three mares during the last six months. He was hovering around a band of seven mares being guarded by a tough little black stallion that kept a wary eye on the lonely male. Mooch was chased away and off into the desert by the black many times, and he always came back to hover a safe distance away. I think that the newborn colt standing near a mare in the black's band may have been fathered by Mooch ten months ago. A little time spent studying my old photos and comparing them with the new mother might confirm this, it is something that I will be interested to find out. I have seen mares that have been taken away by rival stallions, the young ones go with them. Sadly, it has been written that rival stallions will kill a newborn fathered by another stallion so that the mare will be ready to breed sooner by the new dominant male. I hope this does not happen in this case.