Acclaimed wildlife filmmaker Ginger Kathrens has been filming the life of the remarkable wild stallion, Cloud, since the day of his birth in 1995, allowing NATURE viewers to watch as he grew from tiny foal to the powerful leader of the largest band of wild horses in the Arrowhead Mountains that he is today. Along the way, much has been learned about wild horse society and the importance of family and loyalty in their dangerous and unpredictable world.
In this chapter of his story, Cloud is one of two fathers who bring up each other’s sons. Bolder is Cloud’s son by birth – beautiful and golden, but raised by Shaman, a rival band stallion. Flint, dark and determined, was sired by Shaman, but became Cloud’s adopted son. The two sons mature and progress from playful youths into valid contenders for mares and bands of their own. Will one of them rise to take Cloud’s place?
This poignant and engrossing chronicle explores the challenges presented not only by ambitious sons, but also by the harsh mountain weather, deadly mountain lion attacks, and the changing relationships within and between bands of wild horses in the mountains.
The film also touches upon the effect of the on-going efforts of the Bureau of Land Management (the BLM) to administer a program of population control, including infertility drugs and bait trapping, to remove animals from the mountains. It is yet another hurdle that Cloud and his family and the rest of the horses in the Arrowheads must overcome in the day-to-day efforts to survive in the wilderness.
Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions premieres Sunday, October 25 (check local listings).
You can follow the developments of Cloud’s family, along with updates about the BLM measures to control horse population at the Cloud Blog.
If you missed the first two installments, watch Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies and Cloud’s Legacy: The Wild Stallion Returns online.
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A must-see for any horselover. Thrilling, intimate footage of these horses and their truly natural social structure and survival in the mountains. Go to Thecloudfoundation.org to see how you can help these noble horses. Let this incredibly pristine series inspire us to take action to protect these horses which are now endangered by the Bureau of Land Management.
Will you be airing the stories about Cloud the Wild Stallion again?
I love cloud and i want to know lots more on how he is doing!!!
I can’t wait to see the third! A great website is thecloudfoundtion.org because it shows all kinds of ways to help all mustangs!
i love cloud did you know breyer model horses has the cloud family its awsom
sheila just to let you know wile you on this sit go to the video section and the full episods of cloud bart 1 and 2 is one this sit just search for it till ya findd it!may the horse be with you lol!
I can’t wait to see this part 3. I loved the first 2 and I love horses. I don’t own one (yet… crosses fingers) but I love learning about them and the Cloud episodes from Nature are very well done.
When is the third Cloud airing?
Hey! I LOVE Cloud and all other horses. Do you have any movies or anything on Raven? I
When is Cloud 3 airing?!! I’m sooooo excited.
I have been to visit and photogragh Cloud and the other horses for the last 7 summers, and if you love horses,, then this is heaven….. They do need all the help you can give to ensure their future…and their is a new special baby on the mountain.
daer ginger kathrens! I wish i could go out there and buy all those horses in the pens!! i worte a letter to you about 4 months ago i drew the ‘clouds Band’ picture.i love cloud !!! horseles in parker
when is the secound video airing i want to see it soooooo bad .
:(
when is the third installment airing, i remembered watching the first one when i was younger i never thought i would see cloud as again thanks to you and the horse after the military i found a perfect therapy for me she is a yearling and i call her sand-storm, best investment evermade.
Look for the third installment of the Cloud story to appear sometime next season, which begins fall 2009. More details to come.
I cant wait for the 3rd installment! Cloud is the best series for all horse lovers!! I have the first 2 movies and I was amazed at what Katheren has done with the wild horses!!!
i love cloud i wonder how he sikita flint and storm are doing???? Cloud Rocks :)
cloud is a real insperation to many people because of what he does to protect his family! Cloud Rocks! Live on!
is he still with sikca? and what happend to boulder?
The biogenics of these wild horses must be preserved. Surely our government, who can supply funds for clunkers, can find a way to fund the BLM and the wild horses. If we lose our wildlife, we will lose our freedom as well. The American people need to realize that when we let the government control everything, we the people will be left with nothing of our own. The wild horses must be preserved, if for no other reason than that this country owes the horse for it’s very existance. Without the horse, we would have had to walk through out country as it expanded from sea to sea. I hope and pray that there are a few good horsement sitting in Congress that will come to the aid of our wild horse legacy.
hi i have never see and of the cloud series but i herd there great i have been hoping to maybe catch a rerun but so far nothing i cant wait fot the 3 one to come out does he still have sika and what about her filly and blue sues filly
[...] Cloud programs, will be removed. Many of the horses you’ll meet in the next Cloud program, Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions, may be gone from the wild by the time this program [...]
i have seen Clould, Wild Stallion of the Rockies and Clouds Legacy, Wild Stallion Returns. at the end of the second one Sitca had a foal named Storm. then when i watched the preview of Cloud, Challenge of The Stallions, Storm wasnt in it. What happened to Storm??
I cannot wait for this. I’m so upset that many of the horses may be gone. Cloud and his family has fascinated me since when I first got the book. I really want to know what’s going on with his herd. I love Flint!
OMG, I am a HUGE fan of Cloud! I’m really sad that a bunch of his family is being rounded up, but at least he is okay. I can’t wait for this one to come out!!!!!
i would like to see a rerun of the first two Cloud documentaries, Cloud: Wild Stallion of the Rockies & Cloud’s Legacy – The Wild Stallion Returns, before the third one, Cloud – Challenge of the Stallions, is aired next month!
i am get verry exected about the new Clould CHapter i cant get chanel 7 i have to wate to get at AMzon .com
You did an awsome job! I wish I could have been with you when you filmed it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE horses! And soooooooo want to own one some day. Maybe if I get married I can talk my husband into it. IDK. Well, I cant wait for the third movie and want to see it badly. Please keep filming, and trying your best to keep these animals alive. Including cloud. From watching the videos, I have grown to love Cloud even thogh I have never seen him up close. Keep up the good work, Sydney
OMG I love Cloud so much! This show is so amazing, it gave me so much insight into natural horse behavior! Ginger Kathrens did such an amazing job on these videos! I can’t wait for the third one to come out on October 25! It’s so much fun learning about horses by watching Cloud and his family! Thank you Ginger for going through all the trouble of filming cloud for us! I can’t wait to find out whats been happening to Cloud!
have to see this i love horses i love the wild i love wild horses i want to see them all red raven, dimond , flint, bolder, cloud, raven and everyone
Can’t wait to see the 3rd….
Interesting!
“The Judas horse was released and raced past him. What happened next was a first for me. Cloud completely ignored the lure of the Judas horse! When the corral came into view he slowed and the band pushed in around him, trying to run away from the helicopter. Dust swirled around them as Cloud stopped and turned to face the chopper and stood still for a few seconds. Then, he turned following his family into the corral. I have never seen this kind of defiant courage . . . ever. And so, I ask that we take his lead. Courage is what we need now. Courage and tenacity. We must keep up the fight.”
Senator Graham and Senator Wilson are going to help save Cloud, his family, and his herd. I E-Mailed them and they said Yes.
i am Gong to Record Clould Challenge of Stillon on tv i got detal Vrs and DVD player show i Can Record it 7:00 pm
I think it sad that the Government cannot let these horses alone. We have national parks. This should also include wild horse which are allowed to roam free without the threat of being captured and sold into bondage. Why can’t we all enjoy these horses instead of just a few? Was this under Bush’s administration or Obama’s?
Check out this website for more information!!! http://www.thecloudfoundation.org Help these wonderful creatures be free!
This is such a great story, too bad Ginger was not able to tell about the tragic out come of the round ups to Clouds herd and other wild horse herds. Some horses are still lame from the helicopter chase and wild horse herds will never be the same. They will never be able to come back from these round ups and all wild horses will be lost thanks to the BLM who has their heart set on killing off ALL wild horses left in the wild and the ones already in long term holding pens. Call today and tell the BLM you want them to stop killing the wild horses and let them run free again.
seriously pissed right now. Why doesn’t PBS post their videos online??? I was lookign for this all week—but cant watch it on tv as our pbs was replaced wid something else. very very disapointed.
tia
Don’t worry! This episode will be available online starting tomorrow.
Cloud smoud, what about raven. Is he still alive?
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO STOP THE BLM FROM ROUNDING UP THESE HORSES UNLESS THEY HAVE GAURANTEED HOMES FOR THEM!! WHAT HAPPENED TO CLOUD?
I AGREE WITH YOU ELLEN THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO STOP BLM AND LET NATURE TAKES IT’S COURSE.
What a wonderful documentary about our wild horses! Ginger did a fantastic job. Why is the BLM darting horses to control the population but putting foals born late in jeopardy? I think this method of limiting births should be stopped or we will no longer have our wild horses left to make great videos of.
I’m so disgusted right now that I can’t get the chat with Ginger to work. I have hated the BLM since the 1970s, when I was a little kid and read about these helicopter roundups of wild horses. I, too, want to know: WHAT HAPPENED TO CLOUD AND THE OTHERS?
I too am so sad to hear about the round up of all the horses.Why cant people just let nature take its course.It makes me so angry and I am deeply deeply disturbed and very sad hearing what is going on.I wish something can be done.
This was a beautiful and inspirational program. Thank you very much for all the time and love that went into it.
I am appalled that the BLM believes rounding up horses is a good thing to do. Thanks for the questions and answers on the other page. I intend to write to everyone I can and let them know this is wrong. This has to be stopped.
WHY IN THE NAME OF GOD DID THE WILD HORSES HAVE TO BE ROUNDED UP BY HELICOPTER, AND SOLD OFF? CAN’T ANYTHING REMAIN WILD?
Ginger never fails to deliver. Her love for these horses comes through in every scene and word she says. I hope there are many more programs on the wild horses of the Pryors in the works.
I loved it I just watched it on tv but I did not know that there were different parts I only seen part 3 not the other 2 parts Cloud is so beautiful.
Laughable & deplorable that this show was included in the “Nature” series, which otherwise focuses on science. The show would have been acceptable under “POV.” It’s fine that people love feral livestock and want to champion their cause, but the film was subjective, ignored the environmental impact of human-introduced species, and had no scientific merit.
I just saw the 3rd part of the “Cloud” saga…it was beautiful and so interesting. I don’t know who BLM is and don’t understand why they have to control or limit births…can’t anyone leave nature alone??
Watched the 3rd installment and was hooked. Have since bought the 1st & 2nd also. Hats off to Ginger for the EXCELLENT series she has produced. Some of the footage is amazing. Thanks again!!!!
I have seen these wild horses on my numerous motorcyle rides in the Pryor Mountains. They are amazing creatures.
I am a furm believer and lover of what you represent. I am so interested in purchesing the full volume of cloud I see there are three epesodes. Lee
MB McMichael – Yes, the horse was introduced to America. But it had a profound impact in the culture and behavior of both the indigenous Americans and immigrants alike. Understanding the behavior of a domesticated animal is of tremendous importance for ensuring the appropriate treatment of these animals. I always found how we handled horses to be a little rough handed, and hopefully work done by Ms. Kathrens and others can help improve their lives. Quite an appropriate goal for the program. I wholeheartedly disagree with the “Laughable & deplorable” epithet you ascribe to it.
Ellen, Charlie and Thomas – The land that is not within a park and not owned by private individuals is under the control of the BLM, a unit of the Department of the Interior. There is a LOT of land in the US under the BLM and for the most part it is completely unregulated.
If you are upset about what is happening in the BLM, talk to your local congressperson and express your opinion on increasing funding and land allocation to the national park services.
Don’t take my word for it. Look up the BLM, the Nation Park Service and organizations that work with them. Google is your friend :).
I loved watching the saga of cloud and am glad to hear via the last show that he is corraled and safe and that his family can eat and not be mountain lion food. Roberta
I love watching Cloud. I am so happy his family didn’t get caught by the BLM. why does the BLM have to round so many horses anyway? Thank you so much Miss Ginger for the amazing series you’ve produced. I understand alot more about wild horses then I ever did before. Thanks again!!!! Rachel
Years ago I cared for a herd of horses that lived
more or less on their won & free for 9 months out of each year.
This series brings back those memories & so much more.
I appluade Ms. Kathrens for her dedication in keeping the majesty & plight of the wild horses in the public eye.
I look forward to many more episodes.
My husband and I were looking for something to watch and stumbled across the the last 10 minutes of Challenge of the Stallions on PBS and were so impressed with the film we wanted to see the whole show. We caught another showing and loved the film. We both were bothered by the so called round up to these wonderful horses and want to know what happened to Cloud and his family. How are these wonderful animals being treated if they have been captured? What happens to them if they do not find a home for the horses? I had trouble sleeping thinking these wonderful animals might be put down rather than released back to the wild. If the point is to thin them out so they do not over populate and die of hunger or disease, why not let the ones they can not find homes for back into the wild rather than killing them. If some are given to homes that would thin out the population, correct? Just want to know what happen to Cloud?
10/31/09 i caught one of clouds story it was breath taken of the wild horses have servived i would truley loved to be kepted on coulds future and would enjoy to be part of knowing his pastof where he was born i am so into horses i cant have one where i live at my age i am only able to to handle dogs and cats. so i do dog and cat rescue. my heart is into al those that do horse rscue. i some day before i pass that i could visit a horse rescue in the mountain and maybe be able to go out to see wild horses. i thank you mary j coder
What a great show I’m not a horse person but while channel surfing this morning I saw this show Cloud challenge of the stallions. was instantly hooked.Now I would like to know more.What passion it must take to follow the lives of these beautifull animals. Thank you
i love mustangs! this show is deffinatly horse lover material! i cant wait to see another episode. i never seem to find it on though. DX im so mad that Image was auctioned off!!! i think he was a spitting image of his father. its not fair, i dont think ive ever seen a mustang of that color until i watched this show. GREAT WORK KEEP IT UP!!! i cant wait for a new episode! btw your mustang (i forget the name) is beautiful!
how do i purchase all three cloud episodes?
So beautiful and inspiring, thank you for this portrait of these gorgeous and noble eocene mammals. (my birds are squawking, i guess they’re jealous :)
I’ve only gotten to see the 3rd episode Did not expect Cloud’s story to end this way. Round ups have to be stopped!! Go to live discussion with Ginger. VERY informative of how we can all help stop these tragic events and interuption of nature.Ginger also has up to date info on there about how Cloud and the others are doing.
I like so many others am heart sick when told Cloud and his family was captured. I’ve enjoyed each of the 3 episodes and by fluke have inherited a Pryor Mt. mustang that I adore. He looks very much like many in the show. His spirit is different than other domesticated horses. Tigger was taken from the wild when just 1 yr old. I don’t like captivity for these beautiful horses but if they are already captured I feel privileged to share my life with him. I will write my Congressmen to express my views.
We saw this wonderful film 2 days before going to Assateaque Island. While on the other side of the country, the social life is the same. We will be re-viewing online as much of the “Cloud” films as possible.
Oh no! I have been waiting months for this episode, and I have missed it!!! Will it be aired again, or will the episode be posted on here? I am really disappointed and upset that I have missed it :’(
Exciting news!
At The Cloud Foundation you will learn of several special people who have worked pro bono to file a suite and have succeeded in the interim in a 28 day moretorium on roundups. The upcoming Calico roundup will be devastating (as are they all), thousands of horses affected, not just the few in comparison to Cloud’s Pryor roundup, pregnant mares on the long runs in the freezing winter rugged Calico mountains.
WE can help by pressuring our government, DOI and BLM into reason – a permanent moretoreum until the intent of the 1971 law and ROAM Act are followed – write, call, fax, e-mail the President, Ken Salazar and all your congressional representatives – that is what this country is about – we the people speaking out.
URGENT, please go there, thecloudfoundation.org, and read Cheryl Crow’s plea for all of us to help our American Wild Horses! Then take action!
At this Thanksgiving, lets take time to urge them
divert the over 2 million dollars planned for this one Calico roundup, millions more dollars needlessly planned through September 2010, to instead feed our starving population (1.1 million according to Michelle Obama today).