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- The Wild Stallion
Throughout the seven years that filmmaker Ginger Kathrens has followed Cloud, she's come to learn more about wild horses and their deep need for family. As a foal, Cloud had the love and affection of his parents and his many siblings. Now on his own, Cloud must challenge other stallions in order to win his own mares and claim a family. In this slideshow you'll meet Cloud's parents, siblings, and, later, his own mares and children.
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- Cloud's mother: The Palomino Mare
Ginger Kathrens first spotted Cloud in May 1995 when he was just a few hours old. Kathrens describes the moment she named him: "As he slept at the feet of his watchful mother, thin clouds sailed overhead. In that instant, his name came to me. The wispy clouds reminded me of the upright hair on the colt's mane. I decided to call him Cloud."
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- Cloud's father: Raven
Raven, a black stallion with a star on his forehead, was one of the most dominant stallions on the Arrowhead Mountains. His many offspring include: Red Raven, Diamond, and their half-brother, Cloud. Here, Cloud, now with a family of his own, warns Raven off from his mare, Sitka, who is in heat. Family ties not withstanding, Cloud will not allow Raven or any other stallion to get too close to Sitka.
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- Cloud's brother: Diamond
As a young horse Cloud mimicked his older brother Diamond. When Diamond roughhoused with a yearling, Cloud did the same. As bachelors, Diamond and Cloud remained close friends and roamed the region with other horses like rowdy teenagers. The group of bachelors became separated after a roundup by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM, hoping Cloud would breed and pass on his unusual coat color, released him. Other horses were auctioned, including Trace, the blue roan Kathrens adopted.
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- Cloud's brother: Red Raven
Red Raven and Blue Sioux are reunited after Cloud stole his brother's family. Blue Sioux disappeared from Cloud's band when she was about to give birth. She took that time -- the only time Cloud would let her go freely -- to search for Red Raven in the mountaintop and have their baby. As Kathrens describes it, "Red Raven and Blue Sioux seem to share a special devotion."
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- Cloud's mare: Sitka
When he was just four years old Cloud tried to steal a stallion's band. Four-year-old horses are rarely strong enough to become band stallions but that didn't stop Cloud from trying. He would finally get his family after getting a hold of Sitka, the pregnant mare of Shaman, a robust stallion. Cloud became stepfather to Sitka's yearling daughter and, later, her colt, Flint.
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- Cloud's son: Little Cloud
When Plenty Coups, a blue roan band stallion, became injured and lost his mares, Cloud bred his black mare. But Cloud, not yet strong enough to hold onto her, lost the black mare to Shaman, a veteran stallion. Here, Shaman, Little Cloud, and the black mare graze. Little Cloud was a frail foal but as he approached his first birthday, he became stronger, earning him a new name, Bolder.
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- Cloud's stepson: Flint
One late summer afternoon Cloud stole a mare and two yearlings, doubling the size of his band. Flint, named for the rocks so common in the Arrowheads, quickly claimed the bay yearling as a playmate.
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- Set Free
In 2001, Cloud and his family, as well as Shaman's band, were captured in another Bureau of Land Management roundup. All the captured horses had blood drawn, including Cloud and Bolder. The samples were analyzed by world-famous equine geneticist Dr. Gus Cothran, who confirmed that the two horses were father and son. Cloud's family remained confined for weeks because of Flint's injured foot. After Flint received treatment, Cloud, Flint, Sitka, and her daughter were set free. The mare and two yearlings Cloud stole just weeks earlier were auctioned off.
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- Cloud's son: Storm
A week after Flint was born Sitka went into heat and Cloud mated with her. Sitka became pregnant and later gave birth to Storm. Kathrens describes the moment she discovered the new foal: "In a sunny opening I find Cloud's band plus one. A sturdy foal with a big star. A dark version of his father. A storm cloud. I'll call you Storm."
65 Responses to “Photo Gallery: Meet Cloud’s Extended Family”
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Is there any current news as to the status of Cloud and his family? I have just recently become familiar with his story and have not had the privilege of seeing the films that Ginger has made. I would love to see them.
Is there any recent news as to how Cloud and his family are doing? I just recently watched the third installment of the series and I would really like to know how he is doing since the making of that movie. I saw on the internet somewhere that he was caught by the BLM and was injured but was he released back into the wild or was he sold? I would really like to find out.
I will buy a horse from the yearly roundups and then set it free again. Especially if Cloud is kept to sell i will buiy him and set him free for sure.
Cloud is so cute and so is the rest of his family i hope to buy one of clouds sons/daughters at the BLM.I already have 3 horses and i love them. i would love to see more videos!!!!!!
Why did this lady spend seven years in the mountains watching a horse?
I had to take my dog out tonight during the show, and I never got to hear what happened to Little Cloud! I take it he didnt survive, as he was not mentioned after the wildfires. Could someone please fill me in?
I have enjoyed Cloud’s story, and the wonderful work you have done, following him and his family! Thank you so much for sharing him with all of us!
I was flipping through the channels and found this. How many videos are there? I love them so much! Cloud’s son Storm is so beutiful i hope he stays.
what happens 2 sitca i was flipping through channels last night and i saw this so i adomaticly stoped.is there more shows of cloud???? i really injoyed it!!!!
i own 2 quarter horses fancy and cianna
Flint, Boulder and all the other foals were so cute :)
are there going to be any other shows?
you sortof left me hanging with what happend with Sitca???
i wish sitka didn’t have to die :’(
Hello,
I can’t believe I missed Cloud’s Legacy: The Wild Stallion Returns…well, I saw the last 2 minutes. I watch PBS on ch. 2 (-1 & -2) & 44 ( -1, -2, -3 & -4) from Boston, MA; I also watch ch. 36 ( -1 & -2) from RI.
I was wondering if you will be rebroadcasting it anytime soon?
Thanks,
Bonnie (”~)
I LOVE Sitka’s yearling daughter. I call her Absarokee. I wonder where she is and hope she is still alive.
I wish humans would treat them like the native americans did its so sad what man kind is doing to some horses :,(
Wonderful job here. I truly enjoyed what you had to say. Keep going because you undoubtedly bring a new voice to this subject. Not many people would say what youve said and still make it interesting. Well, at least Im interested. Cant wait to see extra of this from you.
i love cloud!!!! i watch every episode of clouds show! Ginger Kathreens is lucky to be seeing all of this! It must be a awsome experience.
cloud you stik
i love cloud,sitka,boulder,little cloud,asnd especially FLINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love all the horses but I am deeply saddened on what people have posted on here. If the BLM did not round horses up every year, the wild horses would die either due to starvation or sickness. You know not every Mustang in the Pyrors is well, many are sick and skinny. I have personally been there many times due to living in Montana. I think it is quite sad to see herds being split up it is for the greater good of the horses so that Wild Horses can be enjoyed for many, many generations to come.
megan , i deeply disagree with you. You are stupid. Wild horses are called wild for a reason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
U R UPID MEGAN! i AGREE WITH LEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love them all
I have grown to loves these horses. My favorites are Cloud, his mother, Electra, Sitka, and Firestorm, but it’s amazing with every generation a Cloud baby was born. The first being Cloud himself, then the second being Boulder, and now his grandcolt Image, we can only hope more Cloud foals will come to keep this amazing Stallion’s legacy alive.
I agree with Megan. I grew up in the horse industry and I would perhaps trade my children for a horse…LOL…jk…but on a serious note, it is much better for a few of these wild horses to suffer a fairly quick and mostly humane death for the better of the rest of the population than for hundreds or thousands to suffer a long, slow, sick starvation.
danielle, megan i get what u think but people get sick to and like lea said they are called WILD for a reason. And if u watch cloud at all horses value freedom and family most and in photos the medows are bright green i doubt they starve :D
I agree with megan, round ups are neccisary unfortunately humans have taken up a lot of land so they dont have much space if 1-2herds arnt rounded up and sold 5-6 would die of stavation
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i love horses too! but really to many of these posting sound like little girls with no real idea about the real world or how it works. management is a ugly but needed fact. sorry but it`s true deal with it!!!!!
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