Portrait of a Mustang

Featured Image for November 2021

"Portrait of a Mustang"

Cristo was branded, identifying him as a Mustang.  I was curious about the branding, and found this information on the internet:

When a wild horse is rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), they are given a freeze brand on their neck. This marking indicates that the horse is federally owned. Each one is unique and has identifying information like birth date and capture location.  Captured horses are freeze branded on the left side of the neck by the BLM, using the International Alpha Angle System, a system of angles and alpha-symbols that cannot be altered.  Although it is generally accepted that freeze branding is less painful than hot-iron branding, it is still less commonly used. This is due to the fact that freeze branding is more expensive because the materials are less common and can evaporate if they are not kept properly cooled.

This image was taken in San Luis Obispo on a Return to Freedom photo safari on June 29, 2018.