This handsome young stallion is Max. He got his bay roan color from his Momma Sydney and his handsome conformation from his Papa Mystique.
The day his was born he was stolen in a matter of minutes by Little Socks. Mystique didn’t seem to mind and never put up a fight. Instead he focused on his loving relationship with his mare Treasure. Sydney seemed to be fighting some internal infection .
Perhaps from being bred or giving birth but clearly she was not a healthy mare for many months. Always not feeling well , resting often and just very thin.
We witnessed other mares go through this and knew she should eventually recover on her own. Little Socks just loved being with Max and we thought he was the perfect dad.
But one day he decided he had bigger fish to fry and he fought to take over his dads large band. He left Sydney and Max on the side of the trail alone while he took over the band. He never looked back or made an attempt at recovering Sydney.
While she stood alone Carson came and lowered his head, snaking his neck and drove her to his band, where she remains to this day.
Max missed Little Socks but Little Socks was busy trying to control the new band and rarely gave his old family a thought.
Max was always seen, side by side with his Momma and the two were incredibly close. Even after he grew up and left the band, he frequently returned to nuzzle his Momma and say hello. Carson seemed to tolerate the visits. He liked Max.
Max is now 3 and a half and has turned into quite a gorgeous young man. To look at Sydney you would have never guessed he would get this beautiful. Because she was a young mare when she fought her infection it stunted her growth and she never got to reach her full potential.
I just can’t wait to see Max in the spring. His testosterone levels will peak and he will bloom.
This will make his human adopted Mom, Cheryl Broumley so proud. He has been her favorite since the day he arrived and she prays he is never removed from the wild.