Pretty Pony Ranch News

Fall is Here

2011-10-10T12:31:00.001-07:00

For all of my friends who made it through the drought this summer, I applaud your perseverance. It isn't easy having to sell your herd due to lack of water but as stewards of the land, we have to make tough decisions sometimes. I just hate seeing the ads for cattle, selling below market value, due to no feed.

For those of you that still have your livestock, I wish you luck. The hay prices have gone crazy, and already, there have been hay rationing going on around here! Its just mind-boggling to me, but I suspect it will only get worse as the winter gets closer.

Speaking of winter, I shoveled 4 inches of snow just a few days ago. Where is Indian Summer!?

Within a few weeks, I will be loading up some of the young horses and heading east. I hate to leave Colorado, but have a great opportunity that I just can not pass up. If you don't hear from me for a while, not to worry. All change is for the better. My email will still find me, although a quick reply may be lacking.

BH TNT aka "Bomber"

2011-06-05T06:21:00.000-07:00

Finally the coats have shed out to the point where I can take a photo and not think the babies look too scruffy. I will add more as the babies get worked.

This is a colt I liked from the first day I saw him weaned at the Hurley's BH Ranch in Clarksville two yrs ago. Out of the last living son of SMUG REED, this colt really is built well, has great color, and after just working with him only twice in the round pen, has shown me his willingness to please, wonderful mind and temperament.

I call him Bomber, as I think he will really "Be the BOMB" when his time comes. Bobby Hurley was mad at me for getting this colt because he wanted to keep him as a replacement for the sire, SMUGS RAWHIDE, who is 22 yrs old this year.

Watch for this colt in the next couple of years. I have never had a palomino before but I think I have a very nice one here.

Finally!!

2011-05-31T05:23:00.000-07:00

What a challenge it has been trying to recover all my files, documents and photos from a crashed computer! I strongly believe in an external hard drive now. Some days I really long for the times when cell phones and computer didn't run our lives. Now we can't live without them.

The EHV-1 virus has every horse owner in Colorado nervous! CSU Vet School has put a couple of horses down and recommended staying home if you didn't really HAVE to haul your horses anywhere. There were lots of rumors flying around, you really can't even imagine the panic. I choose to sit tight for a few weeks, even if it meant not bringing a mare and foal back from Arkansas, and leaving Huey at the trainer for a couple more weeks. I wasn't worried about my horses bringing anything into my herd. I was more worried about where other people's horses had been. Better to be safe than sorry. Hopefully, the virus will be contained and we can get back to going where ever we were going. I did save some fuel money so its not a total loss.

Spring and soon summer has finally come to Colorado. I have a couple of mares due this month that I am looking forward to seeing their babies by Mack. He is turning into a wonderful horse, but like most of mine right now, he needs more wet saddle blankets! That's my fault but I have been busy keep up with life.

Goose is doing great, too. He will be my mounted shooting horse this year. I have gone to a couple of practice shoots and he is such a good arena horse. Standing next to the trailer is a different story. He doesn't stand still, ever.. But as soon as you saddle him up, he turns into Mr. Business Man, totally professional and totally a gentleman. I am really glad I changed my mine about selling him..

I really need to get some photos of my young stallion prospects. Boy are they looking good! I have two Maverick 3 year olds and a Smug Rawhide 2 year old that are going to be very nice.

There could be some surprises in store this summer. I'll keep you posted.

Cowboy Code

2011-04-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.

2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.

3. Let's get this straight: it's called a "gravel road". I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way

4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it I-10, I-40, I-70 and I-80 go east and west, I-17, I-15, I-25 and I-35 goes north and south. Pick one.

5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $300,000 combines that are driven 3 weeks a year.

6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept…

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/doves are comin' in during the hunts, we WILL shoot it outa your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.

9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.

11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.

12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah . . We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat...
IT AIN'T REAL CHILI !!!

13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

14. College and High School Football is more important here than the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.

15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.

16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your drawers! Refer back to #1!

UPDATING THE WEBSITE

2011-03-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

Finally, I am adding new photos and updating the web site. I have heard from many of you, "When are you going to update the website?"..Patience my friends, all comes in good time. The weather is getting better, the horses are shedding and the time has come to start taking photos again! Keep checking back..

New Start

2011-02-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

New starts can be stressful, but sometimes are necessary. The unknown is scary. New beginnings make us focus on what is really important in our lives. Time has come for a new start.

Last year was a bad one for me and for many others, too. The horse industry and horse sales suffered. Not wanting to dwell on it but it was just not a very good year. It did, however, give me the chance to reflect on the direction I wanted to go in with my breeding program.

Personally, there have been changes and challenges as well but those things only make us stronger. I hope to be moving to a ranch soon, most of the mares and young stock are there already. I can't tell you how happy I will be when I can open my back door, walk out and see all my horses. It will be a very special moment for me. Yes, there will be hard work. Yes, there will be other challenges but in the long run, it will all be worth the effort.

After much consideration and careful thought, I decided I had to get back to what originally brought me on this journey. That was Maverick and his breeding. I loved him and all that he was. Funny how life will sidetrack you. Maybe I was just blind and didn't read the signs. I now have two stud colts by Maverick that are turning 3 yrs old this year that I have great hopes for. I haven't taken many photos of them yet but when I do post them, you will just be amazed when you see how much like Maverick they are.

With three nice blue roan stallions or stallion prospects upcoming, I had to make some tough decisions. Keeping some means selling others. I almost just flipped a coin. It wasn't easy trying to figure out which one(s) to sell or keep, but I decided to sell two younger ones and hold onto Goose.

Goose has earned a spot in my heart, even though I had resisted for the longest time. It was hard for Goose to take over where Maverick left off and I didn't give him the credit that was due until recently. Goose has been a wonderful working ranch horse, rope horse, travel partner and is passing all that and more to his foals.

To all my friends who have called and checked in on me from time to time, thank you. It really meant a lot to me. If I haven't reached out to you lately, I will. More news to come. More changes coming. soon. Keep checking back.

Merry Merry Christmas to All

2010-12-23T08:04:00.001-08:00

'Twas the night before Christmas & out on the ranch

The pond was froze over & so was the branch.

The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.

The kids were all home on vacation from school,

And happier young folks you never did see-

Just all sprawled around a-watchin' TV.

Then suddenly, some time around 8 o'clock,

There came a surprise that gave them a shock!

The power went off, the TV went dead!

When Grandpa came in from out in the shed

With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.

"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.

"Them power line wires must be down from the snow.

Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."

"I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom. "With their light,

And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right."

The teen-agers all seemed enveloped in gloom.

Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,

Uncased his old fiddle & started to play

That old Christmas song about bells on a sleigh.

Mom started to sing, & 1st thing they knew

Both Pop & the kids were all singing it, too.

They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"

Their eyes all a-shine in the ruddy firelight.

They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,

And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.

They stayed up till midnight-and, would you believe,

The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve.

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;

And when the kids wakened, the power was on..

"The power company sure got the line repaired quick,"

Said Grandpa - & no one suspected his trick.

Last night, for the sake of some old-fashioned fun,

He had pulled the main switch - the old Son-of-a-Gun!

-anonymous

ANOTHER ANGEL

2010-08-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

There is another amazing angel in Heaven today. My 83 yr old mother died last night. No suffering, no health issues, her mind was clear as a bell. Mom went to bed late, and never made it into the bed, died of massive stroke instantly. She was found when she didn't get up to walk her dog, and he was barking. My sister tried CPR but to no avail. Mom played the organ at a little country church each Sunday. She still played clarinet in the local band concerts in the park. She still walked her dog, milked her goats, and worked with county fair each year. She wrote letters, even though she finally figured out how to use email. Ironically, I was writing her a letter this morning. Her last letter is sitting on my kitchen table. Sure will miss her a lot. But what a way to go if you have to die!

What I Didn't Do on My Summer Vacation

2010-07-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, the pastures are green for the time being and the horses are getting really fat. Fat because I can't ride!

While riding with friends before Memorial Day, I had a minor wreck. I was on Handsome Hank, and my good friend was riding her 3 yr old filly. The filly took off bucking and while my friend stuck with the filly for three or four good jumps, my friend hit the ground pretty hard. I got off of Hank to see how she was and the filly took off down the lane, bucking and squealing. My friend got the air knocked out of her and cracked some ribs. As I looked up, the filly was running back towards me. Hank turned in front of me, which blocked the filly from running over me, but I got spun around and knocked to the ground. I thought Hank was going to step on me but I just got twisted around. When I tried to get up, I noticed my foot was pointing in the wrong direction. I kept trying to get up, but no luck. My foot was broken.

By the time the horses were unsaddled and put up, I really had the whir-lies and was sick to my stomach. So off to the emergency room we went! The xrays showed a very bad and unusual break to the bone that holds the foot to the leg. I was admitted and in surgery within 3 hours! The orthopedic surgeon told me this is the same break that race car drivers get when they hit a wall at a high rate of speed. Hmm, and all I was doing was standing on the ground..

Anyway, I am not riding for a couple more weeks. My friends have rallied around me, taking care of all the critter chores and driving Miss Daisy everywhere. Boy, I am not used to just sitting around. My garden looks like a jungle, my colts aren't getting handled, I'm not riding or roping this summer. Its not much fun. but Hank likes being turned out in the pasture and being lazy. Hope your summer is better!

Out for the Summer

2010-06-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

I hadn't planned on taking the entire summer off. Handsome Hank already had the winter off for the first time since I've had him. We were just getting out to the brandings and doing some roping. Mack just came back from Blue Allen's winter training camp and I had plans to show him this year in the junior ranch horse classes. All the colts were branded and needed to get handled and halter broke. While I have been busy this spring with a new business, I was really looking forward to my annual summer trip to the Alvord Ranch in Oregon. But I guess that wasn't in the cards for me this year.

I had met with my friend Heidi, her sister and a mutual friend to go on a real slow trail ride to talk a bit of business one lovely Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago. Heidi was riding her 3 yr old filly, I was on Handsome Hank and the less experienced riders were riding Heidi's two seasoned horses. We get everyone saddled, stirrups adjusted and were just waiting for Heidi to close the gate. Heidi steps into the saddle and her filly decides to rear. Not a problem for Heidi! She had ridden tougher. When the filly landed, I saw her hump up and she took off bucking. Heidi stuck with her for a couple of good jumps, then landed hard in the grass. The filly continues down the trail, squealing and bucking, like a little idiot. Heidi was on the ground, not moving much, so I got off of Hank to make sure she was alright. All this time, the other two riders were behind me, sort of wondering what to do next. As I walked towards Heidi, the filly noticed that she was all alone about 150 feet down the trail. She stopped, turned and started running back to the group. I didn't want her to run into the horses behind me, spook them, and have all of the riders get hurt. So I tried to block her and slow her down, and wanted to grab her reins when she came by. Hank didn't like that idea. He turned in front of me but when he did, I couldn't see where that filly was at. Hank being 16.2h and the filly was 13.2h, she just disappeared behind him.

After Hank turned in front of me, he knocked me over and I fell to the ground. I really thought I had just twisted my ankle, but when I noticed that my boot was pointing off in the wrong direction, I knew it was broken. I told Heidi, who was still on the ground trying to get some air in her lungs, that I thought my foot was broken. She struggled to her feet. She had horses to tie up, unsaddle, and put away with cracked ribs! After the horses got tended to, I was helped to the awaiting car for the ride to the hospital emergency room. That's when I started getting really sick to my stomach and the whirlies hit me.

Once at the hospital, I had to get my boot off. The first words out of my mouth was "SAVE THE BOOT!" I really didn't want them to cut my boot off so I talked the staff nurses into giving me some morphin before they tried pulling the boot off. Now at this point my foot was pointing off at about 10 o'clock. One nurse held my leg up, one nurse pulled on my boot and spur, while I held my sock with two hands. After some not so gentle maneuvering, the boot came off, and I went to get xrays.

Within a few hours, I was admitted, the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Surgeon was called and I was prepped for surgery. WHAT? I thought I could get the foot taped up with duct tape and I was going to come back the next day, when the swelling was gone to get the broken bone set. But that was not going to happen. Apparently, the dislocated ankle along with the broken bone, that was suppose to be holding my foot to my leg, was very unusual and bad enough to warrant immediate surgery ~!YIKES!~

Now, instead of riding and roping, I'm going to be spending my summer sitting around for the next 9-12 weeks with my foot up, or hobbling on crutches and no riding! Luckily, my friend Catherine was planning on coming up from Texas for a few weeks and has been here ever since, driving " Miss Daisy" around town. I have great friends......

If anyone has any great ideas to keep myself occupied while I rehab, please let me know. I am bored out of my mind! Give me a call or even an email.

Weekend on the Ranch

2010-04-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

Sat: My weekend started with a mare foaling out in a foggy, windy, rainy, cold 38* pasture at 6 a.m. Got the mare into a closer trap, baby was wet and very cold so I had the towels and iodine in the car along with a foal blanket, then noticed the mare was shivering and wet too. I decided I needed to get the trailer and load the two up for some drier, warmer accommodations since the weather report was rain all weekend long. Wrestled the mare, foal and somehow managed to hold the trailer door open despite the wind blowing it closed, and lift the foal into the trailer. Mom followed along and seemed to be glad to be out of the wind. Drove the two to the barn, made a big stall and I was happy they were warm. Mack's first foal is a line back dun filly. Woo Hoo!

Sun: I had to brand and worm the colts. I did a couple of them when they were gelded but had to finish the rest. That meant roping and choking a couple of them. Twitched em, wormed em, clipped em and branded em. Moved a couple of larger yearlings into a bigger pen.

Mon: The new filly foal had bloody Hershey squirts and seemed listless so I called the vet to be sure the little thing was not trying to get sick on me. Blood drawn, vitamin shot and long acting antibiotics (and a $350 vet bill) and washed her poopy bottom with Murphy's Oil Soap. Her baby butt was chapped!

The 3 yr old blue roan stud didn't like his new neighbors in the larger pen and chased one over the fence, busting the top two boards. Fixed fence most of the afternoon...

Doctored the yearling blue roan colt's hind foot. Somehow he got a good size chunk torn out of it.

Need to ride but haven't found the time yet.. Life on the ranch is never dull..

IS IT SPRING YET?

2010-04-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

With a wet spring snow every week and mud every where else, it is hard to imagine when Spring will arrive in the Rockies. We need the moisture but I am so tired of shoveling snow! The warmer weather is out there for sure, just wish it would get here. When it is 65 degrees one day and then 23 degrees the next, it is hard on the horses.

The mares are trying to shed the winter hair only to need it the next day. I only have one mare foaling this year, and she is due within the week. Hopefully she will wait until the next storm passes. The other mares were late foalers so they were left open. I doubt that they have even started to cycle yet with all the snow and rain.

I finally got out to ride Hank yesterday. For the first time in 6 yrs, Hankster had the winter off, and he sure did winter well! I had to dig out the hole punch to add two holes to his girth strap. The rear cinch was let out to the last one on one side and second to last one on the off side. But Hank was good and seemed to enjoy all the attention he was finally getting. He was blanketed all winter and I guess I thought I would be showing him but never did. Just got too busy with the new business, more on that later.

Rio on the other hand, still acts like a little kid at age 7. He rubs his halter off when tied, so he can wander where he wants to. He can open a chained gate and lets himself out. He is just such a character. Rio got cleaned up yesterday, too and he gets saddled today.

The 3 yr old dun Maverick gelding, Rocky, needs to get started. I haven't made it down to Texas with horses this year because Martin had just as much snow and bad weather in Sanger as we did in Colorado! I decided to hold on to this gelding for a while. He is really big, really pretty. Since his older brother, Topper, has turned out so nice, I wanted to keep Rocky. I don't have any Maverick geldings. The colts I do have I will keep as stallions for a bit longer before deciding to cut them.

As far as the new business goes, I truly feel it was a no brainer. You eat good food and make money. It was offered to my by my friend Libby Hurley. The Hurleys bred Maverick and when Libby called me about this opportunity, as first, I thought I don't need more on my plate right now (pun intended). As I learned more about this company, and the fact that it was first in the industry to deliver gourmet food to your doorstep, I was more and more intrigued. I actually drove 14 hrs to meet with the owners, to learn the business and to get started. Since last November, I have opened up Maine, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, with New Mexico and Nevada to follow soon. I am #5 in the company right now. If you want to make some extra money and eat good food, I will tell you all about it.

Hopefully you will be seeing some new photos of the colts soon. Just as soon as I can get the mats and mud off of them! Enjoy your Spring..

CATTLE GUARDS

2010-03-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have never traveled to the West or Southwest, cattle guards are horizontal steel rails placed at fence openings, in dug-out places in the roads adjacent to highways (sometimes across highways), to prevent cattle from crossing. For some reason the cattle will not step on the guards, probably because they fear getting their feet caught between the rails.

A few months ago, President Obama received a report that there were over 100,000 cattle guards in Colorado . Because Colorado ranchers had protested his proposed changes in grazing policies, he ordered the Secretary of the Interior to fire half of the guards immediately.

Before the Interior Secretary could respond and presumably straighten him out, Vice-President, Joe Biden intervened with a request that before any guards were fired, they be given six months of retraining.

And we PAY these people???

This blog has moved

2010-03-15T13:02:00.001-07:00

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RANCH WOMEN

2010-03-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

Reasons not to assault a Ranch Woman!

Violence does not scare us...

We ride 1500 pound horses and stare down an alley full of mad, snot slinging cows that weigh over 800 pounds.

We've held down cows that outweigh you by four times. Don't try to intimidate us. Most of our husbands stand a head and shoulders taller than us and out-weigh us by 100 pounds and we aren't scared of them. Why should we be frightened by someone who can't keep their pants up?

Every time we work cows, our husbands threaten us if we don't get out of the gate. They threaten us if we don't stay in the gate. We are pretty much not impressed by threats. Plus if you get much closer, we may give you some threats of our own to consider and be able to back it up.

Don't wave that knife at me boy. I castrate. When we brand, we throw the mountain oysters on the fire and eat them dirt and all. You probably don't want to go there!!!

Don't threaten to steal my pickup. I work for a living so I have insurance. The chances of you being able to drive a standard are next to none and there is no spare. I've walked from the back side of the ranch. I can walk from here.

You want my purse? Take it. It has little money in it because as I mentioned I work for a living. You will find various receipts for feed and vet supplies, some dried up gum and the notice for my next teeth cleaning. The only drugs you will find in there is something that is either aspirin or a calf scour pill but it's been in there so long I've forgotten which one is which.

Don't threaten to hurt me. I may look old and fragile to you, but I can ride horseback for 12 hours with nothing to eat or drink. I have been kicked, bucked off, run over and mucked out. I've had worse things happen to me in the pens than you have experienced in the little gang wars you've been through, and still cooked supper for a crew...

You may whip me son but you'll be a tired and sore SOB in the morning and yes I will remember your face because I am used to knowing which calf belongs to which cow. I'll also remember which direction you went and what you were wearing because I have tracked many a cow with less information than you've given me.

You are not going to scare me with that little 'Saturday Night Special' when I have a .38 in my boot. Don't think I won't shoot you! I've shot several coyotes and numerous rattle snakes. I put down my horse when he broke his leg and shot my pet dog when he killed a calf. Don't think I won't consider you a rabid dog and go on my way.

New Photos

2010-01-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

I just got some new photos from my annual summer trip to the Alvord Ranch in July 09. Thank you so much, Kim, the photos are wonderful!

Life's Lessons and Memories

2010-01-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

I got woken up this morning by the phone call I knew was going to come soon, but you never want to get. After complications from a surgery that my father didn't need to have, his body finally gave out and he passed away this morning.

My father was WWII veteran and a world traveler. While working for the government in the 50 and 60's, he travel to Saudi Arabia where he met personally with King Fisal. I used to collect the different colored baggage tags off his suitcases when he returned for a trip.

He lived in Alaska when it was really wild. One of his projects was putting the DEW Line across the top of Alaska and Canada when the cold war was still a threat. I remember a story he told me about flying into the wilderness, landing on a lake in a remote location and the plane being attacked by a moose.

My father taught me to sail and we navigated the Lake Michigan together. He raced Star class sail boats every weekend. Because of him, I can single had a 55ft sail boat alone and even have raced ice boats across a frozen Mecox Bay in the Hamptons. He was a photographer and would let me help in the dark room he set up in our basement when I was 5 yrs old. He was a pilot of both fixed wing and gliders. As a young child, we would fly to Grandma's house in Ill. instead of driving. This was long before the interstate highway system was built.

Dad seem to bounce from one hobby to another. He was an amateur radio operator, his call sign was W8EDN. He would sit for hours with stacks of electronic equipment in front of him, talking to people all over the country. I was usually sitting on his lap.

He raised, trained and showed dogs, and always had a dog or two on his lap or lying at his feet.

Dad always had sports cars, MG's and later V-12 Jaguars, and could super tune two 8 barrel carbs to perfection. The last Jag he owned was called Miss Kitty. I remember the day I got that car, he cried in the driveway when it was being loaded on the flat bed, taking it to its new home. It is parked in my garage right now. Because of him, I was a Jaguar judge at a Jaguar Concourse D'Elegance.

Dad taught me to respect firearms at an early age, taking me to the pistol range when he was target practicing.

He told me how proud he was of me when I was training exotics and elephants. My only regret is that he never got to see how much I loved riding or showing my horses, or rope a cow or doctor a calf.

Life is short but when someone you love leaves this earth, they leave behind a lifetime of memories. Thank you Dad, for all you left with me.

MY WISH for 2010

2009-12-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

My Wish for You in 2010

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the many problems you had, forget your home address! May 2010 be the best year of your life!!!

Pride

2009-12-28T09:09:00.001-08:00

From “ These Were the Vaqueros”

Collected works of Arnold Rojas

1974

“A man transmits his state of mind to his horse.
A rider who doesn’t have enough pride in his trade to
decorate his outfit with a little silver never rides a good horse,
and a horse that has no pride is never any good.”

Christmas Eve Morning

2009-12-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

It was 2 degrees this morning when I went to feed the mares. The wind had died down, the sun was just coming out. The old mare, VooDoo, has her blanket when it gets below 20 degrees and snowy. She had snowballs in her feet, so I took out my knife and dug them out so she wasn't standing on "high heels". I had to chop ice in the stock tank even though there was a heater. Just another cold winter day in Colorado. When it gets really cold I feed heavy the night before so the mares have something in their tummies to keep them warm. Even the mini-donkeys got blanketed last night!

The house is decorated, the lights are all on, candles are lit. The smells of cinnamon and apples fill the kitchen but I haven't gotten around to baking cookies or making fudge yet. The Christmas cards are going to be late - again. Most of my friends who know me well, understand and even look forward to a January Update letter.

On Christmas Day, I will go for a ride in the field. Enjoy your holidays and stop to appreciate the wonderful blessings in your life!

♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ We Wish You a Merry ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Christmas ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ We Wish You a Merry ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Christmas ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ We Wish You A Merry ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Christmas ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪...And A Happy New Year!♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪.. ♥ ♥ ♥

1930-1979

2009-11-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE

1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers
Who smoked and/or drank while they were
Pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing,
Tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles,
Locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode
Our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.

As infants & children,
We would ride in cars with no car seats,
No booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day
Was always a special treat.

We drank water
From the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends,
From one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon.
We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar.
And, we weren't overweight.
WHY?

Because we were
Always outside playing...that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day,
As long as we were back when the
Streetlights came on.

No one was able
To reach us all day.. And, we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps
And then ride them down the hill, only to find out
We forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes
a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's and X-boxes.
There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable,
No video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's,
No cell phones,
No personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms.
WE HAD FRIENDS
And we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth
And there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt,
And the worms did not live in us
Forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays,
Made up games with sticks and tennis balls and,
Although we were told it would happen,
We did not put out very many eyes..

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and
Knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just
Walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team.
Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law
Was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best
Risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility,
and we learned how to deal with it all.

If YOU are one of them?
CONGRATULATIONS!
You might want to share this with others
who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the
lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives
for our own good.

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know
how brave and lucky their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house
with scissors, doesn't it ?

The quote of the
month is by Jay Leno:
"With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control,
mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms
tearing up the country from one end to another,
and with the threat of swine flu
and terrorist attacks.
Are we sure this is a good time
to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

For Veterans Day

2009-11-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them... I would love, if all my friends on here would copy and paste this statement. Post it where ever you can until sundown on Nov 11th to show your respect for all the brave soldiers that have lost their lives for our country, and to those still serving.

Cowboy Rules

2009-10-31T22:13:00.000-07:00

Cowboy rules for Arizona, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, the Dakota's, Montana, Idaho, Nevada and the rest of the Wild West are as follows:

1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.

2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.

3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.

4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-10 & I-40 go east and west, I-17 & I-5 goes north and south. Pick one and go.

5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3-4 weeks a year.

6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/doves are comin' in during the hunts, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.

9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest
Saturday to the first of November.

10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.

11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.

12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah... We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat ... IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!

13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be dark brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

14. College and High School Football is as important here as the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.

15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.

16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain't music, anyway.. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!

DARWIN AWARDS

2009-10-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

The Darwin 's are out!!!!
Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.

Here is the glorious winner:

1. When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach , California would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies.. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly... He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

Getting Ready for Fall

2009-10-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

Where has summer gone? Did I fall asleep for 3 months and winter is here already? Last week the buckets were frozen and all my plants died.

Since I posted last, I showed Hank at the NVRHA Finals. I really had no big expectations as I really hadn't worked Hank much and guess what, it showed. I tend to use horse shows more as a barometer to figure out what I need to work on for the bigger shows. Not that the NVRHA Finals aren't a big deal. I just would rather Hank do well at the Stockhorse Challenge in Winnemucca or at the WRCA Ranch Horse Championship in Amarillo. So when I showed Hank, he snorted at this and even spooked and refused to walk over ---a bridge---which is completely ridiculous since he has never balked at that before. Anyway, it was fun and now its back to work to get ready for Amarillo.

My wonder horse Rio went to a college rodeo and is now officially back to work! It was important for him to travel alone, without his security guard, Hank. Rio had to sleep outside in the cattle pens, gates banging, hearing the pa system, moving bulls. He did great and I had actually forgotten what a good horse he was. I was so glad to be riding him. We are in unchartered territory. I don't know how much I'll be able to do with him but as long as he is happy and sound, I'll be happy.

BUTTER vs. MARGARINE

2009-08-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

Pass The Butter ... Please. This is interesting ...

I am a BUTTER GIRL!

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings..
DO YOU KNOW.. the difference between margarine and butter? Read on to the end...it gets very interesting!
Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.
Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years .
And now, for Margarine..
Very high in Trans fatty acids.
Triple risk of coronary heart disease .
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
Increases the risk of cancers up to five fold..
Lowers quality of breast milk.
Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
And here's the most disturbing fact.... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!
Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC..
This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and an ything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
You can try this yourself:
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things:
* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

End of Summer?

2009-08-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Gosh, where did the summer go? Did I just miss it? It has been raining so much in Colorado that here it is nearing the end of August and the fields are still green. The good news is that there is plenty of grass for the horses. The bad news is all the rain kept the farmers from getting much hay put up. Just when I thought hay prices might be going down some, now there could be a hay shortage because of TOO MUCH rain.

Mack, the 4 yr old dun stallion went to a couple of All Buckskin Shows. What a fruit cake! He screamed, whinnied and hollered the entire time. It was a long weekend. Mack did come away with a Grand Champion Stallion win and some halter points so it was worth it. My mom used to say, "They don't get better at home, you have to get them out". And that is so true. The young horses have to get out and see the world. One more show for him at the end of August and then he goes back into regular training for the winter.

I didn't have many foals born this year and with the horse market as bad as it is, that's ok. I'd much rather have quality instead of quantity. Both babies were sired by Goose, the big blue roan. The first colt was sold at 5 weeks of age and goes to his new home in a week or two (Thanks Meaghan, you are going to have fun with him!). The other foal is a blue roan stud colt and was born late so I'll hold on to him until next spring. That makes all stud colts this year!

I spent most of July in Oregon on the historic Alvord Ranch. I have been going there every year for five years with Martin Black and his students. The place is wonderful, the people are as diverse as you could ever find. Many long lasting friendships have been made over the years there from all over the world. Truly an international crowd. This is not a dude ranch experience and the faint of heart need not apply! The Alvord is a working ranch, and everybody works hard. The Davis kids are some of the best hands you will ever find. Each year when I return, I marvel at how much they've grown. Ranch kids are different. They are hardworking, respectful, polite and just so much fun to be around. Just because the kids live in a remote location, they have visitors from around the world expose them to many different cultures.

It was a strange visit to the ranch this year. On Day two, while out gathering cows, Martin tangled with a couple of bulls and broke his leg badly. Thank goodness for cell phones! I have often wondered since that accident, what would a cowboy have done in the olden days if he wasn't able to call for help? Would Martin have tried to ride back to the headquarters? Would he have just stayed there, unable to ride and would someone have found him in time? Anyway, he is on the mend and hobbling around on crutches for a few more weeks.

On the way back from the Alvord, I stopped at a Ranch Horse Show and entered Hank. He was a good boy and finished with a Res. All Around Championship. by showing him in that show, he qualifies for the NVRHA Finals in Sept.

That's about all for now. Hope you all had a grand summer!

Back Home and Back to Work

2009-07-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Returning from the Alvord is always bittersweet. I just love the people and the country, the hard work and the jobs my horses have when they are there. But it is time to get back to work.

On the way back to Colorado, I stopped in Granby for a NVRHA show with Hank. You have to attend two events during the course of the year to be able to show in the finals in September. This was the first NVRHA event I have ever attended and I have to say, the people were wonderful and very supportive. It wasn't like they were trying to be nice, but a genuine kindness. The people aren't trainers and their livelihood doesn't depend on if they win or lose. They are there to enjoy themselves and have fun with their horses. What a concept! Anyway, as a newbie, I started out in the novice division, and Hank did quite well, except for the trail class where he forgot how to back up - ! Hank was Res. All Around Grand Champion Ranch Horse in his division.

The weekend of Aug 1st, I am putting on a good old fashion Horse Swap. The idea of bringing sellers and buyers of all types of horses together in a very poor horse market was a challenge I couldn't pass up. Based on all the interest and phone calls, it should be exciting. Check out the web site for more info. If there is enough interest, this event might become an annual thing. Go to www.HorseSwapUSA.com

RIO RETURNS TO THE ALVORD

2009-07-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

It has been just over a year since Rio's freak accident at the Alvord Ranch. Since then, Rio has had several different treatments all with the goal of, hopefully, restoring his knee's function ability. We did every thing from Cold Water Therapy, acupuncture, chiropractors, AquaThread, to range of motion excerises.

Yesterday I saddled Rio and rode out on Rio to gather cow and sort pairs. Besides having some major separation anxiety from his best friend Hank, Rio is sound and healthy. He acts like a 6 yr old insecure colt. I don't think he has had 10 days of riding all in one month since I've gotten him. Last year was a total loss. Now I have to begin all over.

As I rode out past the horse corrals ( passing Hank) and down the lane to the fields, Rio hopped up, put his head down and tried to buck. I felt pretty good because it was a very half hearted attempt buck and wasn't at all a serious attenpt to get rid of me. After that temper tantrum, we headed out to the field without a problem.

Once Rio had a job to do, he settled right down. Martin always says by keeping their feet moving, you keep a horse's brain working. Giving a horse a job is the best therapy! While we were sorting through the cows looking for pairs, Rio was fine. He moves slowly through the herd, and wasn't bothered by all the water crossings and streams we have to cross. When Rio was standing around holding rodear, he starts to get bored and fidget. I was helping get a cow out of the herd and took off in a slow canter to chase down the cow. Rio got right up to the cow, then his head down and bucked a couple of good ones. I went right off since I was leaning forward anyway. I hit the ground and Rio ran over to the other horses. Besides a few really nice bruises, I am fine. I got right back on Rio and rode him for the rest of the day. He was just fine after that little incident.

I am so proud of Rio and how brave he was during his recovery. I am grateful for my dear friend Katherine, who took care of Rio when he couldn't travel. Everyone at the Alvord are so amazed that he is walking again, much less back to work. I am in uncharted territory now. I don't know how much work I will be able to do with Rio. Only time will tell. For now, he is feeling good enough to buck me off! BIG SMILES!

A POCKET KNIFE BAN?

2009-06-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

This is hard to believe, but if you carry a pocket knife, read the following,

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100679

WEAPONS OF CHOICE
Obama move would eliminate 8 of 10 pocketknives
'If this were to pass and you cross the state line with one, it's a felony'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: June 09, 2009
8:40 pm Eastern

By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency is proposing a new definition that could be used to eliminate 8 of 10 legal pocketknives in the United States right now, according to activists who are gearing up to fight the plan.

The federal bureaucracy is accepting comments – written only – that must be received by June 21 before its planned changes could become final, but Doug Ritter of KnifeRights.org, said the implications of the decision would be far-reaching, since many state and federal agencies depend on the agency's definitions to determine what is legal in the United States.

For a long time, those switchblades that have long stiletto blades that are spring-ejected powerfully from the side or end of the handle have been illegal in the United States, but now a review by the agency of its own approval in 2008 of a particular type of knife for import is raising serious alarms.

Ritter said the effect of the proposed change would be that the new design in knives, many of which contain a tiny spring to help the user pull open the blade and lock it into position, would be classified alongside those true weapons where the user just presses a button and the blade is ejected.

"They are saying that any knife that you can open quickly or any knife that you can open with one hand is therefore a switchblade," Ritter told WND.

On his organization's website there are suggested letters for consumers to reproduce and dispatch to both the Customs agency as well as their members of Congress over the issue.

Ritter suggested that up to 80 percent of the pocketknives sold in America today either are one-handed opening knives or so-called assisted opening knives – and they all suddenly would be classified as illegal switchblades.

Read the book that says Christians have an obligation to be armed. Get "Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self-Defense"

The agency change came in a case involving a knife called the "VanHoy Assist," whose importers were represented in a request for affirmation of its legality by a San Francisco law firm.

Such determinations are not unusual since an importer does not want to have a shipment of products sitting on a ship waiting for unloading only to have a federal agent call them illegal.

The knives first were approved by the agency in 2008. But only a few weeks ago, Frederick McCray of the agency's Intellectual Property Rights and Restricted Merchandise Branch did a review.

"This is in reference to Headquarters Ruling Letter ('HQ') H032255, dated August 12, 2008, which concerned the admissibility of the 'VanHoy Assist,' a 'release-assisted' knife described below, pursuant to the Switchblade Knife Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1241, et seq. In the referenced ruling, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (hereinafter 'CBP') determined that the knives at issue were admissible into the United States pursuant to the Switchblade Knife Act. We have reconsidered the rationale of, and the admissibility determination made in HQ H032255 and found both to be in error. For the reasons set forth below, we hereby revoke HQ H032255," the letter said.

That could mean headaches for the knife industry, Ritter said.

"Customs," continued Ritter, "is the only place where the switchblade is interpreted in various rulings. Whenever a federal, state, or local jurisdiction is looking at what a switchblade is, whenever there's a court case or whatever … they will look to the feds."

He said the change came after the incoming administration of President Barack Obama reassigned some managers at the agency.

"What we do know is when the incoming administration reshuffled assignments at Customs, it moved the responsibility for knives and switchblades from one organization with Customs to a new organization," he said. "That group has, as far we can tell, virtually no experiences, background or anything with knives."

Officials with Customs told WND that they do not comment on issues during an open comment period, such as going on for the regulation change right now.

"We do not comment on pending proposals for changes in our rulings under 19 USC 1625. We are in the comment period and we will carefully weigh the comments that we receive before deciding whether to proceed to a final decision," the prepared statement e-mailed to WND said.

Ritter said the reason for the change isn't clear, "but certainly this administration is no friend to things like knives and guns," he said.

A successful campaign to change the definition would mean thousands would be out of work in the knife industry, and the impact would have far-reaching effects.

For example, if someone would be caught with a newly-illegal "pocketknife," would the resulting charges be structured to allege that person was dangerous or had an illegal weapon, and how would that change the defendant's right to own a firearm, he wondered.

"If this law were to pass and you cross the state line with a folder (pocketknife) in your pocket, it would be a federal felony," he said.

In reality, pocketknives are tools, he said. "Certainly they can be used as a weapon." But so could a screw driver or other hand tools.

He said the proposal, which puts pocketknives in the classification of switchblades – described by a Senate committee as "almost exclusively the weapon of the thug and the delinquent" – isn't fair.

"There are 40 million people in America walking around with pocketknives in their pocket," he said.

Further, the majority of crimes committed with knives are done with the "lowly kitchen knife," he said.

According to Ritter's website, the proposed revocation of the approval for "assisted opening knives," would impact "most other pocketknives, even simple old-fashioned slip-joints."

RHAA Rant

2009-06-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

Back in 2004, I went to my first WRCA Championship Ranch Horse Show in Amarillo. After watching Martin Black win on two of his horses, I decided right then and there that I wanted to show in the RHAA (Ranch Horse Association of America). I joined the RHAA based in Abilene, TX. in 2005 and have been a good member in standing ever since.

I worked hard getting my Maverick ready to show. He was just a rope horse and needed to learn his lead changes, rollbacks, spins and slides. All I had to learn was how to rope! We worked together and attended our first RHAA shows in 2005. At the time, I qualified for the Cowboy class, riders with less than $500 of earnings in any approved RHAA shows.

Since joining, the earnings levels increased every couple of years from $500 to $1000. Imagine my shock when I heard that for the 2009 show season, the Board of Directors of the RHAA decided to raise the limit to $2500, and the Ranch Hand class when from $2500 to $4500. Now, I have never cashed a check in the RHAA in the 5 years that I have been showing in approved shows. I have steadily improved as have my horses, but have never won a class or cashed a check.

When I heard the rumors that the Board decided at the RHAA Finals in Abilene to increase all the limits in the Cowboy and Ranch Hand Classes, I started calling the Regional Board members that I knew, trying to find out what the justification was for the increased earnings levels. One Board member, who was in Abilene in May, didn't know about the rule changes. The other one I spoke with (who was not in Abilene this year) had "heard they were going to increase" but didn't know what the amounts were going to increase to. I emailed the president, asking him why the board made this major rule change and none of the members knew about it. I was told the Board did a survey, so I asked to see the survey. Well, there was no survey. Apparently other than asking a few friends what they thought, this rule change was based more on a wink, pat on the back and a hand shake instead of asking the largest portion of the RHAA competitors effected by the rule change.

I started digging further only to find out that this rule change effected 78% of the members and that the Board was making these rule changes without even a poll, a survey or a vote, and without even notifying the members prior to the change going into effect. Of all the two dozen or so members I have personally spoken, or emails I have received, only ONE person thought the rule change was good. I have asked to see the RHAA by-laws, allowing the Board to change the rules at will and so far, none have been provided.

I officially requested that this rule change be put on hold until the members could be polled or a survey could be taken. The response was that the rule went into effect immediately and could not be changed.

I suggested, in the future, the Board publish any possible rule changes in the monthly newsletter prior to going into effect so the members could voice their opinions. (One Board member doesn't have a computer and the only place the rule changes are published are on the RHAA web site). No Response.

I requested that the regional directors (there are 4) hold a member meeting at a local shows to keep members informed and to allow the members to voice concerns. So far - No Response.

I requested that the board meetings schedule be published in advance of the meetings so the membership could attend if they wanted to. So far, you guessed it - No Response.

One thing is certain. The RHAA did not like me questioning them. When I started making inquiries, it was clear that I was treading on sacred ground. Being a "foreigner" - a non-Texan, and a women, it was very obvious by the condescending email responses I received from the president that I was just being a thorn in his side. However, I have been paying my membership dues, paying my entry fees and supporting the RHAA since joining. ALL MEMBERS DESERVE TO BE HEARD! After learning first hand how the organization operates, clearly something needs to change. I doubt that I will be as supportive in the future unless the Board starts playing fair. The RHAA is being run like the "Texas Ranch Horse Mafia", where the Board makes decisions that favor a select few friends and not the majority. The curtain they are hiding behind is that fact that the RHAA is a non-profit organization.

If you are a RHAA member, please contact me and let me know if you think this rule change is a good idea or a poor one. Maybe when the RHAA hears from the members, they will consider making changes that will have a positive effect rather than a negative one.

OK, that's all!

BOBBY HURLEY'S ROPING SCHOOL

2009-05-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

I just got an email from the BH Ranch. Bobby Hurley does a Roping School a few times a year. I was really lucky to be able to rope with Bobby whenever I was in Clarksville. Here is a link to a nice article that was written about it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rodeo/news/story?id=4192656

WHERE YOU DRUGGED AS A CHILD?

2009-05-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

I just found this and copied it from another site. The author is unknown.

GOD BLESS THE PARENTS WHO DRUGGED US..

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question.
"Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"
I replied I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity.
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburr's out of dad's fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

God bless the parents who drugged us.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Things I remember my mother saying to me and I find myself repeating are life's lessons that I never will never forget. Here are a couple off the top of my head that I live by.

"Breed the best you have to the best you can afford. If you can't afford it, don't bother to breed."

Anyone can breed a feed bucket to a mud puddle and you will end up with just another common horse. Anyone can have mediocre. To set yourself above all the rest, breed for quality, breed for class. If you don't like what you get, don't keep breeding that mare or stallion expecting to get different results. Take the time to study pedigrees. It will pay off in the end. Maybe the current down turn in the horse market will better the horse industry. People might start to think about what or why they are breeding and be more selective. The final results will be better quality horses in the future. It seems like everyone has a stallion they are promoting just to make a buck, and many of those stallions would make good geldings.

"If you treat an animal special, it will feel special, look special and be special."

I have followed this philosophy since I was a little girl. I remember seeing a scruffy, long haired pony in a pasture, and being able to see past all the fuzz, to be able to see that with some grooming and attention, that pony would be an animal I would be proud to ride into the show ring. I have always been proud of the animals I showed because I put the time into that animal. I would spend hours practicing, grooming, riding and basically fussing over an animal before I got to the show pen. Animals adore being brushed or pet or just spending time with you. Treat them special and they will be special. Special stands out in the show ring.

I need to get out and ride today. Any day I can get into the saddle is a good day. Happy Mother's Day!

New Babies Arriving

2009-05-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

The new foals are arriving! I have ALL STUD COLTS so far with one more mare to foal. Two of the colts are out of mares I bought from the Hurley's when they sold off a bunch of mares last fall and are still in AR. These two mares are sisters to Maverick. I am so excited to see these babies. They had a red roan and a line back dun.

The other foal born while I was in Germany is a red roan colt. He is the first foal I have from Goose and I am very happy with him. I have just one more mare to foal this year. I waiting for my grulla mare to foal with another Goose baby. It should be another colored one. I'll post photos as I get them!

Busy Month of April

2009-04-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

It has been a very busy month, starting with taking horses to Texas. I decided that Huey, my 2 yr old Blue Roan colt, was getting too full of himself. I even threatened to geld him! But decided against it and since he was big enough to start, he went to Martin's ranch in Sanger. I usually like to wait until the colts are 3 yrs old, but Huey was really trying my patience. All went well and by the 5th ride, Huey was out gathering cattle. Doing very well, and a fast learner, I like Huey the more I am around him. He is very sensible, until his juices get flowing and he forgets what he is suppose to be doing. Ah, springtime!

Also along for the ride to Texas was my sweet boy, Rio. Recovering nicely from the horrific trailer accident last June, I decided that Rio needed to strengthen the ligaments around his left knee before I try riding him again. I contacted the SELWAY EQUINE THERAPY CENTER in Whitesboro. The facility is a first class center with an AquaTread and EquineSpa. Rio arrived there looking like a woolly mammoth surrounded by race horses, jumpers, cutters and reiners. After all, it was just 10 degrees out when I left Colorado for Texas.

Since Rio has previously been through several EquineSpa treatments successfully, I wanted him to use the underwater treadmill. Rio stayed there for 2 weeks. His program included warming up on the free walker first, then the AquaTread for 3 min., a rest of 2 minutes, another 3 minutes, then finishing up in the walker. He did this twice daily, progressively getting up to 60 minutes on the AquaTread twice a day. You should see Rio now! His attitude changed, he is bright eyed and alert, and so very fit. I plan on riding him this summer. Watch for Rio's complete story on the web site soon. It amazes everyone that he is even able to walk, much less be ridden again. He must have a very special angel looking out for him (maybe his big brother, Maverick)!

Over Easter, I left my truck and trailer in Texas and took a quick trip to Germany to visit my German friends. There is a dear woman I call my German mother, who is getting older but still sharp minded. I spent many summers with her in Austria at her lakeside cottage when I lived in Heidelberg. Worldly, elegant and intelligent, she is a pleasure to spend time with. I just wish I wasn't so jet-lagged the entire time I was there.

Flew back to Texas, I was picked up at the airport and went straight to the Spring Cutting Horse Finals in Ft. Worth. After that, Jack Brainard decided we all needed to go dancing at his favorite honkytonk. Now that man can really two-step! By 9 p.m., I was completely exhausted.

While I was traveling the world, my brother stayed at the house in Colorado, caring for the animals so after a few days recovering from jet-lag in Texas, I had to get right back home so he could fly back to California. I really had to watch the weather and only had a small window to travel in so I wouldn't get caught in a major spring snow storm. I had a horse to drop off in Fowler, then as I got within 50 miles of home, the snow started to come down. I made it home just in time. We were snowed in for two days.

I was home just long enough to see the first foal of the year(a red roan stud colt that was born two weeks early), re-pack, take the dogs to the kennel, and fly to Red Bluff, CA for the Californios Ranch Roping and Stock Horse Competition. It was good to see friends, the roping is amazing and of course, the shopping was terrific. The flights were delayed at every airport I went through on the return trip. I am tired of flying and airports!

Now I am home for most of the month of May except for a couple weekend trips. I hope to go to Abilene for the Ranch Horse Finals. I have never been there because I usually go to the Big Loop Rodeo in Jordan Valley, OR. but this year, the Ranch Horse Triple Crown in Pueblo, CO. is the following week so there is no way I can manage to be in both places.

Any one care to follow me around for a month?

A Pastor with Guts and Balls

2009-03-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at
the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some
people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open
the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting
the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask
your forgiveness and to seek your direction and
guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those
who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we
have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed
our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it
the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it
welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it
choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it
justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our
children and called it building self esteem..

We have abused power and called it
politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions
and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and
pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values
of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts
today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free...
Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of
legislators walked out during the prayer in
protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian
Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than
5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls
responding negatively. The church is now receiving
international requests for copies of this prayer
from India , Africa and Korea .

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on
his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,'and
received a larger response to this program than any
other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep
over our nation and wholeheartedly become our
desire so that we again can be called 'one nation
under God.'

A Special Day for Rio

2009-03-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a special day for Rio and I. It was eight months ago that Rio was severely injured in a trailer accident. He has been healing slowly, just turned out for the winter. His knee is still mending but is completely skin covered. I saddled Rio today for the first time since the injury and rode him around the arena for 30 minutes. This might not seem like much, but for me, it was just amazing to be back astride him again. He is sound and we will be proceeding slowly building strength in that leg, but Rio is ready to get back to work.

Rio's knee today:

A few weeks after the accident:

Next week, Rio goes to Texas with me to spend a week with the chiropractor, Larry "Thumper" Jones. Thumper works at the NFR, race horses and is the best in the business. I talked to Thumper about Rio last fall after the accident and he told me when Rio was healed, to bring him down. While in Texas, Rio is also going to be using an AquaTread to strengthen his leg, then swim for a week or two to build up the muscles in his knee. We will get back in training again soon after that.

A few weeks ago, I was in Winnemucca, Nevada, showing Hank in the Stock Horse Challenge. It was a long trip out there but great show. I had hopes of earning a top 5 spot but had to settle for a top 10 finish which was still very respectable. I was proud of Hank and he is getting better and better at each show we enter. His next show is in May at the Ranch Horse Triple Crown.

BACK TO BEING BUSY!

2009-03-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

After being home in Colorado for the month of December and most of January, I am back to traveling again. while I was home, my brother came in from California to help get the colts halter broke. He showed horses when we were both little and while he only gets to ride a couple of times a year, he loves working with the babies.

My big truck finally got in at "TRICK MY TRUCK" in Joplin, MO. with the Chrome Shop Mafia! I have been waiting for this appointment for almost a year. This will not be on TV but my truck did come out looking nice. Cowhide trim inside, train horns outside, I'm excited!

My truck at the Chrome Shop Mafia body shop

While the truck was in the shop, I stayed in Clarksville at the BH Ranch. Bobby Hurley was invited to the Governors Office to be honored for being the only Arkansas resident to be inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. As we were all walking into the State Capital in Little Rock, Bill Clinton was leaving after having lunch. Bobby received a standing ovation from the legislators which was very impressive.

Riding Hank to get ready a big Stock Horse Challenge in Winnemucca kept me busy for most of February. Since he had never traveled well, doesn't eat much and just seems to worry, I left a few days early to lay over along the way from Colorado to Nevada. It seems to have helped him relax. While I had hopes for a top 5 finish in the class, I had to settle for a top 10 spot and I was proud of Hank. I have to remember that this was just his 3rd show ever!

By this time last year, I was already in Texas trying to stay warm and out of the snow drifts. This year, the weather has been so nice in Colorado - translation: no major snow storms - I have been able to ride on most days that the wind isn't blowing 40+ mph. We really need some moisture though.

I still need to get down to Texas soon and bring home the two 3 yr. olds that Martin started for me this year. I have been getting reports that they are both coming to class everyday with a smile on their faces, being ready and willing students. I can't wait to ride my very first Maverick baby. It will be a very emotional and exciting ride for me.

A LICK AND A PROMISE

2009-01-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

'A lick and a promise' was just one of the many old phrases that our mothers, grandmothers, and others used that they probably heard from the generations before them. With the passing of time, many old phrases become obsolete or even disappear. This is unfortunate because some of them are very appropriate and humorous. Here is a list of some of those memorable old phrases:

1. A Bone to Pick (someone who wants to discuss a disagreement)

2. An Axe to Grind (Someone who has a hidden motive. This phrase is said to have originated from Benjamin Franklin who told a story about a devious man who asked how a grinding whe el worked. He ended up walking away with his axe sharpened free of charge)

3. One bad apple spoils the whole barrel (one corrupt person can cause all the others to go bad if you don't remove the bad one)

4. At sea (lost or not understanding something)

5. Bad Egg (Someone who was not a good person)

6. Barking at a knot (meaning that your efforts were as useless as a dog barking at a knot.)

7. Barking up the wrong tree (talking about something that was completely the wrong issue with the wrong person)

8. Bee in your bonnet (To have an idea that won't let loose )

9. Been through the mill (had a rough time of it)

10. Between hay and grass (Not a child or an adult)

11. Blinky (Between sweet and sour as in milk)

12. Calaboose (a jail)

13. Catawampus (Something that sits crooked such as a piece of furniture sitting at an angle)

14. Dicker (To barter or trade)

15. Feather in Your Cap (to accomplish a goal. This came from years ago in wartime when warriors might receive a feather they would put in their cap for defeating an enemy)

16. Hold your horses (Be patient!)

17. Hoosegow ( a jail)

18. I reckon (I suppose)

19. Jawing/Jawboning (Talking or arguing)

20. Kit and caboodle (The whole thing)

21. Madder than an wet hen (really angry)

22. Needs taken down a notch or two (like notches in a belt usually a young person who thinks too highly of himself and needs a lesson)

23. No Spring Chicken (Not young anymore)

24. Persnickety (difficult, overly particular or snobbish)

25. Pert-near (short for pretty near)

26. Pretty is as pretty does (your actions are more important than your looks)

27. Red up (clean the house)

28. Scalawag (a rascal or unprincipled person)

29. Scarce as hen's teeth (something difficult to obtain)

30. Skedaddle (Get out of here quickly)

31. Sparking (courting)

32. Straight From the Horse's Mouth (privileged information from the one concerned)

33. Stringing around, gallivanting around, or piddling (Not doing anything of value)

34. Sunday go to meetin' dress (The best dress you had)

35. We wash up real fine (is another goodie)

36. Tie the Knot (to get married)

37. Too many irons in the fire (to be involved in too many things)

38. Tuckered out (tired and all worn out)

39. Under the weather (not feeling well this term came from going below deck on ships due to sea sickness thus you go below or under the weather)

40. Wearing your 'best bib and tucker' (Being a ll dressed up)

41. You ain't the only duck in the pond (It's not all about you)

42. An Apple and an Egg (something that is real cheap, costs just an apple and an egg)

Bring back any memories?

THANKS FOR OUR HORSES

2009-01-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Special "Thanks" for Our Horses

To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a few

short years, a horse can teach a young girl courage, if she chooses

to grab mane and hang on for dear life. Even the smallest of ponies

is mightier than the tallest of girls. To conquer the fear of

falling off, having one's toes crushed, or being publicly humiliated

at a horse show is an admirable feat for any child. For that, we can

be grateful.

Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle or a computer, a

horse needs regular care and most of it requires that you get dirty

and smelly and up off the couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen

to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose

responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and drink heartily;

we know we've made the right choice.

Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science. Some are

easy keepers, requiring little more than regular turn-out, a flake

of hay, and a trough of clean water. Others will test you - you'll

struggle to keep them from being too fat or too thin. You'll have

their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone missing. Some are

so accident-prone you'll swear they're intentionally finding new

ways to injure themselves.

If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that they have

unique personalities. You'd expect this from dogs, but horses?

Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with

a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will test you by finding new

ways to escape from the barn when you least expect it.

Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or

willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude

you altogether. There are as many "types" of horses as there are

people - which makes the whole partnership thing all the more

interesting.

If you've never ridden a horse, you probably assume it's a simple

thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics

on a Sunday, but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a

living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition

and putting the car or tractor in "drive."

In addition to listening to your instructor, your horse will have a

few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he'll be happy to

go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day,

you'll swear he's trying to kill you. Perhaps he's naughty or

perhaps he's fed up with how slowly you're learning his language.

Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to

challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or he

may carefully carry you over fences - if it suits him. It all

depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it's all about.

If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work

at it, you'll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion

in addition to basic survival skills. You'll discover just how hard

you're willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how

much you have to learn.

And, while some people think the horse "does all the work", you'll

be challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble

you completely. Or, you may find that sitting on his back is the

closest you'll get to heaven.

You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to?

The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as

graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to

listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet

sense of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and

mutual understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when

you know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.

If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of

us have to squeeze riding into our oversaturated schedules;

balancing our need for things equine with those of our households

and employers. There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as

well as we'd like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.

If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with

them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their

manes and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary

in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life's true

priorities are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us,

and the luxury of regular meals. Some of us need these reminders.

When you step back, it's not just about horses - it's about love,

life, and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the

birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That

same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, a

decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we

share the accelerated life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of

life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us.

When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.

We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have

been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute

union. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and

willingness to give.

To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our

muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We

celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed,

horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out

of fields of battle.

Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human

heart. Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys

made and challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set

before them, asking little in return.

- Author Unknown -

A Cold Colorado Morning

2008-12-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, it was -5 degrees when I went to feed my mares. They are in a pasture that is 4 miles down the road on 2000 acres, running with about 80 head of cows (and a couple bulls). There is water in spring fed ponds year round. I like having the mares moving around, being horses instead of in stalls or small pens. I think they even foal out easier. I just have to hay or grain them each day.

Anyway, as I am walking into the trap to feed the mares yesterday, one of my fillies was standing over this lump in the middle of the trap. First the filly would look at me, then lowered her head to sniff the lump and even pawed the air with her front leg, but never touching it. As I got closer to the pile, I realized it was a dead calf. Over near the stock tank stood a big Hereford cow. The cow had just given birth to TWINS! The first calf never even took a breath or if it did, it's lungs collapsed from the freezing air and it died. It was still wet, steaming in the cold. The second twin was standing on the side of the tank. It had managed to struggle to its feet and was shaking so hard, it could barely stand. The momma cow was doing her job, licking the calf and bumping it, getting it to move.

I drug the dead calf out of the trap so momma cow would concentrate on keeping one calf alive. I will admit that I am not brave enough to get in between a momma cow and her calf. Too many of my cowboy friends have taken hits trying to tend to calves. I have taken one guy to the hospital with a broken collarbone, broken ribs and a collapsed lung after a momma cow freight trained him. So, I wasn't excited about getting too close to this momma. But with one dead calf and the other struggling for life, I really needed to do something.

I took a couple of bales of hay out into the trap, hoping to keep the horses out of the way and to give momma cow something to do besides knocking me down. As I managed to get closer, I took handfuls of hay and rubbed the calf hard, all the time keeping one eye on momma. I got the calf rubbed down pretty good and bedded it down with the rest of a bale. Momma was being good and I left to call the ranch manager.

Here's where I get really frustrated. This outfit is run by a man who lives in town near the fancy country club and drives out a few times a week to "check on things". If the weather is bad or if his back is sore, he has his nephew do the feeding. The nephew is a good guy, tries hard but isn't paid so there isn't much enthusiasm to do anything above and beyond feeding. Fences are down everywhere, cows are busting out daily and out on the road. No one cares too much about anything. When it comes to gathering in the spring and fall, I ride out on my horses while the ranch owner gets his country club buddies to be "a cowboy for a day" on 4 wheelers. It is a wreck most of the time because the cattle are all bucket broke sons of b*tch's that would just as soon run over the top of you and your horse. It's like herding cats.

It is a year round calving operation because the bulls never come off the cows. The calves are nursing until the next calf is born. And no body seems to care. Nobody rides out to check for newborns and I am sure that if that momma cow hadn't been in the trap yesterday morning, the coyotes would have gotten both calves. Every calf should count, right?

Hank at WRCA Ranch Horse Show

2008-11-21T07:25:00.000-08:00

Just got back from WRCA Ranch Horse Show in Amarillo. Hank and I were entered in the Cowboy Class. I just love going to this show. First of all, I love watching the Ranch Rodeo and seeing all of the friends I've made throughout the years. It was the first place I showed Maverick and so many people remember him being there. Secondly, it is a GREAT place to shop. The Trade and Trappings Show is one of the best I've ever seen. The only bad part of showing in Amarillo is that I have to get up so early to be in the arena at 6 a.m. to warm up before the class and it is usually so cold.

This year was Hank's turn in the show ring. It was just his third show but I really think he is finally getting what his job is and he is doing it quite well. He never really travels very well, gets lonely without a travel partner and usually doesn't eat well. I try to arrive a couple of days early to acclimate him. Show day comes very early, you feed in the dark and have to be ready to ride in a cold, windy arena at 6 a.m. Hank and I are just not morning people.

We did the reining pattern and his lead changes were right on the money. Hank is not the best spinner but we can work on that. When it came time to call for the cow, you always hold your breath in Amarillo. You can get a cow with firecrackers up their butts, charging straight at you and blowing snot or you can get a good cow that you can show your horse off with. One guy showing got whistled 5 new cows, each one worse than the last one! Anyway, we got lucky and drew a good one. We boxed it a few times then took it down the fence. I remember going down the fence on Maverick. When I would ask Mav for speed, his stride would lengthen but you wouldn't feel that burst of speed. With Hank, you get rocket fire! He just takes off and he is really moving at a high rate of speed. We get the cow moving down the fence and turned, but when I went to turn Hank to the right, his head went up in the air and he kept going straight! I was shocked because this has never happened before! We almost hit the bucking chutes at the end of the arena. I finally get him turned and got back after the cow to make another turn, this time to the left. No problems. Again, one more turn to the right and I can't stop or turn Hank without his head coming into my lap. I looked down and my rein was disconnected from the bit! Now I still have to get my rope down and rope my cow, with one rein. After I get the kinks out of my loop, I ride up, swing a few times, and roped the cow without a problem. I turn and drag the cow. Afterwards, I tie Hank up and try to figure out why my rein came off the bit. Nothing was broken, but the solid ring at the end of the rein chain somehow came off the swivel at the bottom of the bit. I tried getting it back on, my friends tried getting it back on and couldn't do it without two pliers. It was like those puzzles at the restaurants or bars that you have to get two pieces exactly in the correct spot before you can get them apart. It was very strange. We still got through it all without a wreck, we still roped our cow and I was still very proud of my Hankster!

The Good Ol' Days

2008-11-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

Before the Internet or the MAC, Before semi-automatics and crack

Before SEGA or Super Nintendo Way back ... ...

I'm talkin' bout hide and go seek at dusk.

Sittin' on the porch, Hot bread and butter.

The Good Humor man, Red light, Green light.

Chocolate milk, Lunch tickets, Penny candy in a brown paper bag.

Playin' Pinball in the corner store.

Hopscotch, butterscotch, doubledutch Jacks, kickball, dodgeball, y'all!

Mother May I?

Red Rover and Roly Poly Hula Hoops and Sunflower Seeds, Jolly Ranchers, Banana Splits Wax Lips and Mustaches

Running through the sprinkler

The smell of the sun and lickin' salty lips...

Wait... ...

Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons, Fat Albert, Road Runner, He-Man, The Three Stooges, and Bugs, Or back further, listening to Superman on the radio

Catchin' lightening bugs in a jar, Playin sling shot.

When around the corner seemed far away, And going downtown seemed like going somewhere.

Bedtime, Climbing trees, An ice cream cone on a warm summer night

Chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe butter pecan

A lemon coke from the fountain at the corner drug store

A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, Sittin on the curb, Jumpin down the steps, Jumpin on the bed.

Pillow fights

Runnin till you were out of breath

Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt

Being tired from playin'...

Remember that?

I ain't finished just yet...

Eating Kool-aid powder with sugar Remember when...

When there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds & PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school, was for "gym."

When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up, if you even had one.

When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there.

When nobody owned a purebred dog.

When a quarter was a decent allowance, and another quarter a miracle.

When milk went up one cent and everyone talked about it for weeks?

When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny.

When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if then.

When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces.

When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done, everyday.

When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time. And, you didn't pay for air. And, you got trading stamps to boot!

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box.

When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.

When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.

When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed ... and did!

When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.

Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! and some of us are still afraid of em!!!

Didn't that feel good.. just to go back and say, Yeah, I remember that!

There's nothing like the good old days! They were good then, and they're good now when we think about them.

Share some of these thoughts with a friend who can relate, then share it with someone that missed out on them.

Every American's Duty

2008-11-05T09:51:00.001-08:00

Ever since I was a small girl, my mother always told me how important it was to vote on election day. Her father came to this country by boat and each election day, he would dress in his best Sunday suit and proudly cast his vote. I hope you all got out and voted. Regardless of the outcome, it is our duty.

Here are some quotes I found appropriate.

“A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.” - Thomas Jefferson

"I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." - Winston Churchill

"A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul." - George Bernard Shaw

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." - P.J. O'Rourke

The Age of Horses

2008-11-03T15:29:00.000-08:00

The Age of Horses

To tell the age of any horse,
Inspect the lower jaw, of course.
The six front teeth the tale will tell
And every doubt and fear dispel.

Two middle “nippers” you behold,
Before the colt is two weeks old.
Before eight weeks two more will come;
Eight months the “corners” cut the gum.

The outside grooves will disappear
From middle two in just one year
In two years from the second pair
In three the corners too, are bare.

At two the middles nippers drop,
At three the second pair can’t stop.
When four year old the third pair goes,
At five a full new set he shows.

The deep black spots will pass from view,
At six years from the middle two.
The second pair at seven year:
At eight the spot each corner clears.

From middle nippers upper jaw
A nine the black spots will withdraw.
The second pair at ten are white;
Eleven finds the corners light.

As time goes on the horsemen know.
The oval teeth three sides grow;
The longer get, project before
Till twenty, when we know no more.

(I don't know who wrote this but I liked it a lot)

New Stallion Photos

2008-10-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

The colts are weaned, the pasture "shuffle" I do each winter and spring is just about finished, the winter hay is stacked. It is starting to get cold, with a hint of winter in the air.

Finally I have gotten the new stallions photos taken and they really turned out nice. I actually forgot how pretty Goose is. It is hard for me to admit, but I still have not brought him home. I just couldn't bring myself to put Goose in Maverick's old stall, but it has been a year now and the time has come to bring Goose home for the winter. I need to ride him which I will love, and rope on him, which he will love. Goose is a real hard working horse. He just loves a job, mostly roping and chasing cows but that was just how Maverick was when I first started riding him, too. Then he transformed into an all-around performance horse. Goose will be the same way. I have already gotten quite a few breeding inquiries and looking at his photos, it's no wonder. I just forgot how nice he was.

Then there is my mini-Mack, as in "mini-Mack Truck". Mack is going to be a great horse. He is such a clown but he is still so young, just a 3 yr old. I will have to go slow with him. He is still growing and a slow maturing horse. When I had his teeth floated, the dentist repeatedly asked me his age. Finally he said, "This horse had the mouth of a 2 yr old, maybe 2 1/2 yr", and at the time, Mack was over 3 yrs. Same with his sexual maturity, so I have plenty of time to wait. I think riding out to check stock tanks and pushing a few cows this winter will be good for him. He will be a good size, too. At 3 yrs old, he is over 15.1h. I think he will be a nice one. I just might have something to show in the confirmation portion of the VRH shows that can win!

The one stallion "prospect" you haven't seen yet is Baby Huey. He is a big one. As a long yearling, he is almost as big as a 3 yr old. Sweet, big, blue roan with a nice head, he looks like a futurity colt. I'll be taking some of my own photos of Huey soon. I got him and Goose about the same time. Huey fractured his coffin bone when he was playing around and kicked a steel post. He is totally healed up, thanks to TOTAL HEALTH. These are the same products I used to heal up Rio so fast.

Just a quick update on Rio, too. He is doing just fine. There is still a scab about the size of a quarter on his knee that I am putting ointment on to keep it soft but, wow, he is sound and finally putting more weight on. I plan on starting to ride him by spring. He deserves the winter off!

The next big show for Hank is the WRCA World Ranch Horse Show in Amarillo in November!

Hank's First Show

2008-10-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

I just returned from the RMQHA Silver Jubilee which is the big end of the year Versatility Ranch Horse Show in Golden, CO. It was the first show I have been to all year. It was also Hank's first VRH show. There was no pressure on Hank to win. I decided that it was time to see exactly where Hank was at with his training, and to see how he would handle a show environment. We just went to enjoy ourselves and visit with all my friends that I haven't seen in over a year.

Hank really surprised me and I was so proud of him. The first class was the ranch cutting where you have to cut out a specific numbered cow, drive it up the fence, passed a marker and pen it within 2.5 minutes. No problem for the Hankster. He pinned his ears, made a few good passes controlling his cow and we went up the fence. The cow missed the marker but we never lost position or control.

Next class was the Working Cow class. We just started doing flying lead changes the week before the show but Hank learns very fast and remembers what I ask of him. I have always said that Hank was a fun horse to train because he learns, and remembers, so fast. Show him once or twice and he's got it down. In the Working cow class, you do a short reining pattern, then call for your cow, box it at the end of the arena, take it down the fence, then rope it. The reining went very well. Rollbacks and stops were nice. Spins could have been faster but were correct. I called for the cow and we never lost control. I went to take the cow down the fence and that was the first time Hank had ever run a cow down the fence. When you ask Hank for speed, you better be ready because he can really accelerate. We stopped the cow, turned it and it was time to rope it. I have been wanting to get better with my reata so I was using it in the show, which may not have been such a great idea in hind sight. I took it off my saddle and was building my loop as we tracked the cow around. I had a twist that I couldn't get out of my loop! It was twisted and the only thing to do was to throw a bad loop out there, and re-build a good loop. The bottom line is Hank was good, but I didn't rope the cow.

The next class was a Trail Class. Hank never blinked at anything. He was great and did everything I asked of him. After the Trail Class was the Ranch Riding Class. Just your basic walk, trot , canter kind of riding. For as big as Hank is, he is a very comfortable horse to ride. The judge even commented that he moved so nicely for being so big. We did well in that class.

Last was the Conformation Class, and I hate this class most of all. I know my horses a nice looking and correct, but the judges seem to go for the classic halter types. I raise big boned Ranch horses, not short, tiny footed, fine boned horses. Any way, I never score well in halter. But that sure didn't stop the compliments that Hank got all day long!

All in all, it was a very nice weekend and I really enjoyed showing off Hank. Maybe Hank even had fun, too! I will give him a few days off, then ride him mid-week. If he feels right, we might try another show next weekend. All building up to the WRCA Ranch Horse Show in Amarillo, in November.

One Year Ago

2008-09-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe that one year has passed since I lost my Maverick. I can honestly say that I still miss him so very much. It is said that amount you mourn is directly related to the amount you loved. If that is true, I am still missing him and loving him.

I realized now just how much I counted on him to take care of me. When I am riding big blue Hank, I have to be aware of our position in the herd. I have to put Hank in the right spot and watch the calves. Hank gets impatient and starts to fuss if he isn't doing something all the time, just like a little kid in the grocery store. Hank was just more work. Maverick was just so easy.

While branding calves, Maverick always knew where to be and what to do. He never got upset with me when I would do something stupid like hit him in the head with my rope. Maverick was a gentleman, always polite, always kind to everyone, just a pleasure to be around.

I went to my first horse show of the year in September. It was the same show last year that I showed Maverick in last. I haven't been to a Versatility Ranch Horse show or shown at all for that matter since losing Maverick. I just lost that desire for a while. Anyway, it was nice to see all my friends and many asked why I wasn't showing. It was hard to repeat the story of how I lost Maverick. Most of the people were shocked to hear the news and all were very supportive. I am not the first person to lose an animal that meant so much to us. If you are an animal lover, you know the empty feeling of losing a friend.

Every little milestone is important on life's highway. Each tear is important, each birth is significant. Everyday I can ride is a good day. Somehow, being in the saddle makes you forget your troubles. I just know that Maverick is watching from above and waiting for me to bring him some cookies. I miss you, Maverick.

I had three dun stud colts were born this year. Three little Mav's to worry about, three little boys to watch grow into shadows of their daddy. I wish I had a crystal ball to look into the future to see what lies ahead for them. But I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Great Weekend at the All American Futurity

2008-09-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend! If you haven't been to Ruidoso, NM for the All American Futurity, the richest Quarter Horse race in the world, you have to add it to your Bucket List.

I have been to the Kentucky Derby a few times many years ago and have always enjoyed all the pageantry and hoopla surrounding the race. But it is different at Ruidoso. Instead of elegance, you get casual. Instead of champagne, you get beer. Instead of gowns and suits, you wear boots and jeans. Just think of a red-neck version of the Kentucky Derby. Casual and relaxed.

I met Heath Taylor last year when I hauled some of his race horses back to Texas for him after last year's yearling sale. Heath is a successful young trainer with a wonderful family and is the great trainer. This year, Heath had 3 horses in the 10 horse field for the biggest race of the year for Quarter Horses.

The race was a great one, complete with a spectacular stretch dual between the two favorites in the race. At the wire, it was Heath's horse, Stolis Winner by a half length, giving Jet Black Patriot his only loss of his short career. Another horse trained by Heath finished third, Jess Zoomin. I joked with the owners of Jet Black Patriot prior to the race over which horse would be in the winner's circle but at that level of racing, you are just thrilled to be part of it all - win, lose or draw. After the race, I gave a hug to the owners and we took photos together.

The winner's circle was full of media, cameras, family and friends, tears and hugs. The jockey, G. R. Carter did his traditional back flip off the winning horse in front of the grandstand, with the crowd roaring in approval. After the trophy presentation and photos were finished in the winner's circle, we moved inside to the museum for more celebrating, a champagne toast to the owners, trainer and jockey. In the museum, all the monitors played the race over and over. It was great to hear the stretch call again.

The next morning, the official press photo is taken for the publications against the green grass and the mountains. The horse arrives and is saddled for the photo. Imagine dressing a two year old child, and expecting a child to stand patiently for dozens of photos. Stolis Winner was very good for the most part and I even got a picture next to him.

Since I still am having trouble attaching photos, here's a link:
http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/aa256/prettypony99/AllAmerican/

Before and After Photos of Rio's Injuries

2008-08-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

I wanted you to see just how bad Rio's knee was right after the accident and how far he had come. In the first photo, you can see the bones of the knee and just below the bones, the streds of damaged ligaments that cross over the face of the knee.

Before:

After 60 days, the tissue has granulated in, the joint is no longer exposed and new hair is growing:

I am having problems posting more photos but I think you get the idea of what I have been doctoring for the past couple of months. The wound over his whithers was the size of a football, now it is the size of my forefinger. The wound on the right hip was the size of a melon, now is the size of an egg. Lots of scrapes but over time, the wounds will heal and the hair will grow back.

It sure could have been alot worse. I am amazed at all the stories I have been told about horses getting drug along side a trailer or a horse falling through the floor. It is truly a gift that Rio is still with me.

Rio's Remarkable Recovery

2008-08-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

It has been 60 days since Rio's trailer accident. Everyone is stunned at how fast Rio is healing. This week for the first time, Rio was trotting around the paddock, completely sound! It was just a few steps at first as if to test his leg. Then little by little each day, he takes more and more steps, even bucking and cantering. You can tell he is being cautious but he is taking the steps all on his own.

Since Rio returned home in July, I wanted to give him every possible chance to heal. I have taken Rio to a chiropracter to adjust his right hip. It was 1.5 inches lower than the left side. The corrections that were made two weeks ago are holding just fine. We do flexing and stretching excersises daily. Rio hates this part but tolerates my yanking and pulling on his leg. In a two week period, his range of motion increased by 50%! He still has a bit of a problem when he wants to roll. He will try to go down about three times before he really bends that knee underneath him. He knows best what hurts and what doesn't, so I don't want to push him too much.

I also had Rio to the Animal Theraputic Center of the Rockies for cold saltwater therapy, icy cold 58 degree water over his knee for 20 minutes for 10 days. This stimulates the blood flow to the wound, increasing the healing and decreasing the swelling. This therapy is well-known in Europe and just becoming more popular around the racetracks here in the states. It really helps soft tissue injuries. I would really like to swim Rio for a month over the winter to get those tendons across his knee re-attached. The tendons probably will not re-grow across the face of his knee but the swimming will strenghten the surrounding tendons and ligaments enough to stabilize and support the joint.

For now, I will continue to pony Rio around the pasture on Hank. Then taking him along on trail ride so Rio has to go up and down hills. Realistically, I think by spring, Rio could be back under saddle again, as a green 6 yr old! I have to keep from rushing things which is hard to do when I see so much progress in his recovery. I will just rely on Rio to tell me what he needs to do. And so far, all looks good.

It will still be a long road to full recovery but he has made it this far. I never used antibiotics or steriods since Rio left the vet clinic. I have used only all natural products from Total Health Enhancement. I used MyBeau Equine vitamins to keep his immune system strong and stomach ulcer free. There are alternatives to chemicals, injections, pills and steriods. If anyone wants to contact me for more information on what I have been treating Rio with, I will be glad to share the details.

There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel. I keep thinking that there is a reason I didn't have to put him down, that he didn't have a broken knee or leg. Maybe his big brother, Maverick, has been looking out for him from above.

Rio's Home!

2008-07-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

Finally, Rio is back in Colorado after his trailer accident! I went to Idaho last week to pick him up. How do you thank someone for taking care of an injured horse for you? My dear friend, Kathryn, had Rio in a big box stall for over a month. She wrapped his knee daily, hand walked him and fed him lots of cookies! I just can not thank her enough for all she did for Rio. True friends are such a treasure.

Rio really seems to be glad to be back home. His buddy, Handsome Hank, is right outside his pen. Rio relied on Hank to keep the bears and wolves away from him when he was unable to walk. Since Rio has been home, he is feeling better. When I take him out for his walks, he bucks a little, more like hops and even trots a few steps totally sound. I think he is just testing his leg a bit. In a few more days, I will start ponying him on his walks. I found a rehab facility not far away that will take Rio for aqua-therapy to help strengthen the tendons across the face of his knee. Other than that, time should heal all wounds.

Just when you think you have everything under control on the medical front, a colt ran through a wire fence and torn up his shoulder. Of course, it was a nice Maverick colt. So that little fella is getting doctored as well as Rio.

Did I mention the newest members of the ranch are two very cute mini-donkeys named Concho and Gringo? I have been taking them with me on some of my trips and they are so much fun. I hope to add their photos to my gallery page soon.

I should be home for the rest of the summer so give me a call. I need to get Hank back in shape for the ranch horse shows in the fall. The next big trip for me will be to Ruidoso on Labor Day for the All American Derby.

Have a great summer!

Another Day on the Alvord Ranch

2008-06-15T23:21:00.000-07:00

The day started at 2.45 a.m. The wind had been blowing 45-50 mph for the last couple of days. At 3 a.m. breakfast, the decision would be made whether we were going to saddle up and head out to gather 750 pairs off the Sheepshead pasture, roughly 50,000 acres of winter pasture. The water had dried up and the cow pairs needed to be moved closed to the well.

Saddled and loaded, we started out for Sheepshead. The hour long trip was down gravel ranch roads, and the stock trailers and ranch trucks rattled along the way.
The sun was just coming up when we finally unloaded and started the long ride up the mountains. We had to ride the canyons and waterholes to check for pairs, push them over the ridge and drive them down the mountain, meeting up with the other rides and the cattle that they collected along the way.

The wild horses were at most of the watering holes we checked, getting their first swallows of cool water before the heat of the day set in. The largest herd we saw that day was about 40 horses, big and fat from the abundance of rich spring pasture grass.

By mid-morning, we were heading down a narrow rocky mountain path, single file with about 550 cows and calves. The calves were growing tired and needed extra help getting down, wanting to turn back but needing to keep going straight. Calves are like a tube of toothpaste. If you put a small amount of pressure on them, you will get a small reaction. If you put the squeeze on them and push too hard, they scatter and you will spend alot of time getting them back in line.

After everyone finished and the cows were in the valley, we waited for the trailers to arrive at the meeting spot. I unsaddled my horse while waiting. I loaded my young horse into the last spot on the trailer and we headed back to the Alvord. It was hard to keep from dozing off in the truck after the long day's ride.

As we rounded one of the last corners about a mile from the ranch, the tailgate swung open. We were going about 40-45 mph at the time. The pin in the tailgate had sheared off and the secondary spring latch had given out. In a cloud of dust, we pulled to the side of the road and the cowboy in the front seat jumped out. When he returned, he told us one horse was missing. My brain was slow to realize that Rio, my grulla gelding was the horse missing and we turned around to find him. By the time we reached Rio, the rig that was following us had reached him, standing in the middle of the gravel road. I jumped out of the truck to find Rio surrounded by cowboys. The snap on the lead rope had broken off, otherwise he would have been dragged. As I walked around to his front side, my eyes scanned him, stopping on each one of his wounds and scrapes, analysing each one as to severity. I stopped when I got to his left knee. There was a hole the size of my fist, apparently where he had landed on it when he hit the gravel road. After hitting his knee, he rolled on to his back, scraping another hole in his whithers before rolling over onto his back then onto his feet. He looked like a kid that road a bike down a driveway too fast and crashed.

Amazingly, he loaded right back into the same trailer he had just fallen out of. We took him back to the ranch, by then he was shaking, dirty, and bleeding from all the scrapes but his knee really worried me. It was deep, full of gravel and I had no way of knowing at the time if his knee was broken or if there were any fractures. I wrapped it after flushing it out as best I could and loaded Rio up again for a 2 hour trip to the closest vet clinic.

I will pick him up tomorrow after he spent the weekend in the Idaho Equine Center. Rio's knee is wrapped from ankle to elbow, and is unable to even lie down at this point. But he is alive and as long as there is no infection in the joint, he should be fine in a few months.

Just another day on the ranch......

A Buckaroo Wedding

2008-06-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

It was a warm Nevada morning, with a breeze blowing as it often does at this time of year. The guests gathered at the corrals to saddle their horses by 8 a.m. Then everyone headed into the foothills to gather the cattle before the wedding was to take place.

By the time the 100 or so pairs arrived at the basin where the wedding was to take place, the clearing was decorated with classic old trucks, a sagebrush branding fire, water troughs and bales of straw for benches as comfortable as any you'd find in a church. There were no fences, chutes, corrals or traps to be scene for miles.

The altar was the back of an old flatbed truck, the candles were the blazing branding fire. The horseback guests held the rodear. The bride carried a small bouquet of wild sage and lilacs. The bishop performed the short ceremony with the cattle singing in the background as sweet as any choir you have ever heard. The bride and groom kissed, the crowd cheered and the branding began. It just couldn't get any better than this.

Congrats to my dear friends, Martin and Jennifer Black. May the trails you travel together be filled with love, laughter and happiness.

My Earth Day Soapbox

2008-04-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

It is Earth Day today and besides working in my garden, I felt the need to do something that's going to make a difference. But what exactly? I already recycle as much as I can at home. All my horse by-products go right onto my flowerbeds!

What seems to bother me the most is the fuel prices at the pumps. I have a big rig that gets amazingly good mileage but it still hurts to fuel up. I still need to pick up horses, get hay and try go to some shows this year. Then it came to me last night while watching tv. One news/talk show host said that if each one of us would adjust our driving habits and reduce gas consumption by just 10%, we the people, could force the oil companies to lower pump prices.

I have decided to drive 55 mph instead of 75. I am going to have a sign made that says "I DRIVE 55 not 75 to SAVE FUEL & $$" and put that on my truck when I'm going down the highway. This idea is not a new one. In fact, in the 70's when there was a certain peanut farmer in the White House and long gas lines nationwide, the national speed limit was lowered to 55 mph. It might be time to lower it again.

As Meryl Streep said in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" - that's all.

A.A.A.D.D.

2008-04-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

I am sure some of you can relate....ohhh look at the butterfly! They have finally found a diagnosis for my condition. Hooray!! I have recently been diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D.! Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder... This is how it goes: I decide to wash the car; I start toward the garage and notice the mail on the table. Ok, I'm going to wash the car. But first I'm going to go through the mail. I lay the car keys down on the desk, discard the junk mail and I notice the trashcan is full. Ok, I'll just put the bills on counter and take the trashcan out, but since I'm going to be near the mailbox anyway, I'll pay these few bills first. Now, where is my checkbook? Oops, there's only one check left. My extra checks are in the desk. Oh, there's the lemonade I was drinking. I'm going to look for those checks. But first I need to put my lemonade further away from the computer, oh maybe I'll pop it into the fridge to keep it cold for a while. I head towards the kitchen and my plants catch my eye, they need some water. I set the lemonade on the counter and uh oh! There are my glasses. I was looking for them all morning! I'd better put them away first. I fill a container with water and head for the flowerpots - - Aaaaaagh! I left the TV remote in the kitchen. I'll never think to look in the kitchen tonight when I want to watch television so I'd better put it back in the family room where it belongs. I splash some water into the pots and onto the floor, I throw the remote onto a soft cushion on the sofa and I head back down the hall trying to figure out what it was I was going to do? End of Day: The car isn't washed, the bills are unpaid, and the lemonade is still sitting on the kitchen counter, the plants are half watered, the checkbook still only has one check in it and I can't seem to find my car keys! Where did I put my glasses again? When I try to figure out how come nothing got done today, I'm baffled because I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY LONG!!! I realize this is a serious condition and I'll get help, BUT FIRST I think I'll check my e-mail...!!

My First Foal of the Year

2008-04-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

This day has been one that I have been waiting for with so many mixed emotions. While anxiously awaiting the first Maverick foal of the year that brings such a smile to my face, I just knew I would have tears. Tears of joy and happiness, and tears of sadness.

I knew that the 18 yr old mare VooDoo has just huge big boned foals. Last year's bay roan filly by Maverick had to be pulled out. I decided to let Kathy at Key Stallion Station foal her out again. I was there just yesterday, brushing Voo, braiding her tail up and feeling bad that her legs were so swollen. She was looking very uncomfortable, but still she is so sweet, resting her head in my arms with her eyes closed. Voo looked ready to foal any second. I called first thing this morning, thinking that surely Voo would have foaled overnight when the cold front came through. But she wasn't ready yet. By late afternoon, when I got a call from Kathy that Voo had foaled this afternoon, I was so excited but not surprised. Kathy told me she needed help pulling this foal out because the foal was so big. I was so grateful that Voo was there, in the big foaling stall with all the help close by to assist her.

VooDoo had an enormous dun stud colt, the spitting image of his daddy. A dun colt just like Maverick, with his great heart, kind soul, and ability to draw in all those who lay eyes on him. A clone of Maverick that I can pin all my hopes and dreams on for the future of my breeding program.

Today brought a wonderful gift.

Never a Dull Moment on the Ranch

2008-04-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

Again, it has been another busy week at home. I thought I would have left for Texas by now but a few things have held me up. It has been sunny and warm one day, then snow and rain the next day. The horses aren't sure if they should loose their winter hair or hold on to it all. It's just springtime in the Rockies!

I got a call on Tuesday from Kathy at Key Stallion Station that Huey, my gorgeous blue roan yearling, was lame and on three legs! He is an enormous colt, big boned, pleasant attitude, and a real nice stallion prospect. He was just fine the day before. In fact, he was running, bucking and acting like a typical colt. Then he comes up dead lame on his right hind.

At first glance, it looked like Huey might have an abscess forming. We had the vet look him over, and he couldn't find a thing. We decided to nerve block his heel as it was difficult to tell exactly where he was lame. Once Huey was blocked, a few minutes later, he was walking around just fine. My farrier was called to trim down the hoof to see if there was an abscess forming. After the trimming, no abscess was found. The next day, Huey had an appointment for digital radiographs to see what the problem was.

Huey was diagnosed with a lateral coffin bone fracture! It could have happened when he was jumping, bucking and playing, who knows. Probably kicked a steel post. Thank goodness, that's all it was and not the P-2. I have opted not to have surgery on this fast growing colt. This type of injury can be corrected with a bar shoe and stall rest. I am so grateful to have a super farrier, Troy Kerr. He is a miracle worker as far as I am concerned.

One thing that Huey will be getting during his recovery are Total Health Enhancement products. One product to increase the blood flow to the hoof in the morning and one product to increase the collagen production at night. If you haven't heard about these amazing products yet, you will. Please go to the Total Health Enhancement web site for more information.

The hardest part about Huey's recovery will be trying to keep him quiet for a month. Maybe I should get him a little barn buddy to keep him company. Hmmm, what should I get?!

A Message from Maverick

2008-03-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

As many of you already know, I had to put my beloved Maverick down a few months ago. It really broke my heart and as hard as I have tried, I miss him so much. I still think of him daily.

When a mare owner recently told me about an animal communicator, I just had a gut feeling that I needed to reach out to her. I don't believe in coincidences. Everything and everyone is put in our paths for a reason. Just as Maverick was put in my life for a reason. Please read the following message sent to me from Maverick.

All too many times hearts wind around each others only to make the spirits, kindred souls.
When one enters your life and has left such an impact on so many behind, but left a whole in one heart, then their purpose in life has been accomplished.
My purpose in your life Sheri, was for you to find the passion in what you do , once again and to always carry that on, because of our great memories together.
You are so true to your heart of thinking, I will never be replaced. Because that is true. I wouldn’t want for me to ever be replaced, for all the times we had together would be lost to another.
This is what memories are made of. This is how new memories are made. Each and every one of us brings to you, lessons in life, lessons about yourself, lessons about others, lessons on how to improve what you have physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
We are your partners, your guides and always a shoulder to lean on.
Hank will step up and become what you want. You simply have to show him the way.
I have been blessed for the time we shared together, Sheri. My purpose in life was to learn what true love and sacrifice was about. You showed me, right from the beginning, when it was love at first sight, how wonderful people really could be. You showed me what companionship was, trust and mental stability was all about. Once I learned that, and I know you were well on your own path to carrying on, than you know longer needed me. With me, you would have gotten into a rut, because you always relied on me. So we have taught each other well.
I do not feel my passing was a sacrifice for it was my time to go. We come here to teach and to be taught. Everything happens for a reason. My card was full, so it was merely my time to go.
I know I will be a part of your life for a long, long time. I am proud to have been a part of yours.
So now carry on and be all you can be.
Forever grateful, Maverick.
There are a couple of babies that will be outstanding in their own rights. Do not compare them to me, for they will excel for who they are.

Back in Colorado..but for how long?

2008-03-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

I finally made it back to Colorado, long enough to drop off Hank, check on the mares that are due to foal soon, bail the dogs out of the boarding kennel and sort through the two bins of mail. Oh, did I mention that I took all my Christmas decorations down on Easter weekend? It snowed 2 inches that weekend and I almost didn't want to take Christmas stuff down!

All the mares are doing well and I will be taking a couple of them to the Key Stallion Station and Mare Motel to be foaled out. The older mare, VooDoo, had such a huge Maverick filly last year that needed to be pulled out and I worry about her again this year as she is bred back the same way. She just has the biggest babies.

Next week, I return to Texas for a short two weeks. This next trip, I will take "Rio", my grullo gelding with me. Rio is a 5 yr old, 3/4 brother to Maverick. I don't think he has more that 30 rides total on him. When I see him in the pasture, he is like a shadow of Maverick. I hadn't planned on keeping him but after Maverick died, I just couldn't sell Rio. He has been just hanging out since I've been gone most of the winter. It's time to get him going again and there is no better place than at Martin Black's "boot camp" for horses. It is really nice to be able to expose young horses to different arenas, cow work, roping and reining. All the things a good ranch horse needs to know.

Speaking of good ranch horses, I was so very impressed with one of the 3 yr. old fillies that Martin started in March. With just 12 rides on her, Martin took "Bunny" out to the cow field and heeled three heifers. Until that day, she never even had a rope swung over her head before! She was calm and confident. She's been ridden over hill and dale, water and rocks. She is really doing great and ready to go to the spring brandings.

Much more to mention, but check back for news on what I bring back from Texas the next trip!

Still in Texas

2008-03-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, as the title states, I am still in Texas. I hadn't planned on being here quite this long but that's a story in itself. Everyone back in Colorado keep asking when I am coming back. Everyone in Texas asked how long am I staying. What's a girl to do??

I arrived in Texas with two 3 year old fillies, Pepsi and Bunny, for Martin to start and my big blue gelding, Hank or "Hollywood Hank" as we call him since he's a star in Martin's new DVD Bridle Horse series - The Hackamore. Since a new group of apprentices where arriving for the Horsemanship School that Martin conducts each winter, there is always a need for colts to start. It is always a treat to watch the foals that you have raised get that first saddle, and then the first ride. Sort of like watching your kids take that first step.

After being able to see the little girls get started, it was Hank's turn. He has had to really step up to the plate as my next show horse since Maverick died. My goals for Hank this trip are to find a bit that he really likes, sharpen him up on his cow work and to work on his lead changes. Hank is getting pretty good on cattle. Keeping in mind that Hank is rope horse bred, it can be a challenge keeping him from wanting to chase the cow. By using Martin's A-pen theory, which helped Maverick win a Res. World Championship Amateur Cutting title, I am a firm believer in having the cows work the horses, rather than working the horse on the cows. The cows teaches the horse where the correct position is. Everyone used to tell me that big boned horses have slow feet. Well Maverick proved that wrong. Since Hank is another big boned horse, he needs to learn how to move his feet. And he is really catching on. I love that he pins his ears back, wrinkles his nose, and knows that HE is in control of the cow. We work the A-pen two or three times per week.

My next goal was to get Hank changing leads smoothly. Maverick had no problems in this area but started to rush or anticipate the change, sometimes really leaning into the bit. So I didn't want to create the same problem with Hank. One day, Martin took a load of horses and riders over to Jack Brainard's ranch. Jack has the best way to teach even colts how to change leads on a straight line, which is how he does his schooling for lead changing. After watching older horses and green horses change leads so effortlessly, I am so excited about having Hank understand how and when to change leads.

All I have to do now is find a bit that Hank likes. I have dozens of different bits but Hank just wasn't "happy" with the ones I have tried so far. Martin is really adamant on getting all horses he starts proper dental care prior to his training. I have always had a good equine dental program, so I thought. I would have my vet do the yearly floating of the teeth. While I was here, and since an equine dentist was coming, I had him give Hank a check-up. I wasn't expecting any problems since Hank had his teeth floated just 4 months ago. What a Surprise I got when I was told that Hank's last 3 molars on both sides looked like they hadn't been done in a year! He didn't even have bit seats and his canines where so long, the dentist nipped them in half. Maybe that explained why Hank would pull away from me when I took his headstall off. The moral of this story - I am going to find an equine dentist when I get back to Colorado. Whenever that is. It might be spring thaw before I return!

Just Getting Started

2008-01-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

This is another new adventure for me -blogging, but seems as though everyone has one. Hopefully it will be updated regularly and friends can keep up with me even while I am on the road.

This last week has me trying to get organized for a trip to Texas to visit Martin Black with some colts for him to start. Have to get the truck's wiring problem fixed, make sure there is enough hay for the horses while I'm gone and about a dozen other things I can't remember right now.

It is hard to get away during the winter months as I need to have a reliable, trustworthy person to keep the stock tanks free of ice, horses fed even when it is -10 degrees and make sure the house stays warm while I am gone for a week or three. Once I am gone, it is nice to be able to ride and train the horses, and not have frozen toes in the process. The cold toes part reminds me too much of growing up riding in Michigan as a young girl. Seems like we had alot of fun in the winter months with the ponies harnessed up to the sleighs and never got too cold!

Last week started out with an unexpected trip to the vet with my old Jack Russell female "Pipaqueak, the head of the household staff", to have some teeth removed. If it wasn't for her swollen face, you'd never have known she had two badly decayed teeth. Even after having the teeth pulled, she never stopped long enough to chew her food. By the end of the week, her son Chazz, came to visit while his parents went skiing. Chazz ended up having emergency surgery to repair the wounds he got in the backyard chasing squirrels. Bella Baloo, the Bullmastif, "Princess in Training", is a strong suspect for inflicting the wounds over his back and abdomen. Not sure what her problem is but it will require close observation. Chazz is currently home and recovering nicely.

That's all the news for now. Just trying to stay warm in Colorado, and heading to Texas.