Horse Therapy

Spring time = horse time!   Horse time = happy mama and kids!

Our horseshoer came the other day, so we took the opportunity to have some horse therapy!  Horses are good for the soul, the mind and the attitude!

Reunited and feels so good!

"Don't tell Papa I'm riding in shorts!"

Brushing Preacher, to make him Beautiful!

You can't even tell he's a beautiful palomino!  Squirt has always loved the mud, but this is a bit extreme!

Help Wanted.

I am drawing a blank.  I've got nothing.  Paper is blank, computer screen is blank.  I need help!

You may or may not know but lat fall I did a guess post over on the blog Housewives of Rural America.  It was scary, fun and nerve wracking to write and then push that send button.  I am so glad I did, as it was a great experience.  My post titled 12 Confessions of a Mediocre Housewife got a few chuckles and connected with some readers.  That's way I was hoping for but didn't expect.

Now this brings me to why I need help, I am scheduled to write another blog post to be published the end of February.  I am excited and honored that they are allowing me to write for the blog again.  That being said, I am drawing a blank on what to write about.

Shall I blog about my infamous Knephla soup recipe or another recipe?  Shall I blog about sugar beets  or my cows or farming in Montana?  Shall I blog about the craziness of working along your husband with 2 kids in tow?  Shall I blog about some of the hurdles we faced starting to farm and are facing now?  Maybe a craft idea?  Maybe I should blog about the steps I take to make and can my salsa?  OR maybe I should blog about how important it is to have your girlfriends and being able to talk to them and planning a girls night at home?  Shall I blog about and ask others on how they keep farm records, cattle records and book work and what apps and programs are available and they use?  Bull season is upon us, maybe a post on buying bulls.  Throw some of your ideas at me.

I need your help!!

Now I must get going and get corn shoveled to feed replacements and cull cows.  It's cold and snowy out so I have been procrastinating this morning.

In honor of #tbt, I thought I'd throw in a couple of pictures from a few years ago.  We were at dad's house and him and T were on a mission to catch 'her' horse Abe.  Unfortunately we lost Abe to botulism a year or so ago.  Enjoy your Thursday and the pictures
!

Flower Girl

My cousin got married a few weekends ago, on a gorgeous October Saturday.  The day started out cloudy and spitting rain, but the skies cleared and turned into a beautiful day.  My cousin and his bride to be asked T to be their flower girl!  She was so excited!  But who wouldn't be, beautiful princess dress, sparkly new boots and center of attention!

My niece, who's rocking the zebra skirt and zebra boots, was helping out with the guestbook and gifts.  2 beautiful (not so) little girls!

And of course we had the stagecoach out to give the wedding party a ride.  Cuz, ya know, that's how we roll!!

My little (i.e. younger than me) sister was an out rider for the stagecoach.

After the wedding party was dropped at the reception, T and a few of us hitched a ride in the stagecoach.  In other words, we climbed in and (those old enough) enjoyed an adult beverage as they took the stagecoach back across the parking to the horse trailer and then we helped unharness, and load the stagecoach.  And possibly another adult beverage.

Checking on the Horses

We caught a glimpse of the horses the other day and headed on over to the corral to give a look over and a scratch on the head.  All of our horses, besides ol' Fred, are kicked out to pasture during the winter to take care of themselves.  If the snow is deep, or weather is bad we will take pity and go roll out a bale of hay for them.  They do have to come all the way into the corrals at home to water which makes it easy to keep tabs on them.  

TC is all smiles as Fred says hello.

It was a nice day right after the first of the year, and T had been out enjoying a ride on Fred.  We had TC in the stroller just messing around in the yard when the herd came in. TC was all laughs as the horses were being curious and sticking their noses into her stroller checking her out.  I ran back into the house to snap a few pics of the girls with their dad and our horse herd.

Preacher was very interested in the stroller and TC.

Preacher is kind of a camera hog/poser!  

Just a little bit closer.

Dusty, my good ol horse who is in retirement.  Man I love that horse.

Squirt and 6pack (brother and sister) were quite curious of the stroller also!

 I am trying to play catch up here.  And of course brag a little bit.  It's my blog, I get to brag all I want!!!

Last September I loaded Tally and Baby TC up and good ol' Fred and headed down the highway about 50 miles to take T to a little kids rodeo.  Her first rodeo, besides the fun nights we have at home.  For several weeks I had been building up to her about riding a sheep.

*Ride a sheep, all the cool kids do it.

* Did you know your mom used to be a heck of a mutton buster.

*Honey, it runs in the family your auntie has a buckle or twos he won from riding a sheep.

And so my 4 year old agreed to try and ride a sheep.  But of course I knew nothing about riding a sheep, and she needed Handsome Larry (family friend) to take her to the bucking chutes and help her.  I was ok with that, because then this mommy got to take pictures and video of her little cowgirl riding a sheep.  

And ride a sheep she did!! My 4 year old cowgirl won the 8 and under sheep riding for the 2011 Go Getters Rodeo!!  I was so damn happy and proud I cried!  That's right, I cried and I am not ashamed to admit it!  But not only did she win the sheep riding that day, she also for the first time off her horse by herself  to do the goat tail tying, which was also a first for her.   She met some new people, as did I.  She did her events all by herself, some successfully and some not, but she did them.  And most importantly she had fun!!

A shot of the sheep riding.

Getting of her horse by herself for the first time!

Trying and trying to tie that ribbon on the goats tail.

And we are still trying, but she ran out of time.  

Walking up to accept our sheep riding winnings.

A great bunch of young cowgirls and cowboys! 

My cowgirl didn't want the day to end.  She rode ol' Fred over to the corral to give him his grain.

Tally and Fred posing.  She wanted me to take a picture of her and her horse and her rodoe winnings so her Papa knew that she had 'done really good and was taking care of her horse'.


Yep, that's my bragging post!  That horse is worth at least a million bucks in my mind!  He makes Tally smile, and she has so much fun with him and wants to take care of him!  Every kid should be so lucky.

Winter Fun without any Snow

Snow has been quite scarce in North East Montana this winter.  I would go as far as to call it nonexistent this winter.  And the temperatures have been incredibly warm.  What I am trying to say to is it is the end of January.  There is no snow.  It's been 40 degrees out.  AND did I mention it is January in North East Montana!!  

But since we aren't doing any sledding or snowmobiling....  Course even if there was snow I, myself, wouldn't be doing any snowmobiling; we're are still doing some fun winter stuff around here.

Fun stuff like riding Fred.  Course, the little Cowgirl is thinking it's fun, but Ol' Fred has given me the look a time or two that I read as "Really????  I thought I got to spend my winters with my head buried in the hay feeder."  But as tough as he may want to be, Fred sure does take good care of his little cowgirl.

And off they go.  Nothin' like saddling up and stickin' the spurs to him!

If you look hard enough you can see the big grin on my Cowgirl!

T and Fred.  Fred and T.

Yes.  You are seeing things right.  Fred has his ears pins back because he is not happy!

Her sled hasn't even left the corners of the garage this winter.  But, her saddle isn't sitting around getting dusty!

Kids and Horses

The girls and I spent a few days at my folks' house the other week.  We branded a few, rode some horse and hung out.  These pictures were taken the 14th of May, and it was cold!!  We branded on Friday the 13th, and it was cold.  We could see our breath as we were standing in the branding pen.  My dad snuck back up to the house and put his long johns on.  I was wishing might hard that I had packed a pair of my long johns.  

Despite the cold, the girls got to ride for a little bit.  They were froze when they got back to the house, but they had fun.  I didn't get any pictures, but they had the barrels set up behind the house, and were having fun 'running the barrels at the rodeo'.  

Miss Timber getting ready to ride Shambo.  Shambo is HER horse, just ask her.   Though her Papa will let her believe that, ol' Shambo is one of dad's good horses.  He uses him on the ranch, to rope off of and of course to keep his granddaughter horseback!

I love how Shambo lowers his head to let Timber do her reins.  He knows, and he takes care of her! 

Tally & Abe
Tyann & Streaker
Timber & Shambo

I might add that Tally's Auntie TyTy and Timbers mother TyTy is riding the oldest horse out of the three pictured.  Just thought I should share that fact!  Streaker is an uncle to my horses 6pack and Squirt I have talked about.  And according to Tally, he is a naughty (ie not a kids horse) and she can't ride him.

Streaker is not a kids horse, nor is he a Tana horse.  That horse has bucked me off several times, and tried to several more.  Him and I have a personality conflict, and I am ok with that.  If he has been ridden I can get away with roping out of the branding pen off of him, but that is about it.  When we lived out on the Powder River, we had to gather yearling out of the top pasture, which was 14 sections and had to trail down (another 4 miles) down to the Dippenvat pasture.  About 2 miles from our destination gate, Tyann wanted to switch horses with me.  While Tyann was riding him, he was stumbling as he was sleeping from being so tired.  But I got on and he had his ears back and was gonna buck me off.  I do believe that is the last time I have ridden him.  But that little story was off the subject, so lets get back to Kids and Horses.

We don't believe in ponies at our house!

And they are off!

It Was Brought To My Attention

Awhile back I did a few blog posts about the horses that are standing out in my pasture.  On one particular post I told you all about 6pack, the baby in my herd.  I touched a little on how I have Squirt (the palamino in the first pictures on this post) who is a half brother to 6pack.  It was brought to my attention that I had forgotten to mention another half brother to my 6pack.  I searched high and low on my computer for a picture or two of 6packs other brother and finally found a couple I thought I would share with you.  

So without further ado, I would like to introduce you to Sheriff .  There are three reasons I can come up with on why I forgot about him.  1.  I always forget that Sheriff and 6pack share the same father.  2.  He's my sisters horse, and lives at her house, not mine.  3.  I don't ride Sheriff.

Roping at the BRBR in the Cave Hills of SDakota.

My sister, Taryn Jo, bought Sheriff as a colt from our neighbor down on the Powder River, and broke him as part of a college class.  Since she was a kid, I have often said that she has a special touch when it comes to training dogs and horses, and this horse is more proof for my theory.  So lets hope 6pack turns out as good as Sheriff, if not a little better!  

Going in for the heel shot.  Sheriff is also her breakaway horse.

Taryn and Sheriff leading Dad's rope horse Indain.  Timber warming up Dad's other rope horse Shambo.
*It was brought to my attention, that I don't know Taryn's horses at all.  She is leading her other horse Camo, not dads horse.*


Even though I can't seem to find the pictures, you have to know she uses Sheriff on the ranch for whatever needs to be done.  He really isn't scared of much, but he doesn't really care for kids.  Which is fine, since Taryn has none, and her nieces already have their own mounts!

Taryn & Sheriff, Timber & Shambo at the 2010 Days of '85 Parade in Ekalaka.

So now to close this post I shall ask Taryn Jo one question;  "Happy Dear?"  haha

6pack

Meet 6Pack.  The baby of my herd.  Actually she is in my herd, but truthfully she is my dad's horse.  But we like to share.  6Pack is the last of line.  Years ago, my grandpa had a buckskin quarter horse team named Ned and Nelly.  All his life grandpa wanted a buckskin saddle horse, so when Nelly came up lame and could no longer be put under harness and pull the wagon, he had her bred.  We got 4 colts out of Nelly; Whistler(buckskin), Streaker(buckskin), Dusty(palamino), and Elvira(buckskin).  I got some good and sad stories about these horses, but that's another post.  Several years ago I rode a horse for a guy and got paid and recieved a stud fee.  Dad and I bred Elvira and Squirt (#5 and palamino) was born.  The next year Dad and I took Elvira and had her bred by the neighbors stud and #6 was born.  Therefore we named her 6pack.   I didn't get to put any rides on her myself last summer as I was pregnant, but I can't wait to start riding her!  

Such a sweetie.

She is a duplicate of her uncles, just a little daintier and more feminine.

I can't wait to start riding her!  I have big hopes!

Doctoring Dingy

We gathered the horse herd the other week, as our horseshoer was coming to make their feet look pretty.  This in only the second time I have seen my horses since before Christmas.  We had a long hard snowy winter and the remuda got snowed in in the back pasture and we couldn't get to them.  So needless to say, the horses survived the winter on their own.  They came in a little skinny, but they don't look half bad.  On a normal year (less snow and no new baby and no surgery for me) the horses would have been gathered awhile ago and I would have long since been riding.  But, I couldn't so they weren't.  

Cody, the horseshoer, does an excellent job, and I am so thankful I have found him.  It has taken me 6 years to find a good horseshoer in this country.  He did find an abcess on Dingy's back hoof, so Tally and I had to do some doctoring.

Soaking her hoof in some epsom salt.

My trusty assistant patiently waiting to help.

All doctored up with a shiny new hoof! 

Yes, sir!  That there is duct tape on her hoof!!  

Alive and Well

Not being able to get to my horses for several months and not seeing them, I kept praying that my herd was surviving the winter alright.  My horses are not used to any pampering or extra care, but this winter was harder than most.  I was relieved when then finally decided to come in on their own and all of them were accounted for!