WRANGLING ON THE RANGE #56
It was a lovely sunny day. Driving out to the Ranch was
pleasant, with the now very snowy Rockies to the West. The Ranch
was not busy today. The boys had put in a good week of work "de-
worming" all the horses. They also had bought 6 horses form the
auction ring, one was a little sick, runny nose, so they put it
in a corral all by itself, but next to the other new ones, who
will stay in their corral for about one month; to make sure they
are healthy before putting them with the herd.
The horses on this Ranch are very healthy indeed. No outside
horses are allowed in; people cannot just come with their horses
to ride on this Ranch. Being then isolated shall we say, the herd
keeps very healthy. The horses here get de-wormed in the Spring
and Fall, but unless they would get into an accident or come down
with a cold, they get no shots of any kind. A good number of the
riding trail horses were born on this Ranch, and are 12 years and
older, and have never known a sick day in their entire life.
Some that were born here have lived right into retirement,
up passed 25 years, and into retirement last summer, with no
illness of any kind.
I did not see the boys today. Sandi, Paul, and Moreen (the
shorter girl) and Katelin (from the summer camp) were there.
Betty came out, she was supposed to have a little one for pony
riding instruction, but it was either to cold or whatever ... it
was a "no show."
We had a few "members" (two ladies) come out to ride, they
were wise and brought with them some of those gel-heat warmer pads
for your hands or feet.
There was a 1 pm ride of three children and three adults. I
led the ride on Goldie and Katelin was the outrider. It was a
slow walk today as the trails were a combination of snow and ice.
The one huge tree down over the trail was still there, the boys
have not yet removed it. I had to lead everyone through the trees
around it. It gives them a little taste of bush-wacking I guess.
Paul is the one who loves to bush-wack, I'm really not that fond
of it, but when you have no choice, you have no choice, you have
to do it. I think everyone was happy to get back to the barn;
part of the trail was windy, fortunately not for very long. My
feet were cold (I'll have to buy some of those jell-foot/hand-
warmers); then again, it doesn't take much for my feet to get
cold.
I did a long walk backwards with Goldie in the main barn,
one right side-stepping. She did get a little practice of left
side-stepping out on the trail as I also today did the opening
and closing of the gates.
I was ready to call it over for this Sunday November 1st.
Betty was ready to head home also.
Goldie had had her mash when I first arrived as I usually
do, but I gave her a second helping (less the oil and vitamins)
and then turned her out in the back corral with the other horses
going to the range.
I was off early, just not warm enough to stick around today,
left at 3 pm, and headed back to a warm home.
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