WRANGLING ON THE RANGE #67
It was a nice day on Friday 16th of April. I was up early to
be off to the Ranch, for I had to work in the afternoon for the
Community Center; it was "kids movie" afternoon, and I always
help out setting up and packing away after the movie.
Nothing was stirring at the Ranch when I arrived about 9:30
am. Hence I knew there were no early trail ride booked.
I mixed up Goldie's mash and headed to the range in the car,
the range I could see they were on. As I came close to the gate I
saw Applejack at the creek, getting a drink. I knew Goldie would
not be too far away, as the two of them are buddies. I drove onto
the range passed Applejack and over a slight rise at the bottom
of a hill. There was Goldie. She recognized my car immediately
and was already come towards me. I knew she was ready for what I
had brought her in the red bucket. Soon Applejack joined us and
the two of them had a nice feast on that special mash.
I saw the truck from the Ranch coming down the road; it came
into where I was, and it was Bob and Moreen, his girl friend.
"Just going out to round up the horses Keith," Bob said as
he rolled down the window, "Be about 5 minutes before you'll
see the horses a comin' so Goldie and Applejack can finish what
you've givin' 'em."
"Okay, that's good," I answered.
When Goldie and Applejack finished I headed back towards the
barn, some of the horses had already started to move on up
towards the barn. Horses get used to a certain routine, they see
that truck comin' in this case, and they know it is time to move
up home, to their corral by the barn.
I stopped near the outdoor arena where we hold the Friday
afternoon horse and pony show for the parents and relatives, in
the summer time. Bob and Morneen has this type of "sheep-
herding" dog, a cross between the real thing and whatever else.
The dog's name is Shep, and it loves to round up the horse and
chase them in. I was watching him push the horses passed me; they
were galloping, and he was just a running his little legs off,
having a wonderful time chasing them in.
Goldie and Applejack were way back, they don't get too
excited over Shep, who had now run back to his owners in the
truck, which was behind Goldie and Applejack. Shep knew he had
done his main job and did not try to push Goldie and her buddy,
so they and him came in at a nice slow trot pace.
I met Bob back at the barn and he told me they had no
riders booked in to trail ride this day. It's Friday and sometimes you
get some coming out, if they have the day off, or only work half the day.
So depending on the Friday, there can be riders and then again there
may be none, until the summer and holiday time. Of course in the
summer the camp is in, and that is our big time.
I brushed down Goldie, and took the time to trim up her one
back hoof. I said to myself I'd do the other one on the coming
Sunday. Didn't go riding, so turned Goldie out with the rest in
the back corral, and was able to take my time back to the
Community Center to help set up for the kids movie afternoon. We
were showing "Alvin and the Chipmunks" - it was a good draw, we
had nearly 70 children show up to watch it. It's $5 for them,
which includes popcorn and a drink. We show it on the back wall
of the stage in the main hall. I painted that wall with the
special white paint you get for movie showing. So the movie is on
the "big screen" just like in the Movie Theaters.
Overall it was a very good day.
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