Riding and Riding

Well its fall. I should remember every year that October is always a busy month but somehow I seem to forget.  We are well into weaning  although I think we are the last this year.  We hauled cows home from the community pasture, I took Razz and she stumbled and fell into some brush part way into the ride and something must have got caught in the cinch/breastcollar area and it rubbed her.  I didn't notice and she come home with a pretty big sore spot. I felt pretty bad for her afterwards.  I kinda was unsure of taking her cause we been working on so much stuff and she really wasn't ready and now I worry I set back with her again.  Well I have all winter I guess.

(up early to be there by 8)

(we found cows)

(got them in mostly)

(Her favorite treat, yard grass)

(my breast collar fix after our stumble it broke. 

 I was surprised it held, guess those saddle strings had a use after all)

Then I helped the neighbors preg check her cows that was a good day, weather was so perfect and cows worked really well.  And we hauled home from the Stettler place and that worked pretty well too, except we hired a guy with a stock trailer to haul some calves and he charged just as much as a liner.  We sure won't be getting him again.  Might as well hire a liner and we won't haul any.

(someone was here and started a fire in one of the good buildings)

(the house up there, not too liveable anymore)

(so I stole a piece of the chimney flue think I may have a spot for it in the garden)

(the coal mine digger is pretty close to the road)

(they built this special giant culvert/tunnel 

so the coal trucks go over top and don't interrupt traffic)

I also had another paint night and we did greyscale paintings,  not sure I love mine but I did get the shapes and colors in, just the details are not right.  She wants me to do another one this week, so hopefully I will feel up to it tomorrow or Friday.

(she musta liked our day as she wanted to hang with me 

instead of the herd that run out to the pasture. 

 This pic reminds me that yes she is orange lol)

And Neil went to one neighbor yesterday and I went to another and both those worked well too, this warm weather is pretty nice.  Was 23*C yesterday.  I took Jess and we gathered and sorted off horseback it worked well.  Then after lunch I wasn't feeling very good and I think I have the flu.  Good thing we don't have to help anyone till Sunday, hope I feel better by then.

Moving Cows

Tuesday Neil headed up to the north place to check fences and fix the gates that were driven through last winter.  He said everything was good so Thursday he organized a trucker and we were taking 45 pair up there.  He told him we would be ready at 9.  I thought was a bit early for my liking but oh well get it done I guess.  He got the cows in, we had 10 to vaccinate so we cut them out and the dry cow and got them done that was quick then sorted calves and cows and we thought he shoulda been here but of course neither of us has a watch so we go get his phone and he got a call from the trucker.  He was almost here and his truck just quit him, would hardly pull an empty liner so he turned and went back to the local trucking place and they were looking at it he had no idea on time.  Ugh.  Not his fault but still we were ready this time lol.  So Neil called another guy and he said he would be out in about an hour had to go get truck and that would be no big deal.  Perfect (lucky really)  So he got her and we got loaded and out of here.  He took a load, Neil took the leftovers and I had the flat deck with the bike on just in case something went wrong.

(the shovel from the Forestburg mine)

2 hours later we were up there and all the cows mothered up in no time and so that was nice, we had a visit and they cleaned out trailers and I unloaded mine, bike was staying up overnight.  I took a few pics while Neil checked one spot and then let the cows out and then off we went to Halkirk for supper.  We were a bit early for wing night (darn it looked good) but I had philly cheese steak and Neil had hot hamburger and it was really good, specially since we missed lunch.

(the house up there finally caved in)

(cows in the corral waiting for Neil)

(Neil coming over the hill on his bike)

(after that trail clinic I couldn't help but find trails through the trees up there)

(pretty thick in some areas)

Got home did chores and that was enough for one day.  Today Neil took up 3 bulls and had some trees to chop down that were leaning on the fences.  Now those cows will be happy up there till October.  We may take a few more in our trailer up there as the summer goes on cause a lot of grass up there but hard to say what will happen yet.

Whew A Long Month!

Yikes so much has happened since last time but I've been struggling with uploading pictures and finally today got them here to share with you :)

After Jax came home he was in with George, Jess and Razz in the pasture.  Then we had to wean so they had to get out of there so we could get our cows home through there.  No problem it was time to move them to winter pasture anyways so they came in for a few days.

(hmm I think she ate the whole bale)

(this pic makes me laugh makes George look huge!)

(And he is kinda lol, they are best friend, only 3.1 hands difference)

 I was brave and turned out Easy and Trio and Pally in the winter pasture.  That was hard for me to let him out there when I don't think he's ever seen barb wire and such big places.  But boy was he happy!  If he coulda giggled that day I'm sure he woulda.  Made me happy to watch him.

Then a week or so later I had a lady ask me about Trio, I had her listed for sale on a couple sites, a little interest but not a lot.  She was looking for a colt with out too much handling that wasn't gonnna kick her head off.  They run a grazing coop and her husband has lots of experience starting colts but she doesn't and wanted to.  We talked a lot she liked her and in a couple days her husband was coming by with the trailer and if he liked her then she would go with them.  So he came one foggy morning and he liked what he saw, was really just looking for quiet and straight and she passed.  So off she went.  I did the fall horsemanship challenge with her and never got my hours in with her cause she sold before it was over, but I'm glad.  Makes my life a little less complicated right now.  Although I will say I have never had an unhandled colt that was so desensitized, she was weird but cool.  Rope around belly no big deal, rope on foot leading her around no big deal,  First time I haltered her just walked up to her in the pen and put the halter on.  And within minutes she was leading (following really but at that stage I took it)

So now I'm down to 5 (and Neil's George) and its working well.  All the geldings are out for the winter and the mares are in.  I'd really like to have only 3 but I have 5 I really like right now.  Although have debated on selling Pally next July after branding season but we will see.

We got our cows weaned and preg checked and dries sold.  We are gonna buy a few more bred cows but the sales don't start till December.

(Huge bunch of steers sold together it was cool to fill the ring)

The weather has been so nice this fall, was 25*C today.   That's unheard of in November should be negative but I am not complaining I love it, been riding quite a bit, haven't even got my arena membership yet cause its too nice out.

(helping a friend with a colts first ride out)

(Neil and George)

(Weaning at the neighbors, I had bronchitis 

but he needed the help so I went 

and he let me stay on my horse in the corral rather than on foot)

(even took a couple lessons)

Also went to a tack sale and sold a lot of stuff, might go again in March if I have time.  AndHalloween, how can I forget??

(geese headed south west)

Am way ahead this fall compared to most years cause we have had an extra moth of nice weather so I love that!

Back to What I know

On Saturday afternoon Neil wanted to move cows, he figured I could take Easy but not yet hes too worried about ground and then the cows would just be too exciting, too much yet, but it will happen we got lots of summer yet.  So I grabbed Jessie, weakend, that's why I wanted to sell her so I have to use someone else but I know she's good we've done it so many times before.  Razz is good but not by herself real well, although shes better than I give her credit for sometimes.  And Dee is awful by herself and so hard to steer after riding broke horses haha.  And Pally well shes probly good but never have yet so Jessie it was.
 It was hot.
Got all saddled, had to take the back cinch off she is too fat for it to fit)  and Neil come in and wanted a drink cause he was out checking fences and was hot, so was I and all I did was walk forever to catch horses and then saddled.  So a pop later we were ready.  Left out past stackyards and Neil wanted to check on the horned owls nest that he saw in the tree, of course harder to see now that its leafed out and he went down the hill and still couldn't see anything and she never flew out so who knows.

Then to look at the teepee ring, its easy to see on horseback but he has hard time finding it with Bob, even though I was standing inside it, shoulda got him to take a pic of us but Jess was not wanting to stand still, her greatest fault.  Then over to the cows, Neil took the far way towards the creek and I gathered from where we were and just pushed North.  One cow without calf didn't want to go until I got close enough, but she did, we woulda left those not calved yet behind but sometimes that doesn't work very well, they get up front cause not worried about where there calf is.

Then as I was pushing slowly up one side cause they were moving quite nice I see a cow heading towards the creek on the other end, so off we go to get her.  She stopped as we got closer so I slowed down and then she wouldn't move till I was right up to her.

(I coulda cut the last 2 minutes off this 

its just walking across the prairie

 but I still cant figure out how I used to do it)

And then I saw Neil pushing cows towards my bunch so I left them for him and went and got the others that had past the gate and most were in except a few calves and so he brought them up with Bob and I cut off the cows (and used my serious voice haha) and we got them all in.  My reins are so long haha I could probly shorten them some so I wouldn't have to move my hand so much.

Then on the way home, went back the way I came, let her lope a ways home cause she wanted too :)  and why not there's a real nice patch about half mile long and then through the first gate and we trotted that and then she knows to walk as we get to the hay corral and I can kick my feet out of the stirrups, drop the reins and she takes me right to the trailer :)  Got a few pics on the way home.

(Cow skull)

(we are almost at the top of the world!)

(home in the distance)

(into hay corral)

(and back at the trailer)

(sweaty tired pony)

Then I tied her up with the cinch loosened and stopped for another drink.  Unsaddled her gave her some grain and turned her out with her friends again.  I think she liked it, only the second time she's been out this spring and if all goes well she will go to a friend for the summer to do some trail rides on, pretty easy summer for her.  And then I have big plans for her for next year we will see how it goes.