Bloody Nose!

One of my girlfriends accused me of "riding the piss" out of Dudley because I told her he got a bloody nose. I will admit I rode him hard for two days, up and down some steep hills, over rocky territory and we covered a lot of ground moving cows but I did not "ride the piss out of him" It is a huge pasture and on the second day it as just Hollywood and I gathering the pasture. Yes, if I'd had a second horse I would of ridden a different one on the second day but I didn't. Maybe I'll get another horse for my birthday. Dudley was fairly cooperative but I will admit on the first day he gave me a bit of trouble refusing to listen to me when I insisted we go up another hill in search of cows. One does not like to start up hill with a horse that insists on backing up. Don't worry Dudley got over his bloody nose fairly quickly. Anyone else have a horse that gets a bloody nose occasionally?

Clouds......

I will get back to blogging one of these days. Let me hear from you.

Bull # 25066

Saturday I went out for a little ride on Dudley. While it was a quiet morning I heard a bull in the "Grassy" pasture I was pretty sure had been cleared of cattle. Bulls make a very distinct sound its a bellowing kind of roar. It was fairly easy to spot the bull and I thought well I've got enough time, I'll herd him back to the house, pen him and then Hollywood can figure out what to do with him. I thought if they want to keep him in this pasture it will be easy to put him back. Well I approached the bull and he decided ok I'll move but I'm going this way and I've got some flies on my back so I'm going thru the thickest brush I can find (of course, he was headed in the opposite direction of the house. Lord knows I don't know why they call this the Grassy pasture - it is full of some of the thickest brush on the ranch. The bull had a little zippy do da and was moving rapidly in the wrong direction. Everytime I got around him to head him off in the proper direction he would run around a thicket and head back in the wrong direction. Every so often he would hide in the thicket and I would have to double back an fourth before I found him again. I was really proud of Dudley because he was moving thru the most of the thicket without fussing hence he knew his job and was trying his best. Eventually after touring the bush and parts of Grassy I've never been in - we got the bull headed in the right direction and from that point forward he didn't give me much trouble. Now, I did have get off and open a gate - and while he went thru the gate he circled around some bushes and tried to go back in the pasture. But by this time Dudley and I were determined. We got him back and penned him fairly easily. So, thats how my Fourth of July started. How was your Fourth?

Screaming for Text

This photo has not been manipulated. Doesn't it just scream for some text? Can you tell if its a sunset or sunrise?

Alley Work.......

I do like it when I get to cut in the alley. I usually NEVER get to cut the cows from the calves that role is reserved for jefe or the really experienced cowboys but when we are just working cows sometimes I get to work the alley. Though Dudley doesn't particularly like this work I believe it is just outright fun. I cut a certain number of cows usually about four, run them down the alley and shut a gate behind them. That way the cows are ready to be run through the shoot for vaccinations, teeth checks etc. It makes the overall process much more efficient.

Llama Spotting

Someone not too long ago inquired about the llamas. Well I spotted them a few weeks ago. Hollywood always gets a chuckle because as I am looking at these black dot in the distance I'll say something like is that a cow over there? He'll respond, "No, its those damn llamas." It seems like years ago that I rode up on them and Dudley freaked out well anyway they are still here. Though they must be the same sex because thankfully no llama babies!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Perhaps you saw the post where I compared my mother to horses or thanked her for my love of horses. She's a pretty neat woman. Wish I was there to celebrate!

Lonely Horse?

I call him Spot. Don't you wish horses could talk? Spot hangs out by his owner's house, the pond and is seldom ridden. But I do have to give him some credit because he has made friends with some cows and is often seen holding court with them. I look forward to the day the cows leave him in charge of the calves.

This ain't no Bull!

Its a small world after all. Which reminds me when we visited Disney Land as kids my brother was scared to get on the Its a Small World Ride. Pretty funny don't you think?
Enough embarrassing family stories. Here is something really cool that happened today - one of my dearest friends in NC met one of my blogging buddies in NC.
How cool is that? Check out the links both girls are incredible talented!

Irish at Work

It is interesting to watch Irish help us move cattle. Sometimes he is right on target -

Irish.......

Doesn't it look like this dog is giving me the "evil blue eye"?

Ten Things to Know When Moving Cattle

1. Know where you are taking the cattle and/or the general direction
2. Keep your eyes on the cattle and pay attention
3. As you begin gathering don't get in front of anyone elses cows
4. Don't crowd or rush the cattle but keep them moving
5. Do not leave any cows, bulls or calves behind - there are a few exceptions!
6. Keep your horse at a walk unless you need to move faster to take care of a situation
7. Since your horse walks faster than cows at times it is necessary to stop your horse
8. DO NOT run your horse at the cattle unless there is a reason
9. Count the cows, count the cows, count the cows
10. And most importantly be gentle with the cattle they are your livelihood

Next Step

The babies have fallen behind so we may stop for 20 to 40 minutes and hopefully they will pair up. You must "hold" the cows in place usually around a water source (note the two cowboys in the distanc in the holding pattern). The trick is not to let them walk past the water source and once some of them have had a sip of water they may decide its time to move on and we have to keep holding them in place. There is an art to all this - you can't crowd them and they've got to have enough room to find their babies. As they pair up it gets quieter but of course not all of them pair up. More to follow..

Babies Falling Behind......

You may be thinking what cute babies and yes they are but this situation with the babies falling behind their mommas can become a recipe for disaster. Inevitable this happens because the mommas walk faster. As one baby gets nervous, like anything else they will "feed" off each other and more of them will become nervous. Then that one baby will decide I need to go back and find my momma. Calves will go back to the place they last sucked. You try to keep the calves pushed up in the herd and hope their mommas will come back for them and they will pair up. This day all went well and no calves turned back. Tomorrow I'll share another tip when it comes to moving pairs - I am a big believer in knowledge for everyone!

IKE

Ike is a really sweet horse. I've only ridden him a few times - he is sooo wide and a bit taller than Dudley that it is hard for me to get on him. Pure quarter horse. One day he was out in the large pen (I sometimes refer to it as the arena - east coast English rider that I was) doing rollbacks with Studley Dudley. Ike just stood there and watched and watched and watched. Probably thinking how many times is she going to run back and forth down the side of the fence come to a screeching halt and do a 180 and run back in the other direction. But Ike stood there and watched and watched and watched - so much so that when I finished with Dudley I threw my saddle on Ike to see if he wanted to do a few rollbacks. After warming him up a bit it was obvious that IKE preferred being the roll back spectator and not the roll back participant!

Smokin & Jokin

So, which photo do you like better? Any cigar smokers out there?

Assessing the Situation....

Yes, those black dots on the other side of the hill are cows - one may think they have a little mountain goat blood in them! I told them to come down immediately and find their babies or we would take the babies hostage - sure enough they came down off the hill and ran up the canyon! Dudley was none too pleased about having to go down the mountain but at least he didn't have to go up the other side!

Powerful Cowboy

Can't you just feel the electricity?

Babies....

Duck is on a Mission

Remember Duck the horse with the really short tail! Yes, he has a bit of cow sense and is politely telling this calf he needs to catch up to his momma - notice the loose rein Hollywood has - one my think that the horse is doing all the work! Way to go Duck!

Moving Cows.....

They were going along so quietly I asked Hollywood to take my picture!

Where is OneCowgirly?

Don'te telle Hollywoode but I whisperrred to her that I was tirede and asket her if she'd walkee. Isn'te she the nicest?

Converging

I just love moving cows. Though Dudley gets a little bored because he has to go so slow at times.

Travis

I made this program over 20 years ago taking pictures on a ranch in Brady, Texas. Travis was my host and my guide - a true cowboy. I should of known then that my heart was in ranching!

Fence Talk!

Pillow talk, back talk, no talk, google talk, TED talk, Car Talk (one of my favorites!)...whats your line of talk?

One Potato, Two Potato

The cowboy on the right wants to play paper, rocks, scissors...he is a world champion! But what do you think the cowboy on the left is thinking?

Solice in Sunsets

I just love the wide open spaces of the west! Are you are a sunset or sunrise kind of person? I love both!!

Falling into Line......

Good little girls aren't they? Or maybe it is Hollywood's military background.....

Details

I am constantly amazed at what details some people pay attention to and others don't. What details are important to you, if any? There is actually a details men's magazine (beware its got some spicy articles) Are you a "detail" or big picture person?

Burning Down The House!!

Are hearing the Talking Heads? Read the title again! Happy Valentine's Day. Cooking supper for Hollywood - I'll try not to burn down the house!

Float Inspection 101

Just another day on the ranch but its a cold place to be putting your hands!

Verdict is Still Out

OneCowgirl bought herself a "tome fromme" lens for Christmas. It zooms from about 18mm to 135mm. It is nice not to have to change lenses but this one just isn't sharp enough for me. As for this photo, I have since learned this cowboy hates to have his picture taken! The photog in me wants to run over and finish buttoning his vest and re-take the photo! Your thoughts?

We've Escaped!

Me and OneCowgirl escappeede from the Injuns. Isa exhausstted from gallopen! But lookee theya nowhersee in sighte! Nowsa, we can starta bloggin againee but OneCowgirl hasa gone backa to schoolee and I thinksa she hasa becomee a bookie - no she dosnot placa bets shesa readen and writen. Doya thinka I should go to schoolee?

Indian Abduction - HELP!!

Dudlley herea - OneCowgirly and meme have been abducted by Indians! Wera very happie with the Indjuns they treata us welle and they crownede me in a ceremony - we smokeed the peessa pipee!! Goody stuffe! I am nota too happy with tierra and have been promised a headdressy with feathers! OneCowgirl told meme not to complaine. The Injuns have dial up and we cante blog by smoke signals but wesa gonna try! Whata ya thinka of my headressy?

Greeting the Indians.....

What are the ladies saying?

Gertrude - why did you talk us into getting into that other pasture? Now, look at where we have to go! Mabel - quit complaining. Senah - You two sound like an old married couple. Quick what are these girls saying to each other?

Happy Birthday Hollywood!!!!!!

Here is one of my favorite birthday practical jokes - email your friends tell them so and so is having a birthday and they should call your friend to wish them a Happy Birthday. Be sure to tell them a little bit about the birthday honoree. I've got crazy enough friends that they called the birthday person all day long. It was fairly obnoxious but pretty funny. Happy Birthday Hollywood. May 2009 be the best year ever XOX!

Unique Trailer Closing!

I just love all the problem solving that goes on at the ranch. We've got a fancy new trailer closing I think Hollywood wants to patent.

Meet Will

This is the absolute sweetest horse in the world but Hollywood makes him wear the heaviest bridle. What do you think - should I hide the bridle?

Over the River

How many inches of snow did everyone get?

Working on Windmills

Pray the wind doesn't blow.....

Clouds.......

How does the weather effect your mood?

Its almost time....

We are on the look out! I love it when the babies start dropping.....soon....

Whimsical Windmill

I am just in a windmill kind of mood! Happy New Year! May 2009 be full of love, laughter and blessings for everyone! Blessings!

Wishing for Snow!

Feede Mee...

OneeCowgirlly geta outa thata warmie house and comee feede me!! Me and Duckey are hongrie. Whene are you gonna getteme a biggier keyboardes and spelle checke? Pluse, I want a heate lampe - its muchos frio! No dinnere, lotse buckes tomorrow! Wante me to rear as much as Rede Dog?

Merry Christmas!

May your Holidays be Full of Love, Laughter & Joy. Merry Christmas
Hollywood & OneCowgirl

Sky Angel Cowboy!

Merry Christmas.....