toads, cows and horses

Ella and I headed out to "the ranch" Saturday morning.  The boys went there Friday afternoon and we just couldn't handle them having all of the fun without us.  Drew and Brayden came running to the car when we arrived so excited to tell us about their adventures the day before.  Toads.  They collected 13 toads.  Small, medium and large toads.  Ella was in heaven and wasn't even grossed out in the slightest way.  She was entertained for HOURS playing with them and making them new homes in different buckets and finding small bugs for them to eat.  Check out the size of the one she is holding....and the tiny one ON her head, courtesy of her brother.

Matt and Mitch went out and picked up Si for me!  I was SO happy to see him!  We spent some time getting reacquainted while I brushed him out and let him inhale some grain.  He's a little on the skinny side so I hope he'll put on some weight soon.  On Sunday after church, I wanted to spend some more time with him.  All of the other horses came in from the pasture when they saw me, but not Si.  After a while of trying to call him in, I just grabbed the halter and headed out to the pasture, completely expecting to walk clear out to him.  By the time I had gone about half way he noticed me, turned around and ran straight for me!  I nearly cried!!  I slipped the halter on and we just walked around the pasture and he kept his nose right on my elbow the entire time.  Oh, I've missed him and I think he's missed me too!

On Monday Mitch asked if we would help him sort cows.  I was a bit hesitant for several reasons.  One...the obvious...we've never sorted cows before.  Two...I haven't ridden Si for nearly seven months.  Then the excitement of a new adventure took over and we committed to help.  Matt and Morley were on the 4-wheeler's and were to bring in herd while Elaine, Mitch and I worked on a different herd.  We had to sort them into different pastures.  Once I learned the lingo, I understood what we had to do.  They needed to be sorted by "heavies", "dries", and "pairs".....or in other words, "ready to have a baby", "didn't have a baby", and "have a new baby by their side".  Perfect!

My cowboy and I before we headed out to work

All I can say is that it was the most amazing day!  Si knew exactly what to do with the cows and I had so much fun riding him for five hours.  At the beginning Elaine wanted me to sort out a "dry" cow while she took care of "the pairs".  The cow took off and so I took off after him and Si worked him.  So, so, so fun!!  I learned SO much in one day and I can't wait to learn more!

Elaine took some pictures during our short lunch break!

After lunch at the trailer we headed back out to get the pairs through the gate into a new pasture.  About an hour later, we could see a huge storm building in the west.  We worked as fast as the cows would move.  As the storm arrived, the wind was blowing like crazy and the rain started pelting us and Elaine and I still had a few pairs to get through the gate.  All of a sudden she started yelling at me but I couldn't hear her over the noise of the wind and the cows.  Then I heard her say, "ride hard to the gate", and I turned and looked and saw why.  The herd that Morley, Mitch and Matt brought in were bearing down on my open gate!  Si took off at lightening speed and we barely made it time to fill the opening with our bodies to keep them from going through.  While I tried to get the gate closed, Si kept the cows far enough back so none of them could sneak through.  Holy adrenaline!  The reason those cows could not go through that gate is because they had not been sorted yet...or cleaned.  We would have had to start all over again.  Phew, we kept the pastures "clean".

this is my view for most of the day.  Gorgeous landscape and beautiful cows with their new babies.

Morley and Matt right before they headed back home.  They did so awesome, especially Morley.  Six hours of riding a 4-wheeler with give you a slight hand cramp and a sore bum.  Brayden was such a trooper too and sat behind Matt the entire day as they rounded up the cows.  He said it was "so awesome" and he even saw some cool birds and a water snake!  They were muddy at the end of the day but had their own great stories to tell from their experiences that day.

When we arrived back at the house I was going to give rides to the kids on Si until I noticed that the storm was just not going to hold off any more.  Drew was able to ride for about three minutes before heavy rain started....and then the hail!  Elaine and I had to get the horses in the pasture in the hail and then run for cover.  OUCH!  Thankfully it wasn't too large but it still stung a bit.  Once we were all safe in the house we sat down in exhaustion and just talked about our amazing day.

I have to say THANK YOU to Dan and Jesse Mae for taking great care of Si and for the amazing job they did teaching him and continuing his training.  He was a fantastic horse and such a joy to ride all day.  I truly felt like we'd been riding together for years and that there had not been any separation from the last time we were together.  He's staying at the house so I'll be able to see and ride him every time we're out there! 

 Can we just hurry up and sell our house so we can buy our own land and I can bring him home?  I wish I could drive the 70 miles every day to go and ride.  I just might be able to go back out on Saturday and work again, that will be exciting!