Volume 16, Issue 40
Hey all!
James here, first time writing the highline. In fact these past two months have been filled with a lot of firsts for me. My first time cutting cattle on horseback and driving them through a chute. First time driving a forklift and an army truck. First time helping cut and process dear meat. And my first time in northern Montana. One thing is for sure around here, if you’re willing to work for it, you will take away more than what you came with. During my time here I’ve come to see that this fact is what makes the ranch what it is. It is a place of learning and a place of growing. A place where you can push yourself to be better knowing that everyone around you is doing the same.
Elk in Action!
This week I was able to ride some more with Shayne, Desiree, and Kevin. I rode Pecos all week. Like many of the McGinnis horses Pecos knows all the buttons and is willing to work with you till you find them. With every ride I try to think of something to focus on and improve, and I feel confident in the fact that I’m getting good advice from people who have been in my same exact position at one point. I also see that as I’m learning, so are the people who are teaching me. The end goal is never to know everything, but to utilize what you’ve learned to push you further in your horsemanship journey. No one ever will know everything, and the term “end goal” in itself might be a misnomer as I can see now that there is never an “end.”
Em on her way to get groceries. What a view!
As we move towards the holiday season, we are making one more push to get everything cleaned and organized before the new year. As of now, we are deep cleaning the indoor arena. Dusting and sweeping every nook and cranny. The arena is our office, and there is a certain satisfaction in seeing it get cleaned out and beautified. This project should take us into next week. With heavy snow in the forecast we are focusing heavily on our indoor projects. As far as the weather goes, we are praying for a white Christmas. The whiter the better. So if you know any good snow dances, send them our way!
Cowboy mini meatloaves!
Happy trails,
James