Cattle and Fall Gather at McGinnis!

Greetings everyone,

This week continued our fall cattle gather and it was a big week!

Cattle and Color!

Our guests were all about it and there was cattle work in some form every day. With the cattle leaving soon we really have to make sure they are all off of the mountain in the next couple of weeks. The hunt goes on out on Davis mountain with any found steers being driven to the holding allotment at Elk Creek. From Elk Creek they come in to the ranch to be weighed and turned out in the ranch pastures.

We also had outside horsemanship, and trail rides happening.

On Monday Roby taught horsemanship in the meadows again. Giving people the tools they need early on to be able to work cattle and get a job done on the ranch, allows riders to gain confidence and venture out early in the week.

Kim and Roanie

We were blessed with beautiful weather all week long with temperatures in the 60-70 range- a little unusual for this time of year. The fall colors have really popped this week, and it seems every day there is more. The meadows are a brilliant color as well, as you’ll see from the photos, making the horsemanship days even more special.

These sessions continued through the week and guests were all smiles with the progress they made from Monday to Friday. Some have horses back home that they would like to improve and others ride only when they come to the ranch. Either way the horse gets a good deal when their riders develop softer hands and better timing – they just love it!

We had a couple of riders who had experienced accidents on their horses at home and were really looking to rebuild their confidence and get back to riding. Kim pushed through her fears to get back on a horse after two years and at the end of the week even cantered on Brownie!

Gill, Karen, Dottie, Susan and Laurie

Susanne also had a successful week and learned a posting trot, how to get her horse to move out at a good walk, a cow turn and cantered on Bob.

We had several returning guests who love going to graze and anything cattle oriented. Gill, Karen, Laurie, Wayne, Robert, Ron ( with us for a second week), Dave and Dottie came back to the ranch for more cattle work and to see the country the ranch has to offer.

Dave and Jasper had fun moving cattle.

Husband and wife Kim and Mark, and Suzanne were first timers but you would never know it by the end of the week. It was apparent at Friday night dinner, with all the laughter and good fun, that friendships were made this week.

Maintenance continues around the ranch as well, as we gear up for the winter weather months. Dave, Will and Willy were replacing lighting in the indoor arena and in the saddling barn and boy what a difference- it is nice and bright in both places now. The de-limbing and clean up is starting to show some nice progress in the winter herd pasture too!