August 11, 2018 – Volume 13 – Issue 31
Howdy!
Scott and Yellowhair demonstrating how to ask a horse to back up.
Another great (and hot!) week at McGinnis Meadows has come to a close. We had a diverse group of guests that helped make this week a blast. From the East Coast we had Chuck, Susan, and Liz and from the West came Ross, Samantha, and Jen, Catherine, Peg, and Kyla. The South was represented by Holly and Tony as well. On the international front we had Genna from Germany and GG from France. Al doesn’t really fit in any of these groups because it seems he’s from just about everywhere! By the end of the week everyone was friends and it was delightful to be part of the camaraderie of the week.
L-R: Holly and Levi, Tony and Amigo, Kyla and Roanie
Throughout the week we worked to move the cattle from the McKillop pasture through Elk Creek holding pasture to Davis Mountain. Davis is their last stop of the season and they will reside there until the fall when we gather them and bring them back to the ranch. Since the temperatures were in the 95 – 100 degree range we started early in the morning, driving groups out to graze to move cattle before the heat of the afternoon. This was our first week of the season trailering to Graze and it was fascinating to see what goes into preparing the vehicles and loading the riders and horses. There is a fine art to knowing the order in which the horses should be loaded and it is important to know how to place them correctly in order to maintain tranquility in the trailer. It is my opinion there are few things as exciting as hauling out early in the morning to search for cattle.
Samantha and Scotch
One of the challenges we had on Friday was moving a blind steer to the corral at McKillop. Once in the corral (with a buddy of course), he was brought back to the ranch. He should regain some sight and is currently wearing an eye patch. Genna has named him Jack Sparrow and he will be kept at the ranch until he is ready to go back with his friends on Davis Mountain. Until then, we have the pleasure of having Jack in the scale house pen and seeing him every day.
Cathrine and Boone
On both Thursday and Friday we beat the heat by taking large groups to the lake. Everyone paddled and swam their hearts out. We also got the rare treat of having Roby accompany us to the lake, bringing along some of his own lake goodies. Roby’s immense lake arsenal includes not only a paddleboard and a Kayak but also a giant, purple, winged unicorn named “Magic”. Magic was a big hit, especially with Genna and Kyla who rode along being towed by Brenda. A lot of watermelon was consumed and fun was had.
Nemo bringing out his inner flower child.
In horsemanship, groups worked on riding with the reins in one hand. Although this is not often done in the course of a typical horsemanship session it is important as we prepare to be able to advance our horses to the bridle and to do everyday jobs on the ranch. From flagging horses, roping, and opening gates, it definitely let everyone know where they were depending on their reins rather than their seat and legs to direct the horse. It was a challenging exercise but also extremely enlightening.
As frequently happens here at the ranch we had to say a few goodbyes this week. Anna went home to start her final year of college and Vanessa went home to prepare for the start of the school year. Their positivity and enthusiasm will be missed, however, both will be back next summer – we can’t wait!
That’s all for this week,
Jessie
Tony and Holly (And Trouble)
Samantha, Ross, and Jen
Genna and Dunny
Happy Birthday Janice!
Gathering the Herd