Getting Back On Track

Every spring, I start out so good with getting several horses going at once. I get everyone's feet looking pretty good, manes and tails brushed out and groundwork done on this one or that one, besides getting horses rode.

School gets out and all of the sudden, my program goes to pot. We get busy with 4-H stuff, I get busy with Moon...this year I have stayed pretty steady with Frosty too and I like to take a little time to go out and see My Honey. And then there is the yardwork and the list of things that need repaired, trees that need trimming, etc, etc.

Usually by the time we cram all of that into the month of June and July rolls around...it's hot and miserable. Riding time is limited to early mornings and late evenings. The horses are fighting flys and I just do what I have too and wait patiently for September to roll around and the weather to get nice again.

Amazingly enough, it's now the middle of July...and we are still in the 80's. Oh please don't let talking about it jinx it so it doesn't get hot and miserable(fingers crossed and knock on wood). The nose flies have subsided and although there seem to be a lot of little flies this year, they aren't really bothering the horses.

I think I can actually get back to working horses on a regular basis.

Most importantly, I have to start legging up a back-up barrel horse. The coughing issue with Moon last week really got me to thinking how much it would cost me to have entered a rodeo and then not be able to run. Luckily for me, there is another finished barrel horse in the herd. Leo, the big bay gelding simply needs legged up and a refresher on the pattern. I've only ever made one practice run on him, but he felt pretty good.

Frosty is going decently now, I can add another greenie to the bunch, so I think I will get started on that monstrous 4y/o, VooDoo.

Oh happy day, I found someplace to go with my black mare, Queenie...

Would you believe that my bad, biker boy is interested in learning how to team rope? No kidding! A friend of his just got back into team roping and My Honey told him he wanted to learn. His friend told him to start coming and practicing when he gets his arena finished. Miss Queenie will fit that bill nicely. I have roped on her before-done a lot of tracking cattle and heeled on her some. I will have to get her up as soon as possible and get her ready for My Honey. That makes me feel good. I hated to part with the mare, but couldn't see letting her just get old in the pasture.

And Megan is going to add this guy to her roster...

Spooks has always been Megan's "other" favorite horse and since I think Rip(the blue roan) isn't going to be quite fast enough to place in barrels, I told Megan she might as well start training on this one. That way, when she is ready to go faster than Rip can, she has another one ready to take his place.

I tell ya, sometimes I get a little disgusted with the number of horses standing around, but it sure is nice to just be able to go pick another one out a bunch you know everything about rather than have to try to go buy one.