Wednesday, Thursday

Wednesday, Thursday

These days have to run together as on Wednesday the power went out from 2pm till we got back from the jail and on Thursday I was otherwise engaged (See later!) Wednesday morning’s walk/ride only produced some critter digging a hole in the bank but I only saw the soil drop down the bank!! Someone suggested that if I ride a different horse I would have something different to write about!! So I did on Wednesday. Due to recommendation from a very good rider I chose Toby. We rode to High Ridge and did individual lopes on the top. This was fine when Toby was in front as leader but he wasn’t very happy staying behind so we “cheated” and went following Casper. In the afternoon as only 4 of use chose to do cattle work in the arena we got lots of attention and practice for the competition on Friday. Toby was much more maneuverable (can almost do side pass)  than Ironman so handy for this work. A group of us walked to the jail for the cook-out there and the program. As the power was off we had to get ready and cleaned up in the dark. We had a great meal followed by a great program including talents of poetry, storytelling - Rindacella (Cinderella) and the Mountain Dulcimer. Luckily the power was back when we got back after walking back in the starlight.

Thursday.

A special day today. Out with Tony, Paul Allen, Sheena (from the UK) and Josh to fetch the 2 last heifers that we couldn’t get on Monday. This time we got permission and set off at 9am driving to the other side of Snoopy Rock. There were actually two heifers and the Cheesman employee opened the locked gates for us and told us where they were. We got our horses ready with our sack lunches and picked up the heifers at 12 mid-day. This was the easy bit! We got them on the road and decided to drive them back to the ranch rather than try to load them. Again, this was relatively simple as they were quite docile. However eventually the only option was to take them up and over a rather steep ridge and up and over several ridges. We watered them wherever we could but they got rather tired and hot. Several times Josh or Tony had to get off their horses to extricate them from aspen groves. Eventually we sighted the South Platte where we had the option to leave them. It was a really warm day so we were all tired and the horses did a splendid job. As Tony tried to run them out of the Aspens we lost them in the willows by the river. It was as they had never existed. After a time of searching we reluctantly decided to go back to the ranch. While decisions were being made some of us (this was bout 4pm) managed to get some of our food out of our saddle bags and eat on horseback – not easy!! We saw a Bald Eagle and lots  of mule deer. So we then had a 2 hour ride back home. We got off and walked our horses down the jeep road and I declined to get back on and ride Ironman back with his halter. Tony has other ideas and I agreed to get back on – that was difficult as my legs were tired and my jacked tied on the back of the saddle. Josh had to haul my leg over and we all laughed so much.  Even more so when Tony tied Ironman to his horn and led me back.