First Calf Heifers and Ramblings…

Yesterday we gathered up the first calf heifers or female calves that are yearlings and have been *covered*, or bred, for the first time- hence they’ll be having their first babies come April/May). It was time to preg-check them and see how many *open* or unbred heifers there were.

I started out on Sonora,and all began, wonderfully; I was even beginning to remember why I love that mare so much! And why I enjoy riding her. Brandon rode Dozer, Jill rode Paris and Zach rode Max. Since Sonora has had Dolce, riding her has been a bit of a challenge, as she is a great mama, and doesn’t want to be away from her baby. Her baby however, is going on 4 1/2 months of age now, and really could be weaned. I threaten it daily, but it isn’t going to be convenient until we wean all the ranch colts.

We got the heifers gathered, and they were going through the last pasture to get home, and my horse started to jig (my least favorite thing) and didn’t want to walk, and was whinnying in the direction of the barn and I decided when she could walk, I’d let her go to the house. Zach, Jill and Brandon, all on sane horses at this point, put the heifers in the first holding pen and then Zach came back to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind about my horse. We did manage to walk home, but it took some doing, and some bending and some rubbing of her to let her know we’d could make it back, but only if she walked. She puts me in a bad mood, so Zach says I’m not allowed to ride her until after we wean the baby! Fine by me. I want to choke something usually after I’m done riding her, anyway!

I was going to learn to preg-check yesterday, but the girls weren’t really standing very still, so we decided I’m going to learn when we bring in the cows, since they’re used to be preg-checked and will be more still. I’ll have my arm shoulder deep, up a cow’s ass and I’ll be covered in cow shit! FUN!!!!!!

Gump worked his ass off yesterday for me, and I love him so much. He’s going to be a free runner, I think, so I’m going to have to add to my repertoire of riding skills and learn to keep his nose around a barrel, so he’ll finish his turns. Oh, and Gump, he loves me too!

I’ll try to take photos of my Shuttlebug today. Speaking of, she’s got a chunk of mane missing, and those of you that know how much I love her mane, will know that that makes me a bit nauseous.

Zach rode Sonora to put the heifers back out to pasture last night. And as always, he says he likes to ride her. I’m glad, since there are times when I feel like we are not on the same page when it comes to horses. I think it’s that self doubt coming out in me, that same self doubt that says, I must not know what I’m doing. That self doubt that says Zach only likes my horses because they’re mine; not because they’re anything he’d ever really own.

We ended up with 12 unbred heifers out of 43. One of those will come to be called, Yummy, I think, since we’re going to eat her. We’ll be fattening her up, along with a steer named T-bone. I love beef!

Today is Zach’s Birthday; I baked him a cake last night. I don’t know what the day will hold for us (besides that I’ll ride the Gumpers!). The BFF is headed out to Montana for a tour of the west, and she’ll be back in SD on Saturday, to meet me at a barrel race. I’m contemplating going back with her to TX. This may sound strange, but I don’t really miss too much about TX. I miss her and all my friends and all the barrel races there are to go to, but other than that, I’m a happy little cowgirl up here and I don’t need to be back there. I don’t even miss Mom and Dad (sorry guys).

Nine days until I’m another year older.