A little evening family trail ride

We just returned from a short family trail ride. My girl and I rode double on Tex, while our little boy rode on a horse my husband is training. Here is when I got off to get the gate.

Tex is doing better with neck reining, but we still have a little ways to go. 

Fourth of July is my favorite.

Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday! Just like Olaf on Frozen would say, "I've always loved the idea of summer." I love that there are no gifts and not much family expectations on the fourth- it's more of a free-for-all, friend-oriented holiday, complete with warm beautiful weather, fireworks, watermelon, and the smell of barbecue. We usually spend it on the river watching the boats go by, picking and shelling peas, or just eating a lot and visiting with family. 

I hope you remember to take some pictures and enjoy the little things this Fourth of July weekend. 

TM

A really for-real roping

Last night we went to a round robin roping for Josh to enter up, and I had planned to just work the cows and hang out. On the way to the roping, I told Josh, "If the guy would ever put on a cheaper roping, I would enter up." Well, when we got there, not many people came and entered, and the announcer said "This will be a $60 entry fee." I looked at Josh, and he said "you're entering up."  I had never been in a roping competition before! I was wishing I had not said anything about entering into a cheaper roping.

Oh boy- then I started getting nervous! I actually HAD to try hard to catch for my heelers. I hadn't roped out of the box in at least two months. Tex was a little out of shape.

But, we had to get it done, and we did . In a round robin, every header ropes with every heeler, so I had 4 chances to go back to the 2nd round. The first steer was with my friend Adam heeling. I caught it, sort-of turned it, and Adam caught heels, but I forgot to hold and stretch the ropes out! I let go too early. 

Then I caught the next two and turned them too. On one of them my heeler caught, which meant me and that guy went to the 2nd round together. On my fourth steer, Tex got me a little too close and I didn't put him in position to set us up for success. On the 2nd round, my poor pony with the short legs couldn't keep up with the fast steer, and we simply got outrun. 

I didn't win, but I tried my dangdest to, and Tex did too. He ran hard and fast, and tracked really well. I was proud of both of us. He'll never be much of a competitive heading horse. You truly need a bigger horse with longer legs to be able to keep up with the steer. But, I'll probably never be much of a competitive header either. I'm happy to just have "adventures with Tex" (and Hazel).

TM