September 2, 2008
Today Bob had to take a steer in for their winter meat supply and a pair of cows and calves for sale, so while the girls milked cows, collected eggs and socialized puppies, Bob & I saddled up and headed out! It was great to ride freely again. It’s been years, and I’d forgotten a lot; not about riding in general, but details like how to open gates while still on horseback, or letting GO of the horses head (rather than pulling up to “help”) when he trips. Still, we got in some good miles, fresh air and brought in the Longhorns and the other cattle without incident.
After separating out the cattle he needed, I fed a Longhorn steer. BOY was he big! Charlie’s head was ENORMOUS, and his horns were intimidating! Even Bob was careful when he fed treats to this hand-raised beast.
The horse herd for whatever reason was up close to the barn rather than out on grass, so Bob and I walked out and drove in a pair he wants tomorrow for a wagon ride. Wouldn’t you know that when we WANTED to pet them, some were standoffish and when we wanted to shoo them out, they all wanted a treat!
Celeste and the girls and I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the front porch claiming to socialize puppies, but really napping with them, brushing them and “teaching them to walk up and down stairs.”
Tonight the Rodgers took us to a friend’s shop near Chimney Rock, then to a wagon ride and chuckwagon BBQ dinner. It was a pleasant evening, and the girls got a kick out of riding in the driver’s seat, each with a turn at the reins as we traveled along a section of the Oregon Trail.
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