Early January

     After our subfreezing weather, we have been blessed this week with spring like weather. We know better than to get used to it but it has been a nice break. Today it was the 60s! Tom and a friend had a great day golfing at the Brasada Ranch Golf Course. Tom says, "the beauty of the day and course was much better than the final score!" Guess that means that he needs more nice days to play. The last time he played a round of golf was in September. He has been invited to play in the Polar Bear Classic at Pronghorn this coming Wednesday.

     This past Saturday was the first day of Cutting Practice up at Norton's Arena in Madras.  I have been learning and practicing for the past two weeks and my trainer said it was time for me to just try going into the herd of cows and pushing out a few and separating one but that I didn't have to work the cow if I didn't think I was ready to do that.

     Boy was I nervous. I was in the last group since I was a newby. I went in and had no trouble pushing the cows out and easily cut one out. Then I just started working it like I did in practice. I turned it about five times before it started on a long run across to the wall and I decided since I hadn't practiced those types of turns I better turn my horse off of the cow. I did that three times in the first go. My trainer was really pleased with the way it went. I was really pumped. I am eager to start learning how to do fast riding  and turns to cut off the cow when they run for the fence! Here is a YouTube video of a well trained horse doing cutting. NO I am Not that good, But it shows what I am attempting to learn. The first part shows about cutting a cow out of the herd and starting to work it to hold it away from the herd. It is a real rush to do this kind of riding.

 

 

No pictures of me this time. I was busy riding and couldn't take any. Maybe Tom will get to come along next time and take some. Hope the day goes as well then and he doesn't just get pictures of me landing on the ground. Yes I ended up in the dirt twice last week. That is all a part of learning new skills with horses.

 

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