Greener Pastures

Today was the day.  It was time to move cows across the ranch.  We almost always get to ride in June and I didn't know if it was going to happen this year but it finally did!

I got to ride a new horse that they brought down from the other ranch.  The horse that I have ridden for 2 years, High Noon, is no longer with us so I was a little nervous this morning finding out what Augustus was like.

He was not fun or easy to catch but I made sure to move slow and let him think I was just going to pet him after I got him in an alley and shut a gate.  He finally let me put the rope around his neck and halter him.  He was fine until I tried to bridle him and threw his head around some but from then on out we were pretty good.  I guess he didn't like it when I would ask him to stop while moving cows and in the corral when we had to stop pushing cows he got pretty anxious and picked up both feet and did some hoppity-hopping with me. 

He was beautifully responsive to reigning and legs and had some great get-up-and-go but not too much that I had to hold him back.  And he had no issues going through water or boggy areas, which was a welcome change from High Noon LAUNCHING across water with me.   

We got The Prairie Daddy to get a picture before we headed out.  This is Bart and Augustus (aka Gus)

The grass is so beautiful this time of year.  Here is our barn, shop and brother's house

Uncle was helpful on getting things adjusted

Shabby view up Meeteetse Creek of Carter Mountain

The Nephew

Franc's Peak in the background

Uncle and Nephew and Franc's Peak

My little cowboy is horsey enough now to take the camera and take pictures of me while still on his horse! 

There were beautiful blue bells on the hill

Mama and baby didn't know what to do with 4 horses, 2 ATV's and a bunch of cows

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side...

Move along lil' doggies

The herd looks good but there was a storm brewing in the mountains

The two nephews and The Prairie Kid bringing the cows to the corral

These draws are the hardest part of the ride but having a horse that doesn't launch over them made my day much smoother!

After we dropped the cows off at the hay field that they were destined for we picked up the Hereford bulls from our upper pens and took them to greener pastures also

They have been in a pen for weeks with hay and they were like kids in a candy store to be out on the fresh grass

It was a great day!  And the storm went around us so we didn't get drenched!