Except for Kittee having to make a weekday run into Pendleton, (a few of those days have been courtroom horror stories, that she tries to leave in PDT) we have been making the most of our July summer. The past three weeks we have had the opportunity to go horseback riding at least three days a week. WOW!! That has been fun and some great times to connect with our trail horses the Dynamic Palomino Duo - Derby and Nugget - taking us everywhere we want to go. It has been a couple of years since I have ridden Nugget since Misty has been my steady trail horse, but for the past three weeks Nugget has been my steed, and I have found him to be a joy to get along with. It has given me a chance to work with him on how to keep up with Derby. Two rides last week Nugget took the lead on the way out and actually gave Derby a run for his money, that was fun.
The past three weekends have gone something like this at the McKuster Horse and Vacation Ranch…
Since the 4th of July our weekend temperatures beginning on Friday have gone into the 100ยบ range for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so we get up and start early to beat the heat and take a ride. Fridays we have headed up the OLE South Fork Walla Walla River trail. This trail follows the river for miles and miles through dappled-lighted forest and is a pleasure to ride into the early afternoon.
Up the South Fork River Trail
Each time we go up the river trail, we try to go a little further and one of these days we may reach the Wenaha Tucannon Wilderness Area, just on the other side of the mountain from the So. Fork River Canyon.Saturdays we hit the trail early as we cross Walla Walla River Road and go out the OLE Cashe Hollow Road
Trail. This is a short trail (5 to 13 miles) so we ride it pretty fast to gain elevation and get back to the ranch by early afternoon- before the heat of the day.Sundays we either make a quick run back up the OLE Cashe Hollow Road Trail or work/school our boys in our riverside arena. We have also had a couple of weekday afternoons that Kittee got out of Pendleton early and we rode horses from the house for a couple of hours up the Cashe Hollow Trail. All of this has given us some nice quality time in the saddle with our geldings, and it feels like what you might consider living out of a horsey dude ranch would be like. Its home and we love it.
Derby taking a munchie break on wheat heads.Summer: Chapter 3 - Our baby
Other than steady trail riding over the past few weeks, I have been working with my Summer on an every-other-day basis.
Last Thursday 23rd of July, Summer turned one month old. She is now shedding her foal coat and her true coat color appears to be a liver chestnut much like her sire's - Rusty. At this point the liver chestnut coat is showing around her eyes, her hips, and rear flanks with spots appearing elsewhere. Her front buck teeth are getting larger and the other day I could feel that her lower rear jaw teeth had come in. Yesterday "Upriver Dale" stopped by and I was telling him all of this and he made the comment... "Your in love, aren't you?" I said, "I guess so, now what do you mean?" He told me I was going on about Summer like a new father talking on and on about his new baby ;>)
Summer: Chapter 4 - Training
A couple of weeks ago I started work with Summer on the lead. She has been wearing a halter since the day she was born, so it has been pretty easy putting her on a lead rope. Last week will be the last time I can pick Summer up off the ground, and since then I have been using the lead rope to hold tight around her cinch/girth area. She should be ready for a saddle when that day comes.
All of our training session’s start in the barn foaling stalls, which has no distractions and is plenty large enough for a little horse’s training sessions. This past week I have been bringing Summer out to pasture to work with her in open spaces, and she has done great work. Now, on a lead we will circle the pasture a couple of times before I tell Summer she is doing good work, and thank you Great Spirit-Creator of All for this healthy baby.Summer: Chapter 5 - Socializing
It was the 12th of July that Summer got to have Jasmine come into the pasture with her. That was interesting. As Summer was smaller that Jasmine, there wasn’t that much difference in height and Summer kind of wanted to be playmates. Jasmine was insulted that a little horse would consider her a full-grown pony to be a playmate. Since the 12th they are a bit more social with each other but still not best of chums. On the 19th of July we introduced Aunt Misty into Summer’s pasture. She and Jasmine had been pastured next to Summer and Goldie since we let Summer out to pasture.
Again as with Jasmine, there was not very much interaction with Aunt Misty and Summer. Misty is a slight bit possessive of Summer and quite protective of her around other horses over the pasture fence, but other than that there is really not a lot of interactions.This past Saturday the 25th we let Shaiela and Rosey come into the pasture with Summer, Goldie, Misty and Jasmine. For whatever reason they all decided to go into the tight-quartered dry lot/ paddock to explore and run around.
It appeared that Shaiela wanted to take possession of Summer. Goldie had no appreciation of that concept, and everything settled out very soon. That is when we brought Rosey into the pasture with Summer and again really nothing happened.Yesterday afternoon we opened the gates so all the other mares and Miles could coming into pasture with Summer, Goldie and the rest and again nothing happen as far as interactions.
The three-amigo Arabian silly fillies -Rosey (1-year old), Raji (2-years old), Sunny (3-years old)- were rejoined and started playing together, but everyone else seemed to make no difference around Summer except Miles. He came over to say Hello to Summer and Goldie appeared not to want Summer to have any part of associating with a Long Ear - mule. Goldie pinned her ears, dropped her head, turned her butt and started kicking at Miles.... a definite signal to stay away from MY baby, sending him on the run. There was no questions asked, as to what that was about ;>)~~~~~~~
Last weekend, after our morning horseback ride up the Cashe Hollow Trail and lunch, I did a guided fishing trip up the So. Fork Walla Walla with our newly formed fly fishing club Walla² Fly Fishers (FFF) of Milton-Freewater and Walla Walla fly fishers. This was a very nice mid-afternoon outing and a great chance to cool off as we wet waded the upper river.
So this is what I mean, when I say that for the past couple or three weeks our home/ranch has felt like a vacation spot with our own bed comfortably insight. We find it hard to think of going anywhere further than our own backyard.~~~~~~~
For-The-Record: I have now completed my 12 session acupuncture treatment with Dr. Vu in Walla Walla, and finding that I am resting much better at nights. I am no longer losing sleep, having to get out of bed every couple of hours and walk around because of acute lower back pain. I will highly recommend that if anyone out there is experiencing chronic pain from head to foot, go find a highly qualified acupuncturist and get relief, without the pills that make you feel numb and dumb. I will now be going in to see Dr. Vu every other week for awhile mostly for the euphoria of his needles therapy, and touch up pain relief. It's amazing!
Before I let you go, I want to show you this bit of computer generated artwork. This picture came from the index page of our McKuster Ranch website and there it is a full panoramic view of the upper Walla Walla River Canyon. I sent this photo to a person last week in full size and this is what they got... and they sent it back to me, very interesting and I thought quite artsy. With the internet transmission it compressed the picture to produce this. Does anyone know how/why did it do that???
Now as the sun has sank slowly into the west I shall close this chapter of the comings and goings of Kittee and Dale.
Whistling right along... ♫ Happy Trails to YOU, until we meet again ♫and that's the way it is around the ranch neighborhood--- Dale
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