Celebrating Kittee's 47th... ?

Today was Kittee's birthday and she took the day off for for us to go for a ride. It made a most perfect birthday for Kittee and I. We started the day with our favorite ranch breakfast of fresh brewed McKuster Ranch strong black coffee, Apple Bread-French Toast and a large pattie of sausage. A great Oregon rancher's breakfast, much like dessert.

Right after breakfast we made a quick getaway from the table, dropped out dishes in the kitchen sink, went out the back door, loaded up the horse trailer, with tack, snacks, Derby and Nugget. The weather this day was cool; morning lows in the 50's, afternoon high in low-80's as compared to this past weekend's -4th of July- 100° days. After loading our stuff and horses we made a big U-turn in the driveway and headed upriver for the South Fork trail. After saddling up at riverside, we headed up the trail, with the river sparkling and the air rather crisp and clean, for our morning ride. Gee, this felt good. We made our way upriver through about six river fords when we decided this felt so good that we would have to do this again on Friday, (a story to be continued).

The ride went very smoothly, with no rattlesnakes or wasp encounters. When we made our upriver turn around Derby knew the way back to the trailer so he led the way stepping out quite briskly. Derby has a 1/16 Thoroughbred in his Poco Bueno pedigree, which gives him a smooth, fast ride on the trails. During this day's ride we encountered two couples hiking, and three guys mountain biking on the trail, the rest of the mileage/great outdoors we had to ourselves.


After we returned to the trailer, we gave the boys some river watering, a bag of hay, and we sit back and had a couple of beers to wash down the trail dust. While kicking back our ole riding buddy George Ehmer came riding by on an Appy, as he was finishing his mid-day ride up the river. Under both of George's shoulders were .45 revolvers and a Camelback water bag on his back... he was ready for anything... that's George.

Sitting by the river in the shade of the cottonwood trees, with our palomino amigos felt so good, that we were really getting psyched on doing this again for another round of outdoor relaxation on Friday.
By the time we got back to the ranch it was about 3 o'clock, so instead of having lunch I made a quick snack of smoked Oregon Spring Chinook with cheese crackers and a beer. That held us over well until dinner time at Kelly's.

While eating dinner at Kelly's we had the next door Posse Grounds' family night horse activities to watch. A very relaxing outing and view with our Blue Mountains as a backdrop.

After dinner we came home for a 6:00 pm appointment and watched horses... Goldie, Summer, Derby and Nugget until sunset and then got ready to call it a day. But then we remembered that Travis (our horses' trainer) had made Kittee a birthday cake. So after a long day of fun and run, we sit down for a piece (or few) of chocolate cake and milk.

Mmmmmm good!! I had told Travis about how old Kittee was to be this day, but he forgot and instead of making a wrong guess, he chose her to be 47 today.

And that's the way it was, a wonderful Birthday in the saddle ---- Dale

Imprinting Summer

Summer was born last week 6/23 -- about 2:15 a.m.; since then I have been working on imprinting her to make a better horse, one that will be people oriented. With each day's handling Summer has been easier to "work"/play with, even though I can tell she is growing very rapidly. At the time of her birth she was soft and supple, now she is quite strong and a real hard body. In pasture she runs allot and bucks off the ground, like with springs on her feet.

This morning Kittee (taking off work for the holiday) joined Summer, Goldie, and I for our imprinting session.


The following is the progression of how our process works...

1. Catching Summer -- I now just grab her by the tail and say Whoa, and then put my arm around her neck.

2. After catching Summer I pet her all over from head to tail.

3. Girth hugs, and somedays I do pick her up off the ground... won't be doing this much longer, she is getting heavier.

4. Then I "sack her out" with a plastic bag, all over her head and body

5. "Sack her out" with her halter, which has a fair amount of jingle in the buckles

6. We halter up

7. I will give her a face brushing

8. Then a full body brushing

9. Then we will do some tail wagging exercises. Summer knows how to wag her tail, but this exercise is just for her... lets her know, that I AM the boss/lead horse around here

10. After all the standing "ground work", I then lay Summer down... I'm the boss

11. Summer laying down/ settling down

12. After laying her down, I pet Summer and we relax a bit together

13. I will go back through the "sacking out" process and just pet her all over again. During this entire procedure, I am whispering in her ear... "Summer", "Good little horse", "Summer", "Pretty little horse", "Summer"
~~~~~
More and more when I go into her pasture and call "Summer" she will nay back to me.
Pretty neat having a little pet horse.
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14. Ear and nose massage -- Yep that is putting my finger in her ears and nose and giving them a massage

15. Bars massage -- Today for the first time I could feel teeth ridges on her gums

16. I then do farrier works -- handling her feet and tapping on them with my "handy" hammer

Front hoof

Rear hoof

Crossover handling

~~~~~

Imprinting a horse is all about handling a horse from birth. In this way when they turn into a thousand+ pound critter, they are used to their handler being the boss of the moment. Much easier to start this process at 75 pounds and willing, than wait until later which comes very fast.
~~~~~
17. After about 40-45 minutes of workout we get to relax again together

18. After our morning's work is done, we take a break. Several mornings Summer had fallen asleep in my lap.

and this is how life for this Summer begins each day...Are we having fun yet? You betcha!

♫ Happy Trails to you, until we meet again ♫

a day in the life around the ranch --- Dale

Walla² Fly Fishers

For The Record --- this evening Scott Peters, Skip Pitchard and I made plans to come together and sign off on the paperwork for the official formation of our local Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) chapter hereinafter called the Walla² Fly Fishers. Sad to say, but Skip has an illness in his family and was unable to join us. Scott as Chapter President and I as Chapter Secretary did meet and signed the papers forming our organization in alliance with the FFF.

Right after this 6/30/09 Executive Board Meeting was adjourned, Scott and I lined up our fly rod, slipped on our wading boots and jumped into the ranch section of the upper Walla² (Walla Walla) River to test the water for wet wading temperature and fish-ability. Air temperature was about 83° and water temperature was 58° which made a most perfect evening's wet wading fishing environment. Water flow was a little fast in some places, but our flies drifted well enough to attract and hook a few pea brain redbands/steelheads and salmon smolts.

Our searching flies for the early evening were a Copper John, and a beadhead CDC Caddis. After hooking a few fish with these teaser/testers, we changed over to dry flies using a Royal Trude, and a white-X-legged Black Ant. Success was sweet, with all these wild fish being C&R.

Here at the ranch it is a pretty tough job... getting back to the river, keeping these summer salmonoids in line/on line, but someone has to do it. Tonight I have to thank Scott for his assistance and a job well done ;>)

On our way back to the house from the river, we stopped by the raspberry patch and enjoyed quite a few handfuls of perfectly plump ripe raspberries for an evening sweet treat.

When we got back to the ranch house we joined Kittee in watching the mare herds and our Summer play. Scott mentioned that he and family might like to come back out to the ranch this 4th of July weekend and Kittee and I suggested his children go for a pony -Jasmine- ride and pet some horses, maybe even our baby Summer.

Today was a good day, it was also the first day of the season for wetting a fly here at the ranch. The river is in great shape this year and there are a few #8 Golden stoneflies in the air.

NOTE: A blog has been created for the Walla² Fly Fishers. Please follow this Walla² Fly Fishers link to follow the development of our local fly fishing club.

another day in the life around the ranch --- Dale

Summer '09 - Chapter II

This past week at the ranch has been very busy. Not only did we have a new baby -Summer- come into our lives, we had Miriam making her annual spring visit to the ranch, and our yearling -Rosey- made her first showing of the ‘09 season.

With all the goings and comings around the ranch this past week, I shall just use a series of photo to retrace the week.

Last Tuesday, we had the birth of Summer. Since then I have been holding and hugging (imprinting) her as much as possible in the mornings and evenings before and after turnouts. On a quick trip to Pendleton last week I was able to put a couple of video clips of Summer’s turnouts.


You can view them by clicking on the links below…
A Summer Stroll -and- Herrrrrre’s Goldie and Summer

Last Thursday, Miriam came over from the west side to spend the weekend with us and our critters. We had a most delicious dinner at Ms. Patti’s restaurant in Pendleton and then headed for the wind turbine meeting, which was “sold out” by the time we got there. Oh well, this the reason we needed to head straight home and service Miriam a Fuzzy Navel for dessert. The rest of the evening we just relaxed, Kittee and Miriam talked until mid-night.

Friday was a knock around the ranch day. Kittee and Miriam made a trip to town to pick up a few things at the store, came home to play with horses and relaxed. I think everyone stopped for awhile and took an afternoon nap. Friday evening we made our traditional trek to La Ramada Mexican Restaurant for a most wonderful meal. This has always been a favorite spot for Miriam to visit while on the east side.

Saturday started fairly early with a cheesy corny grits and eggs breakfast. After breakfast everyone headed out for simple fun and horseback riding time.


After a morning’s worth of horseback riding I begin to work on the BBQ works we were going to have with the Cospers later in the evening. Again with the warm summer afternoon, everyone kicked back for a short nap after lunch. After our naps, dinner preparation completed we sit around the front yard with a few drinks and some croquet play.


It was late afternoon when the Dale and Cheri showed up and we just sit around chitchatting and watching baby horse, and coyote pups playing on the hill across the road from us.
Then the time came for our sunset BBQ dinner with beef, chicken, and pork ribs fresh off the smoker grill. I think everyone enjoyed the food.

After dinner as the sun had slowly sank into the western skies, Dale brought up the metaphysical concept of the beauty of the sunset and the feelings derived from each occasion. After dinner Kittee and Miriam cleaned off the table, I went out to put Goldie and Summer to bed for the night. We did not make it a late evening staying up, as looking at Sunday we were getting up shortly after daybreak and getting ready to take Rosey to the Region V - AHA horse show in Walla Walla. Folks at the show did recognize the Shai of Rosey's AHA registered name.


Sunday, we were up early. Summertime daybreak is before 4:30 here at the ranch, shortly thereafter we were up and at’m. Putting Summer and Goldie out to pasture, bringing in Rosey to trailer load for the show, getting Rusty set for his day out of his keep. I think everyone grabbed a quick cup of coffee and a banana for breakfast and got ready to head down the trail. We got to the Walla Walla Fairground before the 6:30 a.m. registration sign-in. Rosey was in the first show class which began at 8:00. She won that halter class (received a bag of candy corn with a blue ribbon) and proceeded on to the Championship Class. In the Champion Class Rosey took third place and a $-CASH-$ prize. Yep, Rosey is into the money earnings now! We were finished at the AHA Schooling Show by 9:00, loaded up Rosey and headed home. When we got home we did get a picture of she and her prize. Yep, that is the bag of candy corn (with a blue ribbon attached) and a $5 bill in Kittee's hand.


After getting Rosey settled back into pasture, Miriam, Kittee and I headed for town for a full meal breakfast. After breakfast we came home and all of us took a nap to makeup for the sleep we lost at around 4:30 a.m. this day. After nap time we had a bite of lunch, we went out to Rosey’s pasture and made an annual “remember when” photo of Miriam and her.

The Miriam - Rosey Photo Album

7-5-2008

6-28-2009

After this photo session, Miriam was ready to head down the trail for the west side.

Which way, Nugget?

The balance of the after noon Kittee and I watched Monty Python movie In Search of the Holy Grail until the evening air began to cool off. At that point we sit out in the backyard to watch horses and the sunset. Afterwards I put Goldie and Summer to bed for the night, Kittee and I came in and watched the movie Black Beauty.

This morning, as I have done for the past six days, I work on imprinting Summer. Today I laid her down in the foaling stall straw and rubbed her all over, putting my fingers in her mouth, ears, nose. This morning I grabbed her tail and she pulled it between her legs, shortly thereafter she relaxed and I was able to wag it at will. As I was finished petting/imprinting her, Summer had almost fallen asleep in my arms. Kinda hard to believe how gentle this little horse is.

And that's the way it is around the ranch --- Dale

Summer is here.

For The Record... "Summer" is here, and today is her birthday. Summer was only 3-4 days off the 11-months gestation period for horses - breeding to delivery. Goldie and baby are doing well.

It was about 1:45 a.m. this morning that Goldie woke me up pacing and shitting all around the barn foaling stall. I knew something out of the ordinary was going on as I was waking up. I turned on the flashlight and she had her tail cocked to the side, so I felt it was time for our new baby to arrive.

First thing I did was to check Goldie's udder and found milk dripping... a sure sign of we are getting close to having a baby.

I radioed Kittee on the walkie-talkie that we were about to have a baby, "can you come and help?" In a very few minutes Kittee was at the barn and shortly thereafter Goldie's water broke and she began showing a hoof.

Shortly thereafter Goldie laid down and went into labor. What a good girl she is...

At that point everything begin to move very fast as we then saw two hooves begin to show, and then a little horse's nose... this delivery was going perfect. Thank you Goldie and Mother Nature.

Shortly thereafter I was wiping off our new little filly "Summer" and holding her in my arms. For the next half hour Goldie and I went through the imprint process to make this little one ours.

Goldie was quite protective but sharing of Summer. Because it took awhile for Summer to start nursing (Goldie kept pointing her in the right direction), Kittee came back to the house and call Dale Cosper to come help with directing the nursing process. Dale and I worked with these two for a bit and decided that Goldie and Summer really needed to be left alone to work out the process for themselves -- very interesting. Goldie was boss mare and a most naturally good mother in this situation.
Yep, turned out everyone was just getting in the way of Goldie, Summer, and Mother Nature. After Dale and I left the foaling stall, we could not ask for the process of mother, foal and nursing to go along any better. Dale left at daybreak (Thank YOU Dale), about 5:00 I came back to the house, made a pot of coffee and laid down for a little nap.

About 7:15 Kittee awoke and joined me in living room with a cup of fresh coffee for both of us. After the coffee helped us become functional once again, we redressed and ventured back to the barn to visit with Goldie and Summer.

After Kittee and I watched Summer nursing some more, I stepped into the foaling stall and continued to pet/imprint Summer for life. Shortly thereafter Summer laid down to take a nap. Kittee and I then left mother, baby in peace, quite and resting.

Kittee headed for a short day's work in Pendleton, I came in to work on this blog posting and will go back to the barn to check on both our girls again shortly.

Summer is a ¾ Arabian – Quarab and will be registered with AHA. Summer’s AHA papers will show top and bottom her lineage with the Arabian horse of legend-- Bask+. Her sire Adrenaline Rush is the get of the phenomenal palomino AHA Fire-n-Ice. On her dame side she is a descendant (front page) of the Quarter Horse legend-- Doc Bar. With this her breeding we expect her to be a fine long distance endurance riding beauty. A horse anyone that enjoys spending a day in the saddle will love to sit this girl… for the long run.

So this is our prize, given us by Rusty, Goldie, and the Great Spirit - Creator of All. Follow this link to view the creation of Summer.




















Today, our weather makes a most perfect birthday. This morning, under clear starry skies the temperature was in the 50's, this afternoon the temperature is to be in the low-80's with pure sunshine from sunrise to sunset. It should be a great day for turning mare and baby foal out to pasture, and myself I hope to get a short afternoon nap in the front yard hammock, then get some horseback riding into my day by saddling up my Misty.

Since I was doing most of the handling of this little one, we don't have allot of pictures, and just a few videos, but I shall share the first ones here, and invite you to visit Summer's web page as it develops in the very near future.

A day in the life around McKuster Ranch --- Dale