I haven't been very good at blogging over the past year because I have moved my daily chats to facebook. Then with my guests this year I was told not EVERYONE is on facebook...good point! So I will go between facebook and the blog for everyone...
Update on our season, last summer went went, spring clinics were great and I was happy to say three foals from our stud Just Z Distinquished (studly) and I re-bred 5 mares for spring 2013. Such a great chapter to my life as I am breeding from a trainers perspective as I am the first to admit I am not a breeder. Then we headed to the mountains end of May and our 60 day horse training horses arrived. June was wet and we seen a ton of rain, the clearwater river kept rising and the chance of getting across was gone. I was asked by Horses All Magazine to write a monthly article about the backcountry and was so tickled pink about it. The wild horses surrounded us again this summer and again I was a good student and watched them. Pam Didier joined us this year as our wrangler for her first year and yep she is not going anywhere! She brought in her sale horse bug and used him all summer.
July came in with some sun and we were happy to see it so the river would go down in time for our ladies retreats and saddle sore. We were also asked by the Australian Infantry if they could borrow 10 horses to take to Calgary Stampede's 100th Stampede....this was so exciting! We didn't quite know what they wanted but wasn't worried and then they arrived. They needed horses to roman ride, lay down and gallop around with swords stabbing things....okay! Our team Mike and Arvid were used as the roman riding horses and G Taylor's horse was used in a skit where he layed down, they had 9 of our horses for 3 weeks and they were impressed. So was I when I seen the show, our horses had never been to town and to watch them do tasks never taught did bring a tear to my eye. The horses that went were, Farmer, Carter, Bert, Scout, Kita, Macy, G, Mike and Arvid. Farmer and Arvid LOVED IT...back to camp we went after Calgary after a fine time.
Two of the young auzzie boys Wes and Josh came back with us and stayed the summer, was great having them and they were a big help! Was so hard when they left but I know I will see them again, hopefully next summer.
We were lucky to get camp in just in time for the first trip of 13 ladies including the masseuse and her massage table! The river was still high but crossable. Chuck was lucky to get a bigger team Ben and Fred and they crossed the river so good. Our trips were amazing this year and we met so many really really nice people who have become friends! Last year we only ran 2 pack trips and one high mountain clinic...why because we love what we do and sharing our neck of the woods. This can never become a job and with that said we will only run a few each year for that.
At the end of the season we had all our friends who are also our consignors, we never get a chance to visit at the sale so we are making a date each year as last year was so much fun. Gives us a chance for us to get to know the sale horses and ride them so we are more informed for where the horses should go. Loved it...
.JPG)
