Springtime!

Well, here we are at Springtime, again!  Time for calves, lambs, kids, foals, and hopefully a few green things.  As far as we are concerned here in the Panhandle of Texas, green may be a hard thing to see, especially after the winter wheat starts turning brown.  It is hot (a record high today of somewhere around 97), dry, and windy, and as we look down the road, no end in sight.

As I share a couple of pictures of some heifers that I was caring for with their new babies, I thought I would write a quick thought.  As you can see by the pictures, it is still extremely dry.  I have been running these heifers for a man on stalks through the winter.  About half have calved.  We made a decision today to ship them to a feed yard for now.  The grass I was going to put them on is non-existent.  Rain is surely needed!

As I was driving home today, I began to think about the progression of life.  Things still go on, maybe only slowing temporarily due to weather, but life still happens.  These heifers just keep having babies, eating what they can, caring for their calves, drinking water, existing.  It made me think about what the Bible says about our lives.  God gives us life and life more abundantly!  Even though the cattle market is crazy, feed is expensive, crop production is down, wells are pumping less, God still promises us abundant life!

It is very simple, God just wants a real relationship with us.  In exchange for the personal relationship He gives us the desires of our hearts!  The problem lies within us.  We want what we want when we want it!  Many times the relationship is there when we have time or when we need something.  All we have to do is trust Him wholeheartedly (with everything), and He will take care of the rest.  I am not saying I have accomplished this and things are always great.  What I am saying is that I am trying to work on that relationship daily.  When I do this, things suddenly don't look so bleak, and my attitude is mysteriously better!  The world keeps turning, and I can finally see my place in it through God!

I don't know what the future holds, when it will rain again, or if I will even make it through tomorrow.  But what I DO know is that it is totally under control when I put my trust in the Lord.  Thanks so much, God, for the plans you have for my life!  Give me the strength to live life for You!

 

April Ranch Cutting in Muleshoe

APRIL RANCH CUTTING

MULESHOE, TEXAS

 

Saturday, April 19, 2014

 

Open Ranch Class

Junior Ranch Class

Other classes available!

$100 per rider/horse

(includes $50 cattle fee and $50 jackpot)

 

All Ranch classes will follow NCHA rules with the exception of the reining rule!

 

Books open at 2pm

Open Ranch Class starts at 3pm

All other classes will follow

Come join us 4 miles East of Muleshoe, Texas on Hwy 84!  Plenty of fresh cattle and an indoor facility!

For more information call

806-782-5285

Sul Ross University Ranch Horse Team

To those of you that have been waiting to see this post sorry for the delay!  Seems like I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off!

On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, I had the great pleasure of going to Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas.  I got there late on Wednesday evening after being asked to come down and work with their ranch horse team and hold a benefit clinic and schooling show to help raise money for the team.  On Thursday, I got the opportunity to teach a beginning horsemanship class for Dr. Elliott.  It was a great group of students that were willing to learn what they could about riding and horsemanship.  There were a lot of good questions and good participation.

Following the horsemanship class I got to meet and work with the team for the first time.  What a great group of young people riding some really nice young horses!!!!!  We discussed groundwork to compliment mounted work.  The team was really interested in becoming better and adding to their already advanced skills.

On Friday, I got to gather cattle at the Means Ranch, in Valentine, Texas, to use that evening for practice as well as in the Sunday clinic.  What a pleasure to get to go out on a historic, generational ranch with a true-to-life working cowboy, Bode Means!  We gathered the cattle without many issues, loaded them, and headed back to Alpine.  When we returned, we all met at the arena.  The team got the opportunity to work some cattle, i.e. boxing, driving, and fence work.

The Sunday working cow horse clinic was a great success.  There were many interested participants wanting to learn more about horsemanship and helping raise money for the team.  Dry work or reining was the concentration of the morning.  Groundwork and mounted work allowed the class to learn how to decipher the needs of their horses.

After a great lunch at the Reata Restaurant, we got the opportunity to work a few head of cattle.  Learning where to position your horse on a cow and how to control that cow was the order for the afternoon.  I got the opportunity to score a schooling show for each of the riders after the clinic.  Man, what a day!  Even through the weather was cold, overcast, and windy, everyone seemed to enjoy the day and maybe even learn something!

I have a big list of "Thank You's" to send out for a great week of horsemanship!  First, I would like to thank Dr. Elliott and Dr. Housewright for letting me invade their world for a few days and work with the team and horsemanship class.  Next, I would like to thank all the team for their participation and wish them good luck this year as they show!  I would like to thank Bode Means and the Means Ranch for providing cattle for the clinic.  Also, a big shout goes out to R3 Cattle Company and Shelly Hall for the use of their horses that week.  To Dana Jones, thank you so much for the photos of the events, they are awesome!  Thanks to my family for allowing me to be gone for a few days and taking care of my cattle, horses, and dogs while away!  Lastly, thanks to God for the safe travel and the passion He has given me for horses and people!

  





I would like to say to everyone I met in Alpine that I learn way more about horses, people, and myself than you will ever learn in one of my clinics, and for that, thank you!  Be patient and work hard and your efforts will pay off!  If something is worth doing it is worth our best effort!  I am a better person for knowing each of you and calling you my friends!

RANCH CUTTING RESULTS

The weather in Muleshoe was pretty cool the morning of March 8 but ended up being really pleasant in the afternoon.  We had a good turn out at the Ranch Cutting.  There were 8 entries in the OPEN Ranch Cutting and 6 in the Junior Ranch Cutting (horses 5 years and younger).  We had a really nice crowd cheering from the stands, too!

Coby Summers of Dimmitt, Texas rode Pretty Little Boonlight and Steve Lewis of Canyon, Texas rode Peppy Will Pep to a tie for first place in the OPEN Class.  They both had really nice runs of 73.  They split first and second prizes and took home $200 each.

Steve Lewis aboard Pistol Packin Catt took the honors in the Junior Class by winning with a score of 70.  He pocketed $180 for his efforts.  Winning $120 for second place, Justin Gibbs, of Muleshoe, rode Ever So Klever to a score of 69.

If you missed this event, check back on this blog for the next one.  We are planning to have one in April and will have the date out as soon as possible.  If you want to see what ranch cutting is all about, come out and watch.  Admission is FREE!  Besides, there was young man cooking burgers and hot dogs that could compete with any around!!!!!  See you soon!

Ranch Cutting Competition in Muleshoe, Texas

RANCH CUTTING
Saturday, March 8, 2014

Open NCHA Class
Open Ranch Class
Youth Ranch Class
Other classes available!

$100 per rider/horse
(includes $50 cattle fee and $50 jackpot)

NCHA rules will apply for NCHA class.
All Ranch classes will follow NCHA rules with the exception of the reining rule!

Cutting practice starts at 12pm $40 per run
Books open at 2pm
NCHA Open Class starts at 3pm
All ranch classes will follow

Come join us 4 miles East of Muleshoe, Texas on Hwy 84!  Plenty of fresh cattle and an indoor facility!

For more information call
806-782-5285

WTAMU Ranch Horse Team Clinic!!!!

After two previous cancellations of this clinic, we finally had the weather cooperate for a great day on January 26, 2014!  Nine members of the West Texas A & M University Ranch Horse Team made the trip to Muleshoe for a day of riding.  This was a great group of college students mounted on some really awesome horses!  The diverse group has joined together to challenge the nation in Stock Horse Competitions in 2014.  There were Texans from Houston to the Panhandle and out-of-staters from New Mexico, Illinois, Kansas, and Arizona.  The students brought many disciplines to the table from English to barrel racing to reining to real cowboy work!

We went through three categories of the stock horse competition, ranch pleasure, ranch trail, and cow work.  I shared some drills and exercises to improve softness, flexibility, natural collection, and rate.  With horsemanship in trail and pleasure in the morning and cow work after a great lunch at Leal's Mexican Food Restaurant, there was plenty of riding!

I believe that this group of individuals, with hard work and determination, can be really competitive for the national title this year.  I am very optimistic that this group of young people are going to be able to make a difference not only in the horse world but in the future of our nation.  Our future lies with these and other students like them.  It is our responsibility to equip them with the tools necessary for success.  We must look past ourselves and give willingly of our time, knowledge, and resources to insure a positive future!  I know that it will work!!!!

I would like to give a special "Thank You" to Allen Scott for the use of his facility and cattle.  We could not have done it without him!