Pasture Antics

~When I wear britches, I feel like a he-woman,

and no cowpoke better mess with me.~

~Anonymous~

Catnip is the only female equid on the place. Our one mare, Carina, left us a couple of years ago, and that left lil' Catnip to rule the herd...well, the Wild Bunch anyhow.

The Wild Bunch is down to just four: the two mustangs, Rohan & Brego, and the two burros, Stetson & Catnip.

Now, you'll have to look closely at this photo...do you see what's going on?

Catnip's head is a lil' bit blurry because she's snaking Brego and givin' him the evil eye...and Brego's stickin' his tongue out at her!

Ah...they love each other I'm sure!!

Brego's Back in Training~Again...

Brego is one of my "top of the list" projects for 2010. Way back in 2007 I got this guy in for training. This is the short version of his story...

This lil' guy was orphaned when he was gathered off of the range in 2003. It’s estimated that he was born in July or August of 2003. So when they gathered the Kiger herd in September that year and he was orphaned, he was too young to be adopted. He was bottle fed and cared for until he was old enough to be adopted out. He was very gentle at that time.

His first adopter didn’t do anything with him…he wasn’t abused, just neglected. He was not handled and his “wild ways” came back to him. He was left a stallion too. Then in the spring of 2007, she sold him to a friend of hers. The new owners sent him to me for training. Before he came to me he was gelded. But, he was not gentle. So, I had to start from scratch.

The first 30 days we worked on catching, leading, grooming, picking up hooves and trimming, and loading into the trailer. At that time, the new owner decided that Brego was too much horse for their tiny children who had never had a horse before. They had me continue his training for the next 60 days while we worked on finding a buyer for him.

In those 60 days, I got him saddled, ground driving and riding. But, we were unsuccessful in finding a buyer for him. The owner was running out of options as they didn't even have a place to keep him. Their plan was to ship him off to Portland to a boarding stable where his sister boarded her horses. I just knew that arrangement wasn't going to be good for Brego. He still had some fear issues, so I bought him to ensure that he goes to a good home. They weren’t bad people; they just didn’t understand the commitment it takes for horse ownership, and they really needed an older, well seasoned horse for their first horse.

With the lousy horse market, I didn't even try selling him last year...and didn't even work him. So here we are today...

Brego in his winter woolies, caked in mud, with

lovely rat's nests in his mane.

He's definitely gotten to be a horse

for the past year and a half.

"Who me? Those aren't rat's nests...they're

mane ornaments! Every REAL horse wears them!"

"And you want me to do what?

Work?

But I'm retired!

I'm NOT?!?"

"OH, I guess she means business..."

"I'll try my best...but you're gonna have

to start from the beginning...again...(nicker & snicker)!"

The goal is to get him back under saddle and find him a home!

Talent~Some Just Have It!

I don't!!! But I know someone who does!

My friend and fellow cutting horse/cowhorse enthusiast sent me her latest piece of artwork, and I've got to share it with you all...it's just so cool...

"A Horse with No Name"

by Michelle Severe

I want to share what Michelle wrote in her email:

A Horse with No Name! I think fits this! Besides the fact I always liked the song by America! This is an American desert horse with no name, just a number freeze brand on his neck! This is Corinne Elser, works with alot of wild horses, and winner of the 2008 Mustang Challenge, and a horse she was gentling for a customer that adopted him 3 months ago. I was impressed how nice looking he was, he is out of the Kiger unit.

Here is the photo that she did the work from...

Michelle is doing a series of pieces titled "Working Ranch Women." I encourage you to visit her web site at: www.michellesevere.com and take a look at some of her other work; especially the Ranch Women series. She's not finished with the series yet...so there will be more! Go to the "Gallery" and click on the thumbnails. It will bring up a brief description and some background of the piece.

Enjoy some cowgirl art!