Roxie's Corner
sent from my I Pad

"The journey toward perfection is long, but we can find wonder and delight in even the tiniest steps in that journey."  Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Oh happy day! Dave and Arda came back in January.  Dave is OK, but he just rides and ropes; Arda means walks, good walks, long walks, walks that make a dog feel special just to be a dog. Sigh! We dogs enjoy every step of a journey.  While Arda and Bets are talking I am noticing the sounds and smells--especially the delicious smells--of the desert.  I notice when a rabbit is hiding behind a mesquite tree, or a coyote slinks off into the tall grass.  I see where the hawk caught an unwary rodent this morning, and I stop to check out the place where a javalina has trotted across the road, maybe even a whole family of javalinas.  When I stop to investigate it means that something exciting has happened in that spot, or some other critter has left a message that only I can interpret.  Dogs take time to smell the roses and everything else along the way.  The humans, poor things, miss important stuff completely, and just keep walking.

That reminds me to reply to the kind-hearted and thoughtful human who ask about my "mom," meaning Bets. Bets is not my mom.  My mom was four-legged--a beautiful black and white border collie (she looked a lot like me) that could scare a cow into the next county with one look.  Bets is none of the above.  She supplies food, water, walks and ear scratches when I slow down long enough, but she has all the limitations of a two-legged creature.  Bob is better because we share an appreciation of the important things in life, cows, open country and a cold drink of water, but he is still a human and I do not allow him to forget that.

Laura sent us some cool photos from the day that she, Glynna and Bryan branded at the Sheridan Ranch last summer.  If Bob doesn't forget again we will have some of those posted later tonight.

Don't forget the Buck Brannaman clinic in Marana, AZ beginning on the 16th of March.  There will be plenty of cattle to work and rope and if I can sneak into the truck with Bob you will see me there too.  That reminds me that I need to make an appointment for a bath and a good brushing so I'll look my best for the occasion.

Enjoy those tiny steps along the way--especially the AHHHHHH moments with your critters--and keep your kibble dry.

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world."
Buddha

"Just because we think it or believe it doesn't meant its true."
Virginia H. Pearce




Andy, Elsie and Old Blue on the TA Ranch in Sept.2011

 Gluten Free Recipe

Corn Dodgers

Preheat oven to 400degrees

1 cup white cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. butter, softened, or coconut oil
1/2 tsp. sugar (more if you have a sweet tooth)
1 cup boiling water.

Grease a baking sheet liberally with butter or coconut oil. Combine the cornmeal, salt, butter and sugar; mix well.  Pour the boiling water over the cornmeal mixture and beat until well blended and no lumps.
Drop the batter from a tablespoon onto the baking sheet.  Bake 20 minutes.  Don't skimp on the baking time.  These should be brown and crisp and eaten immediately. Makes 12-14. 

Good with any bean recipe or for breakfast with pure maple syrup.

This is best made with freshly ground corn meal from white popcorn, but if you can't get that you can probably get a good gluten free cornmeal from your local health food store.  It should contain the germ and be kept refrigerated.  Yellow cornmeal will work also.

It was a cold day for Arizona.  There was a little skim of ice on the cat's water dish this morning and the top of the horse troughs were slushy.  Brrrr!  Roxie was pouting because we penned the calves last night so Bob and Mike could brand them today, but she got to chase the neighbors dogs off, so the morning was not a complete loss for her.

The familiar sound of Sand Hill Cranes flying over head accompanied our typically lovely sunrise.  Sometimes when I look up their Vee formation has fallen to pieces and it looks like total chaos in the sky; as if they are lost, flying in mindless circles. As I watch they begin to reform, like pieces of glass in a kaleidoscope.  Soon, with no signal or communication that I recognize they are back in a lovely victory pattern, not one of them has bumped into another and they fly on oblivious to my concern.  Isn't life, often times, like that?  About the time our lives seem to be falling to pieces and we despair of the outcome, we realize that we were just being shaken up and reformed for something better.

We continue to receive calls every day about Buck's March 16 - 19, Horsemanship 2/Ranch Roping Clinic in Marana, AZ.  The movie has impressed a huge segment of the population that have either not been aware of Buck's work, or have been sitting on the fence, and every one we talked to has reported record numbers for his clinics.  It is so good that he is receiving the recognition he is due.  We hope these folks recognize the value of what he has to offer and continue down the path to a better life for them and their horses.

I have included a picture of my granddaughter simply because I can, and because we love her and her parents--they are doing such a good job with her.  If I remember right, last time they went to the local feed store she ran over, grabbed a rope and yelled Papa, and she insisted on climbing on the saddles.  She is off to a good start!  She was ill during the holidays (aren't they always) and kept them up nights for about a week.  Can anyone out there relate to that?

God bless your day,

Bets

  

 

Roxie's Corner: Year end report

Sent from my IPad

Bets was late feeding this morning.  I knew it would happen.  It was waaaaay late before the last lights in the house went out.  Humans haven't got the sense of us dogs; we sleep any chance we get.  Even cats have that many smarts.

She did find a New Year's quote that I approved of, and will pass along to you.  This is from Martin Siligman, "Do you think of your life as a battleground or a playground?"  Well, duh!  All us dogs know that life is a playground.  Don't humans realize that?  I feel so sorry for them sometimes.

Life is good.  I have to help Bets and Bob feed the cows every morning and night.  Those heifers are just too dumb to find the hay by themselves, so out of the goodness of my heart I drive them to it. Then I have to walk with Bets and protect her from wild animals, like coyotes, rabbits, quail, cats, javelina.  What would my humans do without me?
   
I would help even more with the horses if Bob would allow it.  When he is working with a new one in the round pen I could really line that pony out--you remember, I told you how helpful border collies are--but when I try he puts me in the kennel.  Sigh!  Oh well, there are always cows.  And, my kennel is close enough to the round pen that I can at least keep an eye on what is going on.
Temperatures have been in the 70's this week; the perfect way to bring in the New Year.  Bob studies at night, when he isn't watching football games or bull riding, and rides during the day.  What a life!  He doesn't even talk about retirement; what would he do different?

Amigo and Little Moon have learned to share the round hay manger this winter.  Well, Little Moon does get quite a bit of exercise running around the manger when Amigo gives him that look, so I guess you might say that Little Moon is getting an A in manger sharing and Amigo is somewhere around a C-and has room for improvement. At least there has never been any hair missing on either of them.

The neighborhood has hit the skids.  We have two, count them, two new stray cats, and a traiter who shall remain nameless is keeping feed and water out for them.  She claims they help keep mice away, and less mice mean less rattlesnakes.  Sounds suspicious to me.  Bob says the cats have hung a sign on the gate, saying "Come one, come all."

All of us in Arizona miss Ashley and Andy, and Elsie, the two-legged-puppy, but she is able to talk on the phone now, and Ashley sends pictures, so that will have to do until April when we all head north again.  I'll post photos the next blog.

Things I over hear in the round pen:  "Get to your horse's feet.  Know where each foot is at all times so you can place the feet where you need them."  Horses appreciate this, because otherwise it is just as if they stepped into their mouth when you ask them to stop or turn. Ever ride a young horse and find yourself thinking, oops, I feel like I could be in big trouble?  For no reason you can imagine, the horse is becoming more agitated and ill at ease all the time?  Think about your timing and get with it.  The response from your horse is usually immediate.  


Remember the critters during the holidays.  We like a few  goodies too--even fruitcake--although we prefer turkey or ham, especially with a little gravy.

Happy New Year,
and keep your kibble dry.

Roxie 

Finding the Good

sent from my old beat-up laptop



Jackson Stables, Raton, NM April 2011

 "We all know people who seem to 'roll with the punches' so to speak, who are pleasant and cheerful through almost any challenge.  Generally these are the people with whom we like to spend our time, for they make us feel better about circumstances and about ourselves. It seems that good things gravitate to them, for they don't let less-than-ideal circumstances stand in their way.  They choose to find joy everywhere and to leave it behind them when they go." (Thomas S. Monson, "In quest of the Abundant Life.")

I bet every one of us knows someone like the above.  Would you share by commenting about someone who has made your life more joyful with their cheerful outlook?

I've been pondering about starting a post about some of the better places you have found to stay with your horses, some tips on traveling with horses and even some training tips that have proved helpful.  I realize that we need some guidelines--or rules--and we want to keep this simple so here goes: 1. Keep it positive; no critical or negative remarks allowed.  End of rules, unless there is a need for more.  I will go first, briefly, and you can add your ideas.

In Nebraska, we have two places we recommend that are comfortable for the horses and very hospitable and welcoming.  In York, on our way to Iowa, we stayed at the Diamond B for what was supposed to be an overnight, but turned into four days while we were waiting for a part for the truck.  The Diamond B is a few miles out of town, has electrical hookups, stalls, pens and two clean, cheerful, comfortable rooms for those who do not have living quarters in their trailer and want to stay close to their horses. (or maybe you just need a break from trailer living)  Diane is very friendly, helpful and accommodating. We recommend it highly.  Call her at 402-362-5439 or cell 402-363-4475

Driving west, we have stayed in Lexington, NE at Plum Creek Vet Clinic a number of times.  The stalls are large, with rubber mats and shavings, automatic waterers, and the veterinarian owner is also friendly and helpful.  It also has an electrical hookup and is easy to get to. We have stayed there at least three times. Their number is 308-324-2016.  By the way, both locations in Nebraska are close to Wal-Mart stores. 
  

In Raton, New Mexico, Jackson Stables is the place we always stay.  Again, it is safe for the horses, there are automatic waterers for the critters and electrical connections for the humans, and you will enjoy visiting with Linda Jackson, a retired teacher who has taken on a second career operating a horse motel. For trail riders there are trails close by, and it is gorgeous country. Call 575-445-9789 All of these places are quite clean and require health certificates. We will tell you about some other places later on, but I promised to keep it brief.

OK, just one more.  The Kiva RV Park and Horse Motel north of Socorro, New Mexico on I25 has been very convenient for us, the pens are big and there are stalls if you want. We also always meet nice folks there. A little extra are the adorable rescue burros on site. She also had the biggest donkey--sixteen hands--I have ever seen.  Now it is your turn to share.  Please let me hear from you.

By the way "tomorrow" finally came.  I promised to post this "tomorrow," about a month ago, so I guess it was a far distant tomorrow.  The next thing on my mind is another southwestern  recipe, or something useful on cow work or roping from Bob, or both.  Maybe next week.
.


These beggers were almost too cute to leave behind in South Dakota,
and obviously planned on getting a handout.

 Happy Trails,                
Bets 

Labor Disputes

Well, I thought this blog would be done by now, but it seems that we have a labor/management dispute; meaning that Roxie and I cannot decide who is labor and who is management.  The last I saw of her she was disappearing into her dog house after tacking a list of her demands on the door.  She says that until they are met she is on strike and there will be no more posts from her.  It all started when Cheryl Lieurance sent us this photo of Holly curled up in a fleece blanket.  We thought it was too cute not to include in a blog, but when Roxie saw it she got a kink in her tail and her nose out of joint, and now she is demanding a fleece blanket of her own, more jerky treats and her own I Pad.  We are negotiating about the I Pad; however, it looks as if tomorrow we will be shopping for jerky, and more fleece in a tasteful doggie print.  Meanwhile, you are stuck with hearing about what I want to share from our summer and fall adventures. 




 

Holly is a sweet, elderly Beagle who, along with Quirt,
 an Australian Shepherd, owns Mark and Cheryl Lieurance,

of Sperry, Iowa




Fall is such a lovely time to travel, and I
felt like sharing this one of some trees at a rest stop in Colorado.



After almost five days in Arizona I am beginning to recover from the drive.  To say that I do not enjoy driving is like saying Custer didn't enjoy that day at the Little Big Horn.  After pulling the stock trailer through Denver I looked in the back seat, fully expecting to see my guardian angel collapsed in exhaustion, or texting for a back-up.  How do some of you do that every day? We took the trip in four very easy days and stayed at relaxing places along the way--but more about that later.

Summer at the TA was lovely, and we are happy to be going back next summer.  Bob enjoyed all the Cowboy School students, and as I've said elsewhere, the best perks in this business are the wonderful people we have met along the way and the friends we've made. Tomorrow--after shopping for fleece--I want to share a few of the good places we have found to stay with the horses.  If Roxie and I can reach a settlement we might even have more pictures of Wyoming and some of our clinics.  I also have an idea for the blog and your feedback is needed. 

Roxie's Corner:

I read this over Betty's shoulder today.  "Optimism is not about providing a recipe for self-deception.  The world can be a horrible, cruel place, and at the same time it can be wonderful and abundant.  These are both truths.  There is not a halfway point; there is choosing which truth you put in your personal foreground." (Professor of psychology, Sonja Lyubomirsky in her book, The How of Happiness, p.111)

Cow dogs are very good at optimism, so I liked this a lot.   Bets says that I have been remiss about the blog all summer long.  I think remiss means that I have not done her blog for her while she has been goofing off at the TA Ranch all summer. Tonight I will be updating some fun stuff that I did this summer and might even include something for her.  Hmmmm?  Should I ask for a raise? Should I ask for a salary first?  Maybe more dog treats?

Roxie's Corner

Reporting from a horse stall in Chaska, Minnesota
and hoping that the wood shavings don't clog up my computer.  The barn cats are prowling around with evil intentions and I have to keep one eye on them while I type.

We arrived early this evening after two weeks in Sperry, Iowa, which is a great place for horses and dogs.  The humans seemed to be having a good time too. We took walks around the lake, through the woods and down to the shooting range, with occasional dips in the lake.  I can vouch for the quality of the food served, because Bets shared her lunch with me a time or two and it was yummy, although she could have left a bit more.  There is an ugly rumor going around that I hurried home from the shooting range because I was afraid of the gun shots, but don't believe it.  I think the barn cats must have started it, and as I always say, you can't trust cats.  The quality of the walks varied a lot: fast and fun when Arda was there to walk with us, poky and slow when Bets walked alone.  I didn't complain though--another thing I always says is, we dogs live in the moment and any moment spent "in the zone" as Cesar calls it, is good.



Gene parting one out from the rodear.  I was still waiting patiently.

I heard several people comment that the Foundation Horsemanship and Advanced Horsemanship clinics went well and all the humans and horses seemed pleased. Me, I was counting the hours until the Cow Working and Ranch Roping clinics, wondering, would Bob realize how badly he needed me to herd calves. I was holding my breath. Humans can be so unpredictable and illogical that you just can't count on them, but finally, at the end of each day he called me to come help get those ornery critters back in their pen.  Oh delight! Oh joy! Oh what an audience!  They loved me.

First I ambled nonchalantly down the arena until I was within striking distance, and then I went into my dreaded Border Collie Stalking Mode and those babies froze in fear, not knowing which way to turn.  Next they received a dose of "cow dog in your face" which made them take off like a covey of quail.  I was just getting ready for pursuit when he-who-ruins-all-my-fun shouted "DOWN" and I hit the dirt on my belly.  I waited patiently for the "OK" command which means I can get back into the action and it finaly came when the calves slowed down to an insolent crawl.  A few nips at their heels brought them back into line and after that it was just a matter of follwing them up the arena and directing their attention to the open gate of the cow pen.  They looked back over their shoulders once, realized that I was still on duty and went into the pen like good little calves.  Mission accomplished.  Of course Bob and Bets both showered me with GOOD GIRL accolades.

 For your edification I've included a couple pictures of the clinic from my perspective.


What a lovely view.



Bob observing my flawless technique.



UH OH!  Those cats are getting waaaaay too brave.  Time to put a little fear into them.  Bets will show you photos of the rest of the clinic--ho hum, just lots of horses and humans. The ropers are my kind of folks; they understand what is important in life, and they are working hard to get better and better.  Bob was so proud of all of them that he bragged to Bets about how well they did.  Of course he was proud of the horsemanship students also, but if there aren't cows involved just take me for a long walk. 

Wyoming Happenings

4/27/2011
The trailer is hooked up, the bags are packed and the cat is hiding somewhere in the house because he knows the signs by now, but a little tuna will lure him out in the morning.  Tomorrow we--Bob and Betty, horses, dog and cat--head out for the clinic at Mark and Cheryl Lieurance's  in Sperry, Iowa.

For the last week and a half we have been at the TA Ranch while Betty got R&R for a cold and, among other things, Bob helped teach a couple of show steers weighing in at about 1150 lbs a piece how to lead.  Cattle can be taught to lead using the same techniques that work with horses, although in this case a good stout post in the pen provided the means to roll the hind quarters and get the steers stepping through.  We snapped a few photos to show how it progressed. Because these guys hadn't been handled and were pretty defensive they were run into the squeeze chute to get the halters on.  After the halters were in place, with long lead ropes, they were turned loose one at a time and --very carefully--the ropes were retrieved and wrapped around a stout post.  Both steers checked out the post and lead ropes pretty thoroughly, giving them their first introduction to breaking over the hindquarters. 

 After they learned to respect the rope they were turned loose in the pen and worked by their youthful owners in a confined space. They learned to yield to the rope, soften and move their hind quarters away by stepping the inside hind leg across and in front of the outside hind leg, just as you would teach a horse. When this happens they turn and follow on a loose lead if they are rewarded with a release of pressure for even a small try.  By the second sessions both steers had gentled down considerably and  their education had begun.  The black steer was even leading up and looking for Cody for head scratches.  The bald faced steer was a little slower to respond, but he had been the quieter of the two in the beginning.

After just two sessions they were progressing well and it will be fun to see how they are doing when we return to Wyoming in a few weeks.  Both the youth and their parents were fast learners which made it easier for the steers to learn.  As you can see there was no ramming or jamming, no dust was raised and no one was hurt.  We will keep you updated on their progress.

Arizona Recipes, Annett's Green Chili Rice

2 cups cooked rice
8 oz sour cream
1 7oz can diced green chilies
1 cup grated cheese (Mexican Blend)

Mix all of the above together.  Enjoy.

Roxie's Corner

I'm sure you've heard the old saying, "If you ain't the lead dog the scenery never changes."  Well, if you are riding in the back seat of the pick-up during the day, and confined to the horse trailer at night, ditto.  The most I can tell you about our trip from Arizona to Wyoming is that it kept getting colder, and in New Mexico they have found a new definition for wind.   The folks where we spent the nights were sure nice though, and I got to get out of the truck for more than 5 minutes at a time for my walks with Bets.  The horses liked their accommodations at  Kiva in Socorro and the lady there is one smart cookie--she had at least 3 Basset hounds and 2 other dogs of indeterminate breeding, so the neighborhood is as good as you can get without cows.

In Raton, at Jackson Stables, the owner, who obviously has great taste and perception, thought I looked like a two-year-old.  I was really preening and strutting my stuff when She-who-ruins-all-my-fun told her my true age, but since age is about how you think, rather than how long you have been around, I paid no attention.  Bets and Bob got to stay right there close to the horses both nights so I could keep my ears on everything that was happening in case they needed to be alerted to something dangerous.  Nothing dangerous happened.  You can see from the photo how lovely Raton is. I can highly recommend each place we stopped.  Bets didn't get a pix of Socorro.  She slips up like that if I don't keep on top of things all the time.

The third night we spent in Wellington, CO at Last Chance Equestrian Resort.  No pictures (again), but the place is gorgeous, the hospitality is superb, and LuAnn was having a 4H cattle working evening.  You-know-who wouldn't let me out to help.  LuAnn is cool and has two really smart canines in addition to all her other critters.  A real animal and people person, but she doesn't take many over night horses since she has so many boarders--Bob has known her for a long time.

Not much else happened in CO. Oh, yeah, one more little thing to report: Bob had a fan belt break when the idler (your guess is as good as mine) froze up on his truck, and he lost his power steering and brakes.  I was with him and things looked a little scary for a minute or two, but it happened right at the Wellington exit, so he managed to pull off and get to a little service station in Wellington.  The nice man there got right to work, his wife ran into Ft. Collins to get the part, and they had the truck running again in a couple hours.  Bob said we were really blessed again.  I didn't hear the name of the mechanic and I can't read signs, but there are sure good humans in Wellington--and most other places we go.

We got to Wyoming the 4th day--whatever that is it is a long time for a dog--and I LOVE the TA Ranch!  There are cows!  So far I haven't been able to work any, but just to see and smell the cows is heaven again. Crazy Woman Creek runs through the ranch and wading in the creek in the summer is going to be sooooo much fun!  Bets takes me for a walk each morning, and Elsie (the human puppy) is nicer than I dared hope, although in my opinion Bets and Bob give her entirely too much attention. 

We are loving it here, the humans are very welcoming, and we are getting set for the clinics in  Iowa (I'll get to see Quirt again) and Minnesota where I'll get to see Aiden (sp?) and Lucy.  The two legged critters there are really fun too. Until next time, keep your kibble dry.