Galloping Grace Youth Ranch: rattle snakes

Because I am waaayyyy behind posting several items pertaining to Galloping Grace, I'd thought I'd talk about our family cattle ranch again. Logical as always--one of my strengths.

This first section is just for fun and for Zack's ego boost.

As we (moms, kids, photographers) arrived at the tail end of a cattle drive Sunday morning, I saw Zack take off after a wayward calf.

Ride 'em, cowboy!

I think this seventeen year old has found his passion in life. He successfully rounded up the little booger and returned him to the herd. Instead of riding their horses back, the majority of riders loaded their horses in the trailer and hitched a ride back with us. Imagine Grant, Kelsey and Kaley's joy when they realized they got to ride on top of the trailer.

It was a good thing they did--can you tell Grant was protecting us from the savages along the way?

This next section is dedicated to Lexi, a girl whose body lives in Boston but heart lives in Vaughn, NM.

Lexi's family has been traveling out west to our annual Band and Brand for the last several years. From their very first visit, the family was hooked. (Lucky for all of us--they're wonderful friends and a whole lot of fun!) Lexi and Candido, our ranch manager, have formed a special bond throughout the years. I'm sure she'll eventually be one of his assistants on the ranch.

This past summer Candido gave Lexi the honor of naming his new horse. When she asked for feedback from him, he told her the decision was entirely hers. Lexi agonized over the perfect name. She created a list with dozens of options. After much deliberation, she settled on Spirit. Candido joked to some of the men that he had to go break it to his horse what his new name was. We all know Candido was tickled.

It turns out Lexi has a knack for naming equines. This boy has spirit, oh yes he does--how 'bout you?! Sorry, flashback to my old cheer leading days. Wait, I wasn't a cheerleader. I'm far too tall, awkward, and uncoordinated for that.

On Saturday, Spirit was slightly obnoxious on the cattle drive--some leading issues. He is a also a wild firecracker who hates to be tied up. He broke some of Candido's new tack during one of his stints standing at a fence.

What Spirit doesn't know is that Candido is old school and very determined to break him of his bad habits. Trish walked by the horse as he was tied up down by the barn before the cattle drive started. Keeping her distance, she kindly complimented him on his good looks. We're not sure if he was offended being called pretty instead of handsome, but he went a little wacko rearing up and trying to pull away.

Later that morning he was doing some time at another fence. Manual (seen in the white hat) went to get Spirit to load him in the trailer for Candido.

The boy lived up to his name once again.

I think it's going to be a long, frustrating battle for this stubborn but athletic horse.

It's been at least a few days since any reptiles have appeared on this blog. I'd hate to deprive you all of their cold-blooded selves any longer.

Probably one of the things our son Garrett loves most about the "big ranch" is the presence of so many reptiles. We get there and he's out the door searching for the next great specimen. Often he can talk Max into taking him to the north well, an area famous for such creatures.

Saturday Garrett caught two of his very favorites--a collared lizard and a red racer! He asked me right way if I would put the picture on the blog.

Brooke later convinced Max to take her out on a little hunt. She made it back with a bullsnake--a vicious bullsnake that bit Garrett and made rattling sounds with its mouth.

It was hilarious watching all the kids huddled around the cooler playing with the snakes as Chase and Tim, grown men with severe snake phobias, watched from afar.

Lest you think the children only handle reptiles, here a shot of them holding a little bunny they caught. Don't worry Mom and Keri--after snapping the picture, I got onto Garrett for handling a potentially rabies-infested animal. What kind of parent do you think I am anyway?