After an exhausting, but productive, weekend, we now have to get ready for a full week.

Monday we flew back from Fort Worth at o dark 30. The flight home was very uneventful, very unlike the trip down. We even arrived at Pasco 10 min early. In time to get home, get unpacked, the wash started and then go out and check mares to see if anyone foaled while we were gone.  All horses were healthy and happy to see us, but no foals. The kids all got home from school and we gave everyone a big hug and passed out the gifts, since they did not get on the plane we went all out.

Tuesday was back to work for everyone. We woke up to snow Tuesday morning, but besides in the shade it was basically melted by midafternoon. The kids all had judging practice after school (except Jaxsen since he is in elementary school). The kids got home and did chores, it is nice that it is still light out when the kids get home after afterschool activities. No new foals Tuesday, or any day this week. We are happy that they were not born while we were gone. Toni got the Judge in and started working on him. So he is in with Summer. The Judge was more interested in being a pasture pet, but does like the extra attention.

Wednesday was brisk but no snow. Toni and dad took Cappy to Jordan Pace Horsemanship for more riding. Jordan did a great job with King and Tank and we were happy to get him in. Toni and dad headed home and Jordan decided to jump on Cappy and Cappy did great. The Judge decided that being caught on Tuesday was enough, so Toni had to get serious with him on Wednesday. He is a really great colt, just big. The Judge is out of our good friend John’s Judge Dat Cash stud and our Apache Blue Boy daughter. So this is a big, strong, smart colt. Toni’s Sheridan Buckle and Saddle Co saddle also came on Wed. She ordered it in November for a bday present to herself. It is a partial custom, so 3 ½ months isn’t bad for a partial custom. And the saddle was very cost effective, you know, the kind Toni likes. Toni waited for me to get home to check mares. However, it got too dark before we found all of the mares, so she told me should could not wait until after fall back. The mowing of the Russian Olive Trees looks really good.

Thursday Toni went out to check the mares in the morning and the cows. She saw cow poop like they were out, but did not see any. No new foals. It is that time of year to repeat that a lot. Toni put a blanket on the Judge to get him to shed out faster. We are really getting ready to start promoting the Judge. He is a bit different than our other foals, so we need to make sure and expose him to the right market. Toni also bought a headstall with her saddle, so we decided which bit to put on it, so basically which horse gets that bridle. It is going to Gracie. So I get the new bridle too.

Friday was the start of the big work weekend. Toni, Ben, Anna and Kaine got the cows in, sorted them 15 different ways to put the bulls out and so we can AI. Then they put CIDRs in, sorted the cows that haven’t calved yet, sorted the cows that aren’t going to calve, sorted the breeds, sorted the heifers, sorted, sorted, sorted. Kade and Jaxsen went to school and I went to work. Toni texted me calf numbers all day of the ones she likes. A few of the calves had gone under the hot fence and someone had to crawl under and get them back.  Friday turned into a really long day.  The CIDRs were left in the Yukon, that should have been back from Chipman and Taylor, however, they had to order parts and it is still not back. So Toni ran to Moses Lake to get replacement CIDRs. Marlo, Jaxsen and Kade were done with chores by the time they got done. Marlo and I went out to check the mares and give them some hay. The CIDR cows were finally done around 6.

Saturday we finished the hot fence around the Old Valley corn field. Sold an Angus cow and calf, she was a late calver and had a new calf at her side. The 5 heifers we had sold were picked up and our meat buyers came out and got meat. Kaine and Anna caught their steers and Anna caught her heifers. We got the heifers in off of circles 6 and 7 and brought them home, sorted the steers off, put them with the rest of the cows.  We moved the Hereford cows up to the New Valley, Kaine and I went and picked up the Hereford bull from BB Cattle and dropped Jaxsen off so he could go to Savannah’s birthday party. Kade had a shoot somewhere and with the cold and the wind, did ok. While we were gone he did an AWESOME job, a 39, his personal best.  Toni started chores at Mom’s and was very unhappy with how many strings she had to pick up that the boys just drive over and hay that she felt should have been thrown over the fence and instead is left. So chores took extra long and she had to have a talk with the boys when they got there. I think they would rather have not talked to her.

Sunday the kids all caught their steers and Anna caught her heifers. Anna actually ties up her heifers and two of her steers every day, but she caught all her steers. Ben, Anna, Kaine, Kade and I put up some posts in the corral and then went down and met the rest of the Meachams to cut down Russian Olive trees. So we spent the day having a Russian Olive tree party, like a fencing party, but cutting down trees instead of fencing. And getting more cut up and beat up than fencing. Russian Olive trees take no prisoners. When we decided to quit fighting with trees, Toni and I went back to Mom’s and got the coming 2 year olds in, sorted the old mares out of them and mainstreamed them. They went out to the big pasture. Keep in mind that the pasture that they are in is about 5 acres, so they aren’t cooped up. They still ran around like crazies. We also got all of the heavy mares in from the big pasture and moved them in with the old mares. It was a production because we have an old rangemare that has one working eye that we had to get in. Luckily she is smart, so once she figured out what we wanted she went in. We put 6 heavy mares in the heavy pen.  Toni wanted to saddle up something with her saddle but it was trying to rain and she didn’t want it rained on the first time she used it. We headed out to the desert to check the rest of the mares and hand feed a heifer that is banged up and in the cattails. We have the mares trained at this point to come to the pickup to get fed, so checking has really become decently easy.

                After an exhausting, but productive, weekend, we now have to get ready for a full week. We think foaling should start very soon. Just a quick reminder- we require a 1/3 deposit to hold foals and have a foal contract on the website for review. We still have a few 2022 foals left that are sensational. Lots of exciting horses to look at for anyone that wants to come over and take a look.