Posts Tagged With: #AQHAinWA

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on February 6, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHA Color, #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHADunstallion, #AQHAfilly, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #AQHAYearlingColt, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #WABeefLove, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen, AQHA

We found a good way to keep motivated during the cold winter.

Posted on February 2, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Monday the kids did not have school, teacher in service day. Kaine had drivers ed around noon, so dad took him in to that and then picked him up. He wasn’t really sure he had drivers ed, so we had to text a bunch of people to figure it out. Anna worked on her steers and then went out and got pictures of the bulls and calves when she checked. Toni had Kaine and Kade work on the two summer foals with her Monday night so they got used to other people. Dad found a ride home from South California for Pow, so Toni got that arranged and I venmoed a deposit. Kaine is excited to get her back, and told Toni he is going to beat her in the virtual trail course we are doing. We shall see. Kaine also told mom, that he would be straight with her, and she did not need to add fruit to the trifle she was making and he told her she did not need to make the peppermint cheesecake, peppermint is over rated. He is really helpful.

Tuesday back to school for the kids and back to checking for Toni. I think she was happy Anna checked Monday because she had a lot of work to catch up on. However, Tuesday she took her time checking and tried to pet some calves. They did not appreciate it. A couple of cows had knocked the hot fence down around the hay stack, so she threatened to haul them off if they did not go back in. Kaine had Drivers Ed after chores, so dad took him and picked him up. Jaxsen’s basketball is over, so he is sad about that. Toni sacked our her “pets,” the two summer foals.

Wednesday morning was a bit chilly. The cold is coming back, hopefully we do not have a rash of sick calves again. We saw some pics of Jason riding Cappy on Facebook, they looked great. We got the heifer’s tag in the mail Wednesday, now maybe everyone will call them their names?? Toni is working on sacking out Summer and Holly with a stuffed animal, Summer chases it. Maybe it smells like grain?? Summer is pretty funny. She isn’t a big fan of moving her rib cage over in the sidepass, but she will do it. Holly is better about moving her body but doesn’t like the stuffed animal. Between the two of them they would be the perfect foal. But they are so great. They have been really fun to work with

Thursday was more of the same but the weather was pretty good. Cow checking, chores, sacking out the fillies. Toni and I are going to beat the kids in the virtual trail class. Since the sun was shining, and the fencer somehow got unplugged, the cows went on a walk about to look for green grass, and Ton spent a bit getting them back in since she had not gone and got the dogs. Some of them are on her bad list. Kendel called Toni Thursday night and Gloria had been calving for a while. Ben was almost home at that point, so she met him at the driveway. Calf was backwards and was decent sized. Since she is a tame show heifer Ben pulled it out in the run with bailing twine. Thursday was Toby’s birthday, so Scarlett named the calf Toby. Toby wanted to know if it was because he was backwards or something.

I was home on Friday, so I got to check. I loaded Jewels up in the back of the Colorado and took her with me. We double checked all of the fence to make sure it was still hot. We checked on Gloria calf, and Gloria had Blizzard’s calf with her as well. So I made sure they each moved away with the correct calf. Toni and I worked on the fillies Friday night, and Toni yelled at me for not knowing the pattern and just walking them before she got there and feeding them. So the fillies were not good for the pattern. Marlo helped Kade feed, Kaine went to his friend’s house for a birthday party. They went to an escape room and DID NOT escape.

Saturday Ben cleaned pens in the morning, and Anna worked on her steers. Then Anna took a half clubby steer to her boyfriend, Lane. Robby and Cheyenne came out and got one of the half clubby steers and looked at bulls. Kade was at shooting practice and Kaine was hunting. Toni and Jaxsen came down and we checked cows while Ben strung out wire so we could give the cows more corn field room. Anna got back and Toni, Jaxsen, Anna and I started to put out fence posts. When the men and boys got back they came out and helped. Ben went to prepare the birthday feast, of coconut shrimp, tri tip and Dutch oven potatoes. Mom made rolls and 4 pies. We finished the fence and turned the cows out on the other side, or they were waiting at the fence line for when we took down the cross fence to let them over and they took off. Then we did chores and worked on our foals. Then we partied hard. Marlo got me a funny adult card game that was pretty racey. It was one of those meme games. Everyone was really laughing hard. I got lots of great gifts and had a great birthday party with my family.

Sunday the kids caught their steers and cleaned up some around the barn. Then Ben, Anna, Kaine and I got in heavy cows and Toni and Kade worked on Stormy and went for a ride out to check the heifers. Stormy will be 4 this summer, so it was time to move her to a snaffle. Kade had the opportunity to learn how to work with a young horse bitting up and working on the ground with the bit. Stormy is really good so he actually got to ride her in the snaffle. We weaned Baby Girl, the fall calf, while we had them in. Her mom is a heifer and was getting a little thin. We also got Hayley’s heifer in that was out with our cows. We had tried to catch her out in the field and move her to the house, but she was anti. We filmed out virtual trail class, and I feel like Summer and I were the winners. Did chores and called it a day. Sunday was quite cold. But the sun was out.

It is so much fun to work on the young horses and have them respond the way we want. Summer, Holly, and Gunny have met every expectation we have had. The in-hand virtual class for novice is for all age of horses and handlers, so they are competing with solid broke horses. I think it says a lot about their minds that they can compete at that level. Toni is really enjoying getting the patterns and working on the foals. A good way to keep motivated during the cold winter. Get that competitive spirit revved up and keep it there. We have Summer going to a friend because she is so awesome, so Mom wants us to get Willie in and start working on him and using him for the virtual classes. We did work on him a bit already but he is so good minded he would be an easy one to get going. Maybe we get two new fresh ones in? Any suggestions?

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: ##Quarter horses for sale, #AQHA Color, #AQHA in WA, #AQHABuckskinfillyforsale, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHAfilly, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #rangeradybulls, AQHA

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on January 31, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: ##Quarter horses for sale, #AQHA Color, #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHAfilly, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchingspring, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen

The Weather has been nice this week, but will it last?

Posted on January 26, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Monday Ben and the kids were home, I was at work. They put out hay, doctored calves, Anna worked on her youth foal, I hope they tied up the steers. We have still been getting rain, but at least they do not need the tractor to pull the pickup through the corn field. Kaine, dad and Marlo did horse chores. Ben and Anna did cow chores. Marlo made us dinner, it was very good, kind of a Spanish rice type of a dish. Leo was exhausted from having everyone home and getting to run around all day. Meachams were on a family vacation, some highlights from Monday, the rode on the beach and Jaxsen learned his mom could swim.

Tuesday back to school and work. Ben had to go in early for some classes, he texted when he got to work that the roads were slick. Kaine had drivers ed after school. He assures us that he is a good driver. Marlo and dad got done doing chores. Anna had a zoom meeting with AQHA for her youth foal. Sun was shining in Mexico, but I was sad the pictures were not suns out guns out. Our friend Leonard always wears sleeveless shirts as soon as there is a little bit of sun, so we call that suns out guns out. Like sleeves ripped off of a t-shirt or button up shirt. Leonard is a good sport and finds us amusing. With Toni gone, the two little girls, Holly and Summer are just getting fed and loved on and not having to put any work in. They are pretty happy. Marlo is at the Meacham house so those dogs still get to come do chores and live the good life.

Wednesday I got to go to Olympia for WSWRA Hill day, I have not been so it was a lot of fun. Dad, mom, Ben, Marlo, Anna and Kaine were in charge. Dad took Kaine to drivers ed after chores, and then went to the football coach meeting. Dad said the meeting was a cluster. Marlo and the kids kept everything going at home. We are kind of in a lul on the calves because we are nearing the end. We are actually getting ready to buy semen and synchronizing next month. It is fun because Ben will send random bulls that he might like, or might not, and just wants to see our reaction. Sometimes Anna likes the same bulls he does. Toni and I normally don’t. The bulls we all can agree on definitely go on the list.

I was in Olympia still all day on Thursday and got home late. I had a good time. Everyone at home pulled together and got everything done. The dogs really missed me when I got home. Marlo was still taking care of the Meacham dogs and helping Dad with stuff. Marlo was also in charge of checking cows during the day. With the temperatures up and the sun kind of out the calves have been feeling better, so it is mostly just driving around admiring cute calves. The sheep was trying to breed heifers and then got out and was eating grain and hay at the feedstack. He then got into the corral to try to bred the show heifers. The cows had kind of beat him up anyway, so him getting in was for the best. I messaged the neighbor he was in and could they PLEASE come and get him. We had hauled him up already twice.

I was off Friday and the kids had a half day. In the morning I checked and got new pictures of the calves, new pictures of some of the bulls, videos of some of the bulls, etc. When the kids got home from school they worked on steers, Anna worked on her youth foal, a normal Friday. The kids’ steers are really coming along well. Anna has some pretty cool steers as this may be her last year showing because she is a Jr and U of I starts in Aug. Marlo came out and did chores with us, like she had been all week. It was great having Marlo all week. The neighbor came and got the sheep. We still think it looks like a sheep and it has wool.

Saturday we tagged calves, checked heifers, got the heifers in, sorted out the one we sold. Poured on the show animals and sorted them into different pens since the heifers were coming into heat. Hauled Gamora and Mayhem down with the other heifers, to turn out for a few weeks to freshen them up. Anna and Kaine caught their steers. I worked on Summer and Holly and Kaine and I did horse chores. We have another virtual in-hand class coming up and Toni is insisting that we show weanlings. Anna will show her youth foal, Gunny. Toni plans to show Holly. Maybe I will show Summer. I want to show Joker or one of the yearlings but they aren’t getting worked on. Lane came out Saturday and helped with chores. I guess when you are a country kid date night means you do ranch work. At least he comes from the same background and knows what to expect. Toni was stuck at an airport for awhile so she started texting me on horses she wanted to buy. I had to tell her no lots of times.

Sunday the Meachams were home and Camas came out. Again, date day for Camas and Kaine is ranch work. Camas has known us long enough that she knows what to expect. The kids caught their steers. We fixed fence down around the heifer pen, worked on Toni’s pets, etc. Holly wasn’t super great after the week off but once she got her head on straight, she was fine. Summer is actually the more laid-back easy one. But we have kept 2 full sisters to Summer so we really are going to have to sell her. Both Sally and Huckleberry are full sisters.

We got some really good news on Sunday. Pow pow is ready to come home from training. Racheal has done such a fantastic job. Kaine is really excited. He wants her home in time for the virtual in-hand so he can beat his aunt. Again, we are supposed to show the weanlings, but Kaine will probably show whoever he wants because he isn’t super into the younger horses. He likes to ride. Kade is the same. They just want to go. The other good Sunday news was we got a breeding to a Shiner Named Sioux for 2023. Mom is telling us three AI breedings is enough. With the breeding to Sioux we are rethinking which mares we are Aiing. We also have a breeding to NZ Scotch Time, the sire to our Glo filly that we like so much. The 4 mares below are who we are currently discussing the the 3 AIs. Mom is 100% to AI Annie, currently she is the pick for A Shine Named Sioux. Probably Cammie for Rip and Reba or Charlie for Davis Ranch breeding. When we were breeding to Starlight Midnight we were breeding Charlie, but they are only breeding to him onsite this year, so with picking a different stallion means possibly a different mare.

It feels like spring here! Ok, yeah, there have been a couple of days when it spit snow at us, but we are almost to February and it is time for spring. However, they say winter is coming back next week.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: ##Quarter horses for sale, #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #AQHAYouth, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #rangeradybulls, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen, AQHA

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on January 24, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #AQHAYearlingColt, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #WABeefLove, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen, AQHA

Just a normal week in January, or is it??

Posted on January 18, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Monday was rainy, not complaining, everyone needs rain. The neighbor’s sheep was back, Toni dogs were flipping out barking at the sheep, the cows were running since the dogs were barking and the sheep was in there. Made checking slow. So the sheep is a black ram, if you don’t realize he is in the herd he can really freak you out. You are wondering what this deformed calf is doing. Then you realize, nope, big black ram running around chasing cows. Identity crisis, or species crisis? Kaine had driving and drivers ed after school. Jaxsen had basketball practice after school. So dad was a taxi service after school. Toni and Kade did horse chores, Anna and Ben did cow chores, we are still doctoring a few calves for pneumonia. We color tested Fabby and Cash and got our Fabby results back. Animal Genetics was running a special over the holidays. Fabby is EE so we have another HZ horse in the herd!

Tuesday morning the kids had a two hr delay due to freezing fog. When Ben and Anna did morning chores they heard a lot of mooing, the sheep was upsetting the cows, the gate got knocked down, so around 20 cows took that opportunity to go and eat hay from the stack. We got some DNA back from calves on Tuesday. When Toni went down to check at around 11, she noticed two heifers had crawled through two fences, through the horse pen and then into bull pen, and gotten in with the bulls. So the chase was on. When she finally made it out with the cows the sheep was herding the clubby heifers around. By the time Toni got done chasing everything and checking everything, her pick-up was overheating and she had to race down and park it at mom and dads since that was the closest house. Dad took Kaine to driving school and Toni went to Jaxsen basketball game after they got done with chores. Jaxsen’s team won. Anna and Ben fed the cows.

Wednesday was a beautiful day. Toni told the cows to start calving while the sun was shining. No one listened. Toni was in Kade’s pu as she hadn’t had time to look at her pick-up yet. Ben hauled his pickup into Deweys in Othello, it would not start, ended up being the starter and he had it back the next day. Dad went and picked Kaine up at drivers ed and dropped Jaxsen off at practice. Toni and Kade put coolant in her pickup and she made it home, but the pickup was fresh out of coolant by the time she made it the few miles home. So clearly there is an issue. Cash’s test results came back and she is body aa, so that is great. Toni continued to work on Summer and Holly in the rain all week. Summer is really easy and nice to work with. She ties well, leads well, catches well. She loves humans and is very interested in where you are going to pet her.

Thursday Kade drove Papa Bear’s pickup down in the morning, ran out of gas, but made it to the middle of mom and dad’s driveway. Toni drove Kade’s pickup since hers was lock out tagged out. We had Zach come out and look at heifers on Thursday night, it was so wet out that Zach and Ben got stuck, they had to walk to mom and dads and get the battleship (or whatever they call that tractor) and get out. Anna and Ben got stuck feeding, So Kaine drove in front of them in the tractor keeping them going. Ben got stuck again checking ponds and Kaine went and pulled him out with the tractor again. Toni had both fillies out leading them through mud puddles, so at least all of this rain is good for something. Jaxsen had a basketball game on Thursday. They had their second win. Jaxsen played really well. It is hard to imagine because of how tall Kaine and Kade are, but Jax is really tall for his age too.

Friday Toni doctored calves while she was checking. Her pickup is still out of commission. Luckily Kade’s has 4-wheel drive because everything is a mudhole. Marlo came out to do chores. She got to lead Summer in the rain, through the puddles, and all around. Summer did not care. Then Coco and Shea showed up with Shea’s grandma Sherry. We haven’t seen Shea in months so we were all excited to see her, pass her around, love on her. Toni took her to pet Holly and Summer. Summer nuzzled the baby a bunch, Holly didn’t care about her. Shea says “dog” and really liked the dogs. She will be 1 at the end of Feb.

Kade had his first trap shooting competition in Colton. He shot really well for his first time out, we are all very proud of him. Anna and Kaine caught their steers on Saturday, the steers are doing really well. We checked cows, doctored calves, got heavy cows in, etc. At chores Toni and I worked on her two pets, Summer and Holly. Kade did not quite make it back from Colton in time to do chores, so I helped Kaine feed hay while Toni fed grain. Anna and Lane went to Moses Lake after feeding cows and went ice skating.

Sunday we did more ranch work, checked cows, doctored calves, Ben and Anna tagged calves, Kaine and I put out mineral and checked the heifers and horses. While checking the horses we found 149 and 215, both Angus bulls, down with the heifers. So we got them in while Anna and Ben were pulling a calf. Anna and Ben came down and got them while when we got done and Kaine and I went and fixed the fence in-between circles 4 and 5. Marlo came and helped do chores. A random dog showed up and Toni’s house, I posted him on FB since Toni does not have FB, thanks Melissa, she tagged his owner who was located within 30 mins. Turned out he wandered in to their house and they never found his owner, so sounds like he is a wanderer. But it sounds like he found himself a great home and he was picked up right away.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHA Color, #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #AQHAYearlingColt, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #WABeefLove, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen, AQHA

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on January 17, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHA Color, #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHADunstallion, #AQHAfilly, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #AQHAYearlingColt, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinginJanuary, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #WABeefLove, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen

Yay Saturday is here! #yay

Posted on January 14, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHA Color, #AQHA in WA, #AQHAColor, #AQHAcoltforsale, #AQHAcoltforsaleinWA, #AQHAdunfilly, #AQHADunstallion, #AQHAfilly, #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAinWA, #AQHAProud, #AQHAYearlingColt, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchinwinter, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised

I can’t believe we already have a full week of January down. You know what this means right? It is breeding buying time.

Posted on January 11, 2023 by horseshoeangusranch

We got yearling weights on the heifers on Monday. It snowed lightly on us. Just a reminder that this winter will continue to do the unexpected. I ran around the outside to check for stragglers and saw a porcupine, it did not let me get a good picture of its face. The heifers look really good down on the alfalfa field. We went thought them to decide which ones to sell, and it was hard. I am already rethinking that. We used one of our older, smaller corrals, so had a few little glitches, but we were pretty efficient. Kaine did not help us with weights because he went to Camas’ house, they were supposed to be building fence, however, they moved hay around instead, I guess. The men put out big grass bales with the horses and mom lost her phone, so Toni, dad, Jaxsen, mom, Leo and I were looking for it while the boys went and opened the gates for the men. We looked everywhere and didn’t find it. And it didn’t ring. We finally gave up and decided to start fresh on Tuesday.

Tuesday the kids were still out of school, so Anna checked in the morning, but starting Wednesday Toni started checking. Ben had to go back to work Tuesday after his winter off. It sucks. Anna took the dogs and checked cows and tied up her steers. She cleaned the office and the new pup Leo assisted. I am not completely sure what the boys did Tuesday, I know they did chores but in addition to that. Mom found her phone on Tuesday. Leo went down to help do chores again on Tuesday, so got to snoop around mom and dad’s house. Kaine finally noticed that a pole was down between Jackpot and Double. Toni said it had been down a while, so she put it back up and used three lag bolts in hopes that it will stay up.

Wednesday Toni got to check because the kids were back in school. Murtaugh was pretty happy to see her, she felt abandoned after having Ben home so long. So Toni and the dogs checked cows, petted the new calves, etc. Kaine started Driver’s Ed on Wednesday, his first drive was Wednesday after school. I went in Wednesday night to pick him up and attend the parent meeting. So watch out everyone, he is on the road. Everyone else did chores.

Thursday morning Cross headed to his new home in CA early in the morning. Toni and Stephen loaded him up and Stephen headed south. He will be standing at Fireside Ranch in Valley Center, CA. This is in the San Diego area. We are very excited to have a stud servicing Southern CA! Introductory fee of $750! Contact Steve: 509-845-6249 or Carly: 858-291-3080 for more info. We got the results back from the trail class Toni and the kids did. They all did really well for the first time, and three out of the five horses being young. Kaine placed the best, but he had the most broke horse, he showed Gracie. And because Kaine is Kaine, Toni actually took Gracie through the pattern for him before his turn so he could see exactly what to do. Toni showed Shadie which was a very bad decision. Shadie is awesome but is more focused on the reward than the moment. For instance, in the middle of the sidepass someone may touched a bucket, bam, Shadie was ready to eat. We all thought Anna did exceptional with her weanling. Dan came out and installed our hallway flooring on Thursday, we were excited about that. Mike came out and harvested our last 2022 fat steer. We will start having 2023 fat steers in May.

Friday Toni checked after court. Chester, the border collie, for some reason was clear down in circle 5. Dan was back out to finish the flooring. Billy from TLC came out to harvest Tennelle and Caleb’s steer. So we really do just have the feeder steers now. We put a halter on Summer. It is time for Summer to be halterbroke now that the ice is melted and it is mostly just mud everywhere. Marlo came and helped do chores then had dinner with us. Kaine and dad went to Richland to watch Camas’ basketball game. They all went out to Bob’s Burgers after and had dinner.

Saturday we tagged calves in the heavy pen and turned them out, checked cows, doctored calves. Kade had trap shooting practice. Anna and Kaine both caught their steers. Toni and I haltered Summer and Holly (Holly is already halter broke) and worked on them and worked Summer. Then we went to Connell for the November-December birthday party and played games. We had Lane with us so he got exposed to the family again. The kid keeps coming back so he must really like Anna.

On Sunday Kaine and Ben went to Othello and got parts for Kaine’s 1982 GMC. Anna caught her steers then we went out and checked, hauled two minis down with the AQHA mares because they kept getting out, check the mares in the desert and the bulls. Kade came down after lunch and Kade and Kaine caught their steers and then did some welding with Ben. Toni and I worked with Holly and Summer at chore time. Toni wants to show Hollly in the next in-hand trail course. We will see if it happens.

I can’t believe we already have a full week of January down. You know what this means right? It is breeding buying time. We are really excited to get a couple of outside breedings and the pairings we get to put together here at home. We are going to mix it up again this year a bit. Last year we took the non-creme mares that foaled first and put them with Gunner, then scattered the other mares out. Because Gunner goes on 500 acres, it is best to just get all of his mares out in one group. The other limiting factor is age. When a mare was born in 2001 or 2002, she is old. She probably needs to stay close to the house unless in really great shape. We have a list of what we plan to do and continue to tinker with it. There is no right or wrong, just good, good, and good. We have a core group of mares that we think are exceptional with studs we think are the same, so there is no bad pairing. We are excited to spend too much time over analyzing. If anyone has questions about the studs, let us know. We are going to limit outside mares, so if you want in, let us know.