Posts Tagged With: #ranchliving

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.” – Shaquille O’Neal

Posted on July 10, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Another crazy whirlwind of a week as summer flies by. The boys only worked their harvest job Monday and Tuesday this week. Which was good because Anna and I went to Tulsa, Oklahoma and met McKenna and our WA friends at the National Jr. Angus Show. So Toni needed them home to do chores. I think they would have preferred to be at work. We had people out on Monday to look at the studs. We are done breeding the bulk of our mares, but we have people wanting to breed theirs. Toni took her on a tour and she fell in love with Sagebug, so she is going to bring her mare out to breed to him.

On Tuesday Anna and I left early to be on the first flight out of Pasco to Tulsa for Angus Jr Nationals. We needed to be there midafternoon, Anna was a Jr Angus voting delegate and the meet and greet was that evening. We got there at 1, so took a nap before the evening events. I went to the expo square after dropping Anna off and hung out with Vejraskas. Toni and Jaxsen got horses in on Tuesday to ultrasound Wednesday. Jaxsen had a great time being Toni’s only helper all day. They had to bring in mares out of five different fields, sort them out, and haul them to mom and dads. They had mares stashed in every conceivable pen for the Wednesday ultrasound.

McKenna got to Tulsa to hang out with us Wednesday morning. Kat, Anna, McKenna and I walked around and hung out. We watched some of the bred and owned show. Toni, Kaine, Kade, Jaxsen, Hailey Wilson, and Vanessa ultrasounded 24 horses and 3 heifers. They tried to ultrasound 25, but one of the mares was really acting up. It is not worth getting a human or horse hurt so she didn’t get done. There were some shocks, some disappointments, but overall the mares were bred how we expected or not. There were 5 not bred or early bred. The three heifers were show heifers, Kade’s Nile Merit heifer, his simm heifer and Kaine’s heifer Baby Jewel. All heifers were bred. It was a really long day but with all the help, I hear it went ok. The mare to breed to Sagebug also came in on Wednesday.

On Thursday McKenna, Anna and I watched Kady’s show in showmanship. She was an honorable mention, which was really exciting. Good job Kady. Anna was awarded the Jean Ann (Neumeyer) Bojorquez Memorial & Robert Hollyce Neumeyer Angus Scholarship Thursday as well. We also watched the PGS show on Thursday. Chandolin from WA made it back to the division championship round in Bred and Owned PGS. At home Toni took two mares to the vet to get their serum pulled to see if they need to stay on regumate. Both older. One we think lost her foal even though she is on regumate. Both mares were high end show horses back in the day and are not older pet broodmares. Kade took a different trailer and his horse to help at the Freedom Rodeo in Basin City as they were short handed on Thursday. Dad had to run his hat and a long sleeved shirt down to him. He had a good time. Three of the outside mares left Thursday, so Toni was shipping horses out until after 8 pm that night.

Happy 4^th of July. We had McKenna in the morning before she went back to a work party late afternoon. We watched some of owned heifer show and watched the final round of showmanship. We watched Leah from WA show, she did great, was 6^th in her class. We also watch Colter Meads and Cora Habein from Oregon show. At home they had the typical lake party. It sounds like everyone had a good time. At home it was colder than normal for the 4^th but that was probably nice. They found a little turtle at the lake so everyone oohed and ahhed over the turtle before they put it back. Anna’s dogs jumped on everyone because they were lonely. It was a good 4^th in Washington.

We headed home bright and early Saturday. Kady showed both of her heifers on Saturday, so we missed her showing. Our plane landed around 1. Toni texted me we needed pics of Shooter, so I brought some big bales down when I came and we got some pics of him. John sent some pics he got of Derringer. Toni got MC’s pen in an sorted the two big foals out and kicked those pair out into the field. We also were able to move Zelle back to the yearling filly pen. She had been in a dr. pen because she hurt her leg. We had another outside mare leave Saturday. Toni and her crew along with Leslie, Marlo, McCall, and Kaine all went to the Basin City Freedom Rodeo Saturday night where they saw lots of friends and had a great time. Our friends put that rodeo on and do a great job.

On Sunday Sonny brought Kade a half Haflinger mare to ride. She is really cute. Kaine and I went out and checked for bad eyes and took some pics. It was hot so everyone was laying in the water, so hard to check eyes. Jaxsen and I put out two more big bales. Toni rode Electra. We fly sprayed everything we that would let us, made sure every living thing had water and food and just tried to get through a hot July day.

“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.”

– Shaquille O’Neal

If our blog seems repetitive, our goal is to have healthy happy livestock and we spend the majority of our time working towards that end.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef

Habits start off as a choice and build into a habit over time.

Posted on July 3, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

On Monday Kaine and Kade started a wheat harvest job in Kahlotus, right now they are doing preharvest work. That has made us pretty shorthanded, but the boys are all excited to get paid to work. It probably doesn’t shock anyone that the pay here at the ranch is in trade. Anna had a dr appt then picked up Jaxsen on her way home so he could work on his steers. Anna is working on her calves; she definitely has some favorites. Toni is catching up on work from being gone all the week before to Utah. During chores Windy, the orphan foal double grafted onto Blackie, realized that Toni leaves the gate cracked when she takes the grain into their pen. So Windy went for a walkabout out into the yard. Luckily her brother and mother did not go with her so she eventually ran back into her pen. She is a little stinker. Other than that, it was a pretty normal evening with lots of chores.

On Tuesday Erina, mom, Toni, Anna and I went to Coeur d’Alene for a girls’ day and had facials. The men did all our chores and we had a late dinner before we came back. We all had a great time. Jaxsen spent the day with dad and Skip. It was really nice to do something totally different, outside the wheelhouse, and the best part is that Erina set it all up so we just had to show up and enjoy.

Wednesday mom and dad went to town and got a new office fish for me. Daniela at work decided we should not name him George again and this one is Ramses off of Nacho Libre. Jaxsen worked on his steers again. He says they are great. The big boys are getting home late, they are rod weeding weeds. Chores were pretty normal. Since we are doing all the chores, the yearlings weren’t fed when Toni went to move water so July was in fine form. He chased her dog, ran around wagging his little donkey tail. Just a reminder that mom doesn’t want to ever sell July so he is priced really high, like ridiculously high at $20,000.00. And if someone came up with 20,000, well then, they have 40,000 they could spend on him. And if they would spend 40,000 on him then she does not think they are smart enough to have him since they are spending their money unwisely. We have had people ask if he is for sale and we don’t think that is a for sale price, so that she would actually sell him. Toni stayed with grandma on Wednesday. Grandma is still not sleeping.

https://videopress.com/v/WraUXFEH?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Thursday Jaxsen and I discussed his next steps in working on his steers. He is becoming a good chore boy. Building muscles loading hay. Ben chopped down some more Russian Olive Trees with the Kitten. Boys are still farming. Anna has been working away on the post replacement project, she is almost done. She is expanded beyond filling for Toni. She is halter breaking some sale calves. The summer is speeding by. The big boys are still tying up their show calves in the morning before work, then Anna has been feeding them at night and turning them loose because the boys are getting home so late. Jax is working on both of his steers with minimal complaints. Chores were normal.

On Friday mom and Anna took the puppies in for their last shots and everyone except Snickerdoodle got spayed or neutered. Poor little guys. Erina and Terry brought Jr and Josie out on their annual trip to see the horses. Jr is a budding photographer and took Toni’s camera to take pics. He is 5 1/2. Everyone had a good time. Blackie refused to walk down the hill (yes, she is still walking through the hot fence to go up the hill), so they went up to see her and pet the babies. Windy has stranger danger which we did not realize. Red doesn’t. He doesn’t know a stranger which is a pretty typical Blackie/Tank foal. We don’t know where Windy’s attitude comes from. Marlo came out for chores so she helped Jaxsen. Marlo likes things clean so she had Jax clean off the back of the chore pu and clean off all the strings. They found the dull machete that is used to cut bales open and been missing for months. It was missing because it was covered in hay and strings. Jax thought he should get to keep it. We all were nervous about what he might do with it, so the machete is still in the chore pu. Long fun day. I headed to Grandma’s with Doodle for the night. She still isn’t sleeping.

I got some pictures of Kade and Carla, his Nile Merit heifer, on Saturday and a couple of pictures of a few of Anna’s show calves for sale. Anna and I went out to check the cows and look for bad eyes. The Hallowells came out to get Derringer to breed their mini mare, so we went on a small tour. Mom had not seen Jack Jack yet. Kade worked on Boon because he had not been riding her at night due to work. Kaine and Kade bought caught their extra show steers, since they need to be at least somewhat halter broke in case they need them. Kaine also took the lawn mower tire in and got it fixed and him and dad went to the Ace Hardware grand opening in Connell. Kade worked on Jag and Texas Red on Saturday night as well.

On Sunday, Sonny and Jeanie brought a gelding for Kade to ride, and they all went to look at the foals. Chad was out and timed some horses. Toni had two groups of people out looking at foals, and mares. Kade rode Butterscotch for one group. She had not been ridden for a few years and was great.

Habits start off as a choice and build into a habit over time. Making time for your horse and yourself is the best habit a person can have. It isn’t too late to start or get back on track. If your dream has been to have a horse, come get one. We have lots of choices and there is always time for a horse.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #ranchcolt, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef

The kids are officially on summer break

Posted on June 20, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

The kids are officially on summer break, which is a relief since we have a lot to tackle around here. Jaxsen and Kaine are diving into summer football, with practices lined up throughout the week and a jamboree scheduled for Friday, keeping them busy and active. Meanwhile, Kade and Toni are gearing up for the Simmental Regionals in just a week and a half, so they’re busy organizing travel documents, checking tires, and getting oil changes done to ensure everything runs smoothly. Kade has also been busy relocating the round pen from its winter spot, where we were halter breaking, to a more stable area, and he’s started working with the two-year-olds. Anna has taken on the task of replacing the old fiberglass posts with sturdy metal T posts, enhancing the durability of our fencing. Additionally, she and Kaine have been out using the skid steer to cut down Russian Olive trees, tackling the overgrowth and making the property look much better.

This week has been sweltering we are reaching triple digits. Kade and I have found ourselves in a bit of a disagreement over Gucci, a three-year-old horse sired by Tank and out of Blue, which Kade has been training. He has claiming Remi, I’ve claimed SJ as “mine,” but it seems we’ve come to a consensus that Gucci might actually suit me better. However, Kade also thinks she will be a good rope horse, however, maybe too lazy. Kade has been lending a hand to Anna with her own three-year-old, Gunny. She worked with Gunny last year, but now it’s time for her to start riding Gunny out, so Kade has been stepping in during the day to help her out. On top of that, Anna is juggling a part-time job with Toni this summer, where she’s been tackling legal work. She’s managed to get Toni all caught up on filing, which means she can now shift her focus to more engaging tasks. Meanwhile, I’m not quite sure what Jaxsen occupies his time with, but I keep reminding him that his steers won’t halter break themselves, and they’re only going to get more challenging as they grow. To add to the chaos, our HVAC system flooded the office, so Anna and Kaine have been busy cleaning up the mess and tearing out the carpet. Thankfully, our friend Hector has a carpet guy lined up, and he’s scheduled to come on Friday to replace the flooring.

On Wednesday July the donkey colt assisted in moving water The sweltering heat of the week had made him somewhat lazy, causing him to neglect his usual responsibilities. However, on this particular day, he seemed to regain his enthusiasm and decided it was time to pitch in once more. He also decided it was great fun to chase Toni’s dog Abby. Ben chased water all week and fixed circles.

https://videopress.com/v/WraUXFEH?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

On Thursday, our friends Steve and Louis came over to visit and check out all the adorable foals. They hadn’t had the chance to meet MC yet, and it had been ages since they last saw Tank, who was just a colt back then. We spent a delightful afternoon reminiscing and catching up on each other’s lives. After we wrapped up our visit, Toni took care of the chores while I headed over to spend some quality time with Grandma.

On Friday, Dad and Toni made the trip to Spokane to pick up Gina, our last mare at Allies. While they were there, they also met up with Denise, they took Kenna and Blondie. Kenna and Blondie went with Denise to their new home in Montana. We’re thrilled to share that Gina is confirmed in foal to Brother Jackson, which has us all buzzing with excitement. Later that afternoon, we headed to Royal City for the football jamboree, while Anna and Kade stayed back to handle the chores at home. I have to say, the boys played exceptionally well! They faced off against Moses Lake, a much larger school, Ephrata, which is just one classification above us, and Okanagan, who competes in a different division altogether. It was a special day for Jaxsen, as it marked his first game as a high school player, while for Kaine, it was bittersweet since it was his last chance to play spring ball before he becomes a senior next year.

On Saturday, Ben took the three older kids to Hermiston for the UCCA Desert Classic, and they all performed exceptionally well. Each of their four heifers advanced to the championship round, with Short Bread, Penelope, and Baby Jewel winning their respective classes, while Hazel secured a commendable second place. In the championship round, Baby Jewel was crowned the overall heifer champion, and Penelope finished in third place overall. Kade also had a strong showing, finishing third in his class with his steer, while Kaine earned the title of reserve champion. Our Juju who was named grand champion. All three kids made it to the championship round in showmanship, showcasing their hard work and dedication. Back at home, Toni and I were busy as well; we shipped out a cow and her calf, carefully sorting through the herd to reunite a mother who had gotten separated from her young one. We also managed to get Gunner’s pen in, pulling him out and transporting a few of his mares to the house while letting the rest out into the desert. Toni took the time to chop down a thistle, and then we wrapped up the day with our usual chores, feeling accomplished after a busy but rewarding day.

Happy Father’s Day! We gathered in Washtucna at Sonny’s for a delightful lunch with Sherri, Berry, and Jeanie. The atmosphere was lively, and we all enjoyed each other’s company, sharing stories and laughter. After our meal, we returned home where Toni and Kade snapped some pictures of North to send out. Meanwhile, Jaxsen and I got busy putting out grass bales, ensuring the animals had plenty to munch on. Kaine and Anna dove right into their cattle chores, working diligently to keep everything running smoothly. It was a fulfilling day filled with family, fun, and a bit of hard work.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #ranchingfall, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef, #WAlovebeef #ranchingheritagebreeders, #washingtoncattlemen

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on June 17, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

https://videopress.com/v/WraUXFEH?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&autoPlay=true&loop=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranagereadystallion, #ranch life, #Ranching, #ranchingfall, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingspring, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef, #WABeefLove

I used some AI with the BLOG. Toni thinks it is like the episode of Friends when Joey uses the Thesaurus for his job application.

Posted on June 13, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Monday was a whirlwind! Toni and Dad headed to Pullman, braving the drive to get Peeps a pre-sale vet inspection. They also picked up Abs from WSU – she’s in foal to Hired Gun, exciting news! Then on the way home, stopped by Katie and Chad’s to get Cash. So one up to Pullman, two back. While at WSU they also needed to pull hair on Metallic Bug for a prospective buyer who wants him disease panel tested. They got to see both of the foals still up there and mess with them a bit. Meanwhile, Anna took Kenna and Blondie to see Sheena to get their travel papers sorted for their Montana trip. And to top it all off, Kaine and Jaxsen finally started football practice for summer football. It is kind of cool that they will both be on the highschool team for this one year.

On Tuesday Anna and her trusty canine companions, a chaotic mix of fluffy chaos, checked the cows and horses. They then replaced the old fiberglass fence posts, with metal T posts. Anna also wants to learn some of Mom’s recipes so Anna and mom then made cinnamon rolls. Wednesday Anna and Dad planned to visit Alan A., a beloved friend. Dad said Alan was his first friend when he moved to Pasco a long dang time ago. Anna and Dad planned to take him a batch of those delicious cinnamon rolls. News from the football field was equally positive: Jaxsen claims to be a starter on the JV team. So we will see how that plays out for him. The upcoming spring ball jamboree is next Friday. Meanwhile, Kade and Anna cared for the cattle and horses. The puppies, however, presented a new challenge. No longer could their tiny, half mini poodle forms be allowed unsupervised. Tipsy, their diligent Great Pyrenees guardian dog, had become their unofficial nanny, leading them on epic patrol expeditions around the property. (Tipsy: Loyal, slightly eccentric guardian, more interested in inspecting gopher holes than preventing escape). The puppies, barely larger than cats, were a constant source of amusement and occasional frustration. Tuesday night had been a monumental feat: the removal of countless cheat grass seeds from their luxurious coats, a task that left Anna smelling faintly of dry grass and exhaustion.

On Wednesday, Toni began her three-day court commitment, making her unavailable for contact. Meanwhile, Jaxsen was thrilled to attend his 8th-grade trip to Triple Play, a journey Toni likely would have joined if not for her court obligations—not out of desire, but to keep a watchful eye on him. Dad and Anna went to see Alan and look at the Charolais heifers. That evening, Frieda experienced colic, prompting us to administer Immediate Response and Zestera while walking her for an hour. After finishing chores and moving the water, Toni and I took turns walking Frieda. In the meantime, Anna and Kade ventured out to retrieve a paddle boat that had drifted away, reporting that it might need some steering repairs.

Toni returned to Ritzville on Thursday for court proceedings, while Kaine enjoyed a trip to Silverwood with the senior class, despite being a junior himself. Mom and I speculated that had he known he could join the seniors on their trip without actually being one, he likely would have participated every year. The only requirement was for him to persuade a senior to secure a ticket for him and take him along before he turned 16, which I’m sure he could have managed. Meanwhile, Anna took four bred heifers for pregnancy checks that same day, and afterward, she and Mom brought the puppies to the vet. Freida, our older mare, seemed to be doing well; we concluded that she simply needed to graze on grass. Tank has several mares in his pen, so they are provided with alfalfa and a grass bale. We’re hopeful she’s pregnant, although 24, so if she is not then that is ok. Freida appeared quite content to be turned out, however, Outlaw seemed less so since his best friend Gold was still in with Tank. Upon returning home that evening, I noticed something protruding from the side of Pow’s head that resembled a stick. Concerned, I reached out to Sheena and scheduled an appointment for Pow first thing Friday morning.

On Friday, Toni took the Featherlight to Les Schwab to get new tires installed before she and Kade headed off to Utah for the Simmental show. Meanwhile, Ben made a quick stop to see Sheena with Pow on his way to work, as I had stayed with Grandma the night before. Once I returned home, I set out to find the two missing pairs that had wandered off into the desert. With the help of the puppies and the dogs, we managed to round them up successfully. Shortly after, Sheena informed me that Pow was ready, so I rushed inside to pick her up. It turned out that it wasn’t just a stick she had encountered; she had actually broken her face, with a piece of bone protruding. On my way to retrieve the trailer, I needed to stop by Ben’s workplace, but I had forgotten to leave the keys to Big Red in the pickup. This is the downside of not having to insert the keys into the ignition; I often forget they’re in my purse instead. After getting Pow home and settled, we turned our attention to the chores that awaited us.

On Saturday morning, Brian from Pendleton arrived to evaluate the yearlings and ended up selecting Stoker, a horse he hadn’t initially considered online. His decision was influenced by the fact that his 11-year-old daughter would be helping him train Stoker, who is known for his friendly demeanor and eagerness to learn, making it a perfect match. Meanwhile, Kaine, Kade, and I headed to circle 4 to sort the pairs we had sold. We noticed that one of the pairs, which included a steer calf, was located in circle 5, so we went to retrieve the cow. While we were there, we decided to try and catch Butterscotch, a horse that had been quite elusive, often hiding deep within the tangled Russian Olive trees, making her difficult to capture. After Anna returned from babysitting, the four of us worked together and finally managed to catch her, though it was no easy task. During this time, Mom and Toni made a trip to Whitney’s to pick up Tulip and Mr. Pickles, as their grass had been completely consumed. Ben spent the day working on the circles. Kaine and I then distributed grass bales to Tank and MC’s pens. Ben and the kids took care of the two pairs I had brought in the previous day, releasing 530 back with the rest of the cows, while keeping 170 with the sold pairs since she was part of that group. We sold a few cows that were late calvers, which fell outside our calving interval.

On Sunday morning, Leo arrived to pick up the two pairs we had gotten in on Saturday. Kaine and I also got in the steer that Erina and Terry were taking home with them. Once they arrived, we took the opportunity to celebrate both Mom’s and Erina’s birthdays, creating a joyful atmosphere filled with laughter and good cheer. Later that day, we had an outside mare come in, and we took her out to see Sagebug. Typically, Sagebug would hear us approaching and come running, but this time he didn’t respond, prompting Toni to walk quite a distance in search of him. I initially accompanied her but returned to fetch the pickup for a more convenient ride. By the time I got back, Toni had successfully located Sagebug, who was quite excited as the mare was in heat. After, Kade and I took care of some chores by putting out grass bales, and later, Toni and Kade enjoyed a lovely evening ride together, soaking in the beauty of the surroundings.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingspring, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #rangegreadybulls, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus

Ranch Life: Cattle Work and Celebrating Freedom

Posted on June 6, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Memorial Day was Monday. On this Memorial Day, we took a moment to remember and honor the brave men and women who have given their lives for our freedom. We are grateful for their service and sacrifice, and we will never forget. We honor their legacy and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

We wrapped up working the cattle on Monday, focusing on the heifers, steers, bulls, and everything else in the corral. Isidro came and sprayed the weeds, so we secured the horses in the yearling pen, while the yearlings remained in the corral. Jexy, along with Opal, Lightening, and Mocha and their foals, have all moved to my house. They seem to be adjusting to the dry lot, though I suspect they’re not thrilled about it. Meanwhile, Ben has been spending quality time with Big E. I went down to capture some footage of the bulls, and Big E was a great help as they were all together. We also put out big bales for them.

As Tuesday rolled around, it marked the return to school and work for everyone. Ben and the kids were busy getting the cows to haul Moses Lake on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Toni and I headed down to hook up the trailers, only to discover that two out of the four bulls were missing. After we finished hooking everything up, we set out to search for the missing bulls, but our efforts proved fruitless as we scoured the area without success. By 8:30 PM, we decided to call it a night; the mosquitoes were relentless in the trees, and Anna was adamant about not stepping out to brave the swarms. As the designated driver, I certainly wasn’t going to take on that task, leaving us to retreat from the search with a sense of frustration.

On Wednesday morning, Anna and Toni set hauled the cows to Moses Lake, with Ben lending a hand to load them into the trailers. Upon their return to the house, they noticed the two bulls casually making their way up from the trees, strolling past the wheat field. It was evident that Anna had overlooked a crucial step by not checking the area through the trees. Quickly regrouping, Toni and Anna managed to round up the bulls before resuming their work. Later that evening, Toni and I took the opportunity to give the horses that were locked in their West Nile vaccinations and deworm them. This routine was essential for their health and well-being, ensuring that they would be in top shape once they were allowed back out to the pasture.

Ben dedicated the entire night to preparing tri-tip for the FFA banquet, and his efforts paid off as the dish turned out delicious. Meanwhile, Kade, serving as an officer, stayed after school to help set up for the event. The banquet was a resounding success, celebrating the hard work of all the students involved in FFA, who received various awards for their achievements. Among them, Kaine, who is the least active of our 4 kids, focusing primarily on Ag Sales and showing steers this year. He is a pretty good salesman so he did pretty good in Ag Sales. Kade, on the other hand, shone brightly as he was awarded the Star American Degree and was elected the chapter’s Vice President. He also contributed to the Ag Sales Team, which impressively placed fourth at the state level, and played a key role in organizing an Ag Day tour over the summer. Anna received recognition for her pursuit of the National American Degree, while Jaxsen showcased his talents on the Food Sciences Team, which secured second place in the state competition, earning him the title of cheese connoisseur. Additionally, Toni won a fire pit at the silent auction, a piece that Kaine claimed to have made, although his credibility as Mr. Palmer’s TA leaves some doubt about the authenticity of that claim. Later he admitted his friend Max made the fire pit. He made one for a different auction and his was much better.

Mud finally welcomed a new foal on Friday, marking the end of our foaling season. We were able to turn the mares back out into the pasture on Friday morning after keeping them confined all week due to the spraying of the fields. The donkeys have been integrated with the older mares, and they all got out enjoyed a delightful time grazing in the lush alfalfa. However, little July was not pleased with Anna for putting him away. It’s always fascinating to witness the dynamics of the herd, especially during such transitions, as they adapt to the changes in their environment and social structure.

On Saturday, Dad took the last two bulls that were sold to Ritzville, leaving us with just two bulls remaining for sale. Anna helped load them up and sent him off on his journey. Meanwhile, Kade, Toni, and Jaxsen worked together to move the yearling fillies back to their pen. Anna and Kade then busied themselves washing their show animals. Kaine, on the other hand, took the skid steer to cut down Russian Olive trees, a task I had suggested he tackle—whether it was washing animals or clearing trees, I just wanted him to stay productive. It seems he made his choice clear. Toni then transported the yearling fillies, which are scheduled to go to new homes the following week, down to my place to ensure they had a safe ride. We then managed to get Mocha, Opal, and Lightning Bug out of the bull pen to take them back to the pasture. Toni had to hop on Mocha since the other two decided to wonder around, and I must say, Mocha truly is the best. We captured some great pictures of the yearling foals during this busy day. Later, Chad arrived to trim feet, while Kaine and Kade headed off to their best friend Keegan’s graduation party. Toni, Anna, Ben, Jaxsen, and I planned to join them after finishing our chores. However, a fire broke out in Kahlotus due to strong winds and downed power lines, prompting us to hook up the trailers and prepare for a potential evacuation of the animals. Fortunately, as the wind shifted up the canyon, we were relieved to find that evacuation was not necessary.

On Sunday, Ben, Anna, Kaine, and I made our way to Oaksdale to pick up some furniture for Anna’s college house from Terry and Erina. After arriving, we enjoyed a delightful lunch with them, during which we admired the impressive remodeling work Terry had undertaken on the house. After all of Terry’s stories, Kaine has decided if you marry Terry and get divorced you end up with a house. So he is next in line after Erina. Yes, we are joking. Following our visit, we headed to St. John to retrieve additional items from the St John house. Meanwhile, Toni, Kade, and Jaxsen managed to bring Mud and Howie in, but Mud had unfortunately scraped her leg, likely on one of the sharp branches of the Russian Olive Trees. They decided to take her home so we could tend to her injury. However, they faced a challenge with Butterscotch, who remained stubbornly stuck in the trees. By the time we returned, they had completed most of the chores. Kaine and I then took down some grass straw bales that we put out.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingspring, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on June 3, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingspring, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef, #washingtoncattlemen

Cattle Show, Worked the Cows, Sold some horses, a normal week in May.

Posted on May 30, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Dad went to Palouse first thing Monday for pellets. Toni went out and checked and Eddie had foaled, cute filly by Sagebug. Only Mud and Butterscotch left. Anna loaded up two steers for Rob. Ben came down with the tractor and unloaded half the totes at mom and dads and half up for the show heifers. Kade and Toni took Roanie and Reina out of a ride around the alfalfa field. When they got back I kicked Toni off of Reina and rode her around for a min. We still have Peeps in so she got caught and worked on a bit. We also went out into Tank’s pen to try to pet all the beautiful foals out there. Toni has 2 she wants to keep in that pen. Style and Gritty. The bulls calves were behind the house when I got home, so I grabbed the camera and ran out back to get a few pics of them.

Anna had all the puppies out fixing fence on Tuesday. She is working for Toni part time while she is home for the summer filing. Then she is working on fences and taking care of her livestock. And training her 4 puppies. Dad took some heifers to a guy over in Sunnyside. Toni says I may have the heifers priced too low but they are selling, so that is good. Toni had a big hearing on Webex that she prevailed on. Kade sold Roanie on Tuesday, so he started to leg up Boon to sell her. He bought Boon to rope off of, and she does not like roping. When Dad got back, Toni had him leave the trailer at his house so she could practice loading Peeps. Peeps is headed for a soundness exam on Friday. We went out to check the horses and Toni’s pickup started to overheat, so she went home, and Anna and I went out to check. Ben was getting the calves off of the wheat field, so Anna, Ben and I fixed the fence until 8:30. It is really hot, so hopefully the little devils stop getting into the wheat.

They did not stop getting into the wheat. Toni said they were back out there Wednesday morning when she checked. Wednesday night Ben got them out and fixed the fence again. I guess the sweet taste of wheat is worth getting shocked?? It is pretty hot. Kade rode Boon some more out in the alfalfa field. Toni worked on Peeps at chores. She is doing great. It was rainy Wednesday night. The desert grass is looking really nice with all the moisture we have been getting.

A little more moisture Thursday morning. Dad started the circle Thursday morning so it could make it around a few times before we sprayed weeks on Monday. We got the horses all rounded up on Thursday night for Toni and dad to take to Spokane. There was only one calf out in the wheat and it had been shocked enough that Toni had to go get it out through a gate. So I guess the fence is finally hot enough. We practiced loading Peeps in the Featherlight trailer on Thursday. So now she has practiced loading in 2 different trailers.

I got some pics of the horses and calves Friday when I went out to check. Then I went to mom and dads and helped Toni load the trailer. Her and dad then headed to Spokane with Crystal, Miss Gen and Peeps. They brought Reba back with them too. Cross your fingers, she is in foal to Magneticat, Davis Ranch’s Metallic Cat son. When Kade got home we did chores and I got some pics of Kade riding Boon. Anna was working on her show stuff in the afternoon and Anna and the boys finished packing up the trailer Friday night. Toni and Dad picked up a friend for their trip to Spokane and risked the Memorial Day traffic to get up to their meeting. They had a long day, but productive. They saw lots of wrecks, but weren’t in one. They had a good trip overall with their friend.

We were up before the sun and on the road to Hermiston to Desert Storm on Saturday. Ben, the three older kids and I. We had a great time. Anna was Sr Champion showman and overall champion in Ring A, so brought home two buckles. Kade was 3^rd overall Simmental in both Rings A and B. Kaine’s steer won his class in Ring B. Julian made it back in showmanship and his steer won his class, I think in both Ring A and B. Savannah was 4^th overall PeeWee in both rings. And Kayla and Baby Jewel were 5^th overall in Ring B. Everyone had a great time. Toni and Jaxsen moved the mares that had foaled out with studs. Dad, Toni and Jaxsen started fixing the irrigation valve in front of the house and had to call for reinforcements. That project went haywire. Lots of help from the yearling fillies and donkeys while the humans tried to fix the valve. Also lots of water all over. Toni and Jaxsen also loaded out Laroy to his new home. Laroy is going to live with his ½ brother Alme. Toni, Natalie, and Brad walked around awhile and looked at the other horses at the house. Toni and Jaxsen did most of the chores for everyone. We got home about 9:30 pm from the show so only had to feed the cattle we had on the trailer. It was a long, but good show.

Another busy day Sunday. Dad, Mom, Skip and Jaxsen went to St John to decorate graves. They stopped by and checked the house and ate lunch at the St John Tavern. Toni showed horses and did some work at mom and dads. We sold Fancy Like and got her loaded and sent to her new home. Ben, three older kids and I worked all of the cows and calves. It was a long day but we got it done. Kade decided to wear my chinks from high school, I have never been skinny, so he used bailing twine as a belt. I took a snap of him but forgot to save it I guess because it is not on my phone. Kind of disappointing. Both boys got the crap kicked out of them pushing calves up. Kade has a club steer that he has been excited to show for next year that double barreled him, so I think the excitement is minimal at this point.

Getting the cows worked is always a big deal for us as it allows us to see the calves in their composite groups after they have had a chance to grow. We get to band some of the bull calves to make steers and start noting which calves we want to sell when weaned, which heifers we want to keep, which bull calves are potential herd sires for us, which cows maybe need some TLC. We also get to pet and love on all the old show heifers that come through. Some still have to be haltered to get through the chute as they are too tame. Yes, that is a thing in cows.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #ranchcolt, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingspring, #ranchingsummer, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #washingtoncattlemen

Last Week in Pictures

Posted on May 27, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: #AQHAforsale, #AQHAforsaleinWA, #AQHAProud, #IamAngus, #iamcowgirl, #QHColor, #Quarter horses for sale in WA, #Quarterhorseforsale, #QuarterhorsesinWA, #ranch life, #Ranching, #RanchingHeritageBreeder, #ranchingspring, #ranchlife, #ranchliving, #ranchraised, #rangereadybulls, #wabeef, #WABeefLove, #WAJrAngus, #WALoveBeef, #WAlovebeef #ranchingheritagebreeders, #washingtoncattlemen

We had a family filled week, both with our show family and our actual family. We are down to just a few mares left to foal. Per the norm, we are loving this foal crop.

Posted on May 23, 2025 by horseshoeangusranch

Minnie had another fancy palomino filly by Dude on Monday. An outside mare showed up Monday to breed to Cappy, so we hauled her out there. She immediately got out, he is in a hot fence in the middle of the wheat, we put her back and she is on her last chance. But she has stayed in so far since then, knock on wood. So maybe she was surprised by it?? She was also in heat. Sandy and Ashley also came out on Monday and Sandy put a deposit on her two foals. Toni got lots of pictures as they went from one end of the ranch to the other to see the foals. The kids are busy working on their steers and heifers to go to Wheatland this weekend.

Star had a chestnut filly on Tuesday by MC. Anna and mom took the 5 puppies to the vet for shots. Cricket has been living at moms, since she is mom’s, and apparently the other 4 did not miss her, and were not happy to see her, especially not Trixie. Anna helped Kade record his video for FFA Officer on Tuesday.

Kaine had a sports physical Wednesday morning, so he ran my half ton work pickup, it is not going into forward, into see Dewey in Othello to see how much it would cost to fix it. The Brother Jackson semen showed up Wednesday, so hopefully Gina will be bred and come home from Allies. Reba was bred a few days ago. Kade and Toni got all of the colts West Nile vaccinated and wormed Wednesday. Pine got sorted off to go by himself, he is going to Ellenburg to be with Tylar and Dillion. They are taking him through Moses Lake/Central WA Livestock at the catalog horse sale for us. Toni and I got some videos and pics of Alotta, and played with the yearling fillies for a bit.

On Thursday dad, mom and Anna took a load of Anna’s stuff up to Moscow to her house up there, and got the keys to the house. Mom and dad said it was a lot of walking up and down stairs. Toni went to Evie’s Preschool graduation, and then brought her home to play with the horses. They wormed and West Niled the fillies in the afternoon. And got some new pics of some of them. Jaxsen helpedish as well. Evie really enjoyed helping and is good and handing what a person needs. All the fillies were great to work on. Toni still wants to keep them all.

On Friday Anna and dad went and got my pick up Deweys. They also got Costco. Steve Jarmin brought his mare out to breed. Toni met Dillion and Ty in Royal City with Pine, and picked up a donkey for our neighbor. This is a pet donkey, not a halter breaking donkey. Cousins Linda and Patricia came Friday late afternoon. I went to Grandma’s Friday night but everyone else went to Toni’s house for family dinner.

Ben and the three older kids headed to the Wheatland Jackpot first thing Saturday morning. Mom, dad, Linda, Patricia and I followed up at a reasonable hour. Toni, Jaxsen and Skip moved horses all day. Kicker chased water. The show was good. All our Angus heifers won their class and made it back to the championship round. Anna made it back in showmanship. Aubrey went with them and I think everyone had a great time?? Toni, Jaxsen, and Skip spent way more time moving horses than they had planned. They ended up having to catch Minnie and Star out on the 70 acre field and lead them to the corral. Both the little fillies loaded really well. They also had to get the two of the outside mares from Cappy’s pen and take to the corral for pickup on Sunday. We then had another family dinner at Toni’s so everyone could have a good visit.

On Sunday Big Kevin went to live with the Palmer kid for a while, however, they raise pigs and it sounds like Kevin is not a big fan. Kade and Anna took 4 heifers to preg check and the show cattle to Connell for Jai to do Health papers to go to Desert Storm. Kaine went with his friend Danny to Pasco to pick up a motorcycle. We had some friends come out to borrow Kevin, so loaded him out. Toni and Patricia went looking for eagles nests and beaver huts. Driving and walking around, seeing what there is to see. They went to all the most isolated places on the ranch. Patricia is an avid bird watcher and likes the nature hikes. Jaxsen and I took 2 of the donkey to Whitneys to eat weeds. Ben was cutting trees with the skidsteer. Patricia and I hauled some bales down and put them out with the dump. Kade road Roanie around and got him ready for people to see. We had Skips birthday party that night at Tonis.