Working on the Ranch Together...

Early one morning my Cowboy decided that we could gather some pairs (cows and calves) from a bunch. We didn't want to get all of them. Do you see trouble coming?? He said if we got started early it would not take us too long to get the job done and it would be good to be done before it got very warm. By the time the horses were saddled it was later than planned AND the wind had started to blow.

He had planned to get about 40 pair. It didn't work that way. We were trying to work off some against a fence. I was down the fence trying to keep them from slipping by me--he wanted me more to the middle and told me so in short terse terms... AND the wind blew. They didn't want to be worked off and when it was said and done we had between 20 to 25 pairs. We got them gathered together and going southwest to the gate. He had to get to the gate and we got them through the gate but it was my job to get the last of them through the gate, close the gate, quickly mount up and hurry to help him as they wanted to go anywhere but where we wanted them. The cows wanted to go East by doubling back and we wanted them to go West. Do you see trouble coming?

I got them through the gate and parting words were hurry all you can... I went to step off my saddle and it slipped sideways. Oh, great! Now I have to reposition my saddle!

Let me regress and tell you why I want my saddles on TIGHT! When my cousin was 9, the latigo broke on her saddle and she got a compound fracture and she wore a halo on her hand with pins sticking out of her fingers. It happened on my 14th birthday, June 9. I can still remember the halo on her hand. For those that don't know, a latigo is the leather strap that hooks to the rigging on the saddle and loops through the cinch to hold the saddle on the horse.

I want my saddles on tight. I lead my horse around and then I want to tighten my cinch even more. I may not have much strength, but for that job I have some in reserve. My Cowboy likes to cinch up looser than I. He tells me he doesn't want to cut the horse in half. He is an excellent rider and can balance and his saddles never seem to slip, but mine always move a little. Now back to the story...

I loosened the cinch, moved the saddle to the front and tightened everything as best I could and hurry at the same time. I stepped in the stirrup and the dang thing really twisted that time. Do you see trouble coming? Over the rise comes my Cowboy at a lope. He took one look, didn't ask one question and said to me, "You can't get on your horse with his saddle under his belly." He jumped off of his horse, resaddled my horse and WE took off at a lope. He said go to the trees and turn those cows to go South as they were now going due West. I picked out some trees (not the right ones), do you see trouble coming? I got the arm waving and the hand signals that are so not readable and figured something was amiss. Why do men think we can read those waving arms? Most of the time one can't see them waving until one is a lot closer!!

Communication in marriage is so important...

I finally figured out WHICH trees, after he rode around me and we got them headed South. It was a beautiful day and the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a girl too! We were jingling along and I was trying to smooth my feathers somewhat when Cowboy rode up and ask, "How about a little kiss?" My reply, "Are you kidding??"

Oh, we have had many laughs since, but you know how it is...

Just keep talking!