Wordless Wednesday

Problem Solving

Things are just BIGGER in the South

It's true, I wouldn't lie to you. We have bigger bugs, bigger accents, bigger swamps, bigger bugs, bigger animals, and bigger bugs. Gee, did I say bugs three times? Well, we really do have super humongous bugs down here. The other night the boys found this.......... Although, it's not a bug, this frog has to be large to eat the big bugs. You think I zoomed in but no, not really! All I had to do was hold the camera just a bit closer. My subject was already big! I just don't think amphibians should get this large. Here is the frog in all it's glory! Big Cowpoke was so excited about the frog. Mr. Cowboy kept saying, "Those are frying legs!" Seriously, is that all that southern men think about? Frying up something? I just wanted the kids to put it in the pond. But first the poor bullfrog had to endure some human torture. And then Cowpokette had to endure her big brother chasing her around with a huge frog. She didn't want anything to do with it's slimy body. I don't blame her. I didn't touch the frog either! Big Cowpoke was on the hunt for the other bullfrog that was living in an old water trough. He was bound and determined to find his own huge frog. But that big frog got away. He was a little bummed. The big boys posed like it was some huge rare fish they caught. Then the poor frog was let go in the pond. I bet that was the happiest bullfrog ever. I was a pretty happy Mom too. I really don't do well, with slimy frogs. In fact, frogs in general freak me out. I really do not like them little, let alone super huge.

Look Ma, No Training Wheels!

Big Cowpoke has graduated to two wheels! Mr. Cowboy has been trying to get Big Cowpoke to take off the training wheels on his dirt bike for a while now. But Big Cowpoke wasn't sure about that. So, for the last two years he has ridden his bike with training wheels. Then Friday we took them off! Big Cowpoke has been a riding fool. We took the four wheelers and his dirt bike out in the pasture and rode around for a few hours. Then we planned a trip for Saturday to go up to the National Forest to go trail riding. We were so excited. We loaded up and headed up to the National Forest. When we got there the trail was closed. There had been a fire and some of the woods were still smoking! So, we drove all the way up there for nothing. A hour and 45 minute drive. But on the way home we stopped by the Motocross track that is about 4 minutes from our house for Big Cowpoke to see what that is like. He wasn't too sure about the big hills . So, before we go on the big track, we are going to try to hit the trails in a few weeks and let him get a feel of something other than fault muddy pasture. I do have to say, he fell with his bike three times and he didn't even cry. He was fine and grateful he was wearing all his padding. I am excited he now has something that he actually begs to go and do. He likes to ride horses, but I never hear him begging to go ride. I can't wait until I find his one real passion. I love horses, Mr. Cowboy loves bullriding (the sick man), Little Cowpoke loves Peanut, and Cowpokette just wants to ride horses all the time. Well, for now at least. She has plenty of time to change her mind.

Ozzie and the Cutting Trainer

I haven't posted much about Ozzie and his time that he has spent at the cutting trainer. Now, Ozzie by no means is a cutter. Not hardly. The poor boy is terrified of cows. He even lives with cows and still is scared to death of them. The poor boy. But, I have sent him to this trainer because he is good. And lets just face it, basics are basics. No matter what discipline you ride. I have gone three times up to the trainer,s house to watch him ride Ozzie and to ride him myself. The second visit was not so encouraging. Corey told me that Ozzie did great out in the field, where he rode him for the first four days. He just wanted to feel Ozzie out before getting into an arena. (Old Pictures of Mr. Cowboy riding Ozzie) But I knew he was a good horse in a pasture. It's when you ask him to do something, is where Ozzie tends to freak out. So, then Corey took Ozzie into the arena. Corey kept thinking, "There's nothing wrong with this horse!" Then they had a moment. Ozzie wanted to go back to the barn and Corey wanted him to go the other direction and Ozzie showed his true colors. Corey said Ozzie jumped straight up in the air, all four hooves, and started to buck. Does this sound familiar to anyone? But Corey is a bit better of a bronc rider than I am. He rode them in high school and college. So, Ozzie figured out he couldn't get the rider off, and then they worked for a few more hours. Corey then rode Ozzie for another week and I came to visit. He told me that he was having trouble getting Ozzie to slow down, relax, look for a release. Ozzie would just grab the bit and run through it like a race horse. Corey then asked me if I ever used draw reins on him. I told him I hadn't but that stupid trainer that I had sent him to before did. At least Corey was having the same trouble with Ozzie that I was. It made me feel a bit better, like I wasn't so dumb and out of shape from having three kids. Corey said he felt like Ozzie just wasn't getting any better, and he didn't want to waist our money. It made me a bit sad, because I am the one who sent Ozzie to that stupid trainer and now Ozzie hates to be collected up and resents being ridden in an arena. All my fault. But I got on Ozzie and rode him at a walk and trot and he was SO much better than when I had dropped him off. So, I reassured Corey that Ozzie was moving in the right direction. Well, yesterday I went to visit Ozzie again. When I got there Corey was saddling up a bay horse and it was freaking out about the saddle bad. I was getting Cowpokette out of the van and I walked over there and said, "What horse is that?" And Corey laughed and said, "Yours!" He said Ozzie has weird moments and freaks out when you are saddling him. Sometimes he is fine and other times he wigs out. Corey thinks he acts like he was beaten. Which I know he was not. It seems like the more broke this horse gets the more stupid he acts with simple things like saddling. Corey said he took Ozzie out in the field the other day and he was spooking at things. Not running and being dumb, but jump a little bit and snort and stare.

Well, to make a long story short. Corey got on Ozzie and would you believe he was walking, trotting, and loping under control, slow, and collected. Corey had a tough job trying to undo what Bubba did. But he did it. I actually loped Ozzie for the first time in a LONG time and didn't feel like he was going to take off into the wild blue yonder. Ozzie has one more week with Corey. I am so glad he is now under control. Corey said he had to ride Ozzie for 4 hours one evening because Ozzie refused to bend one direction. One good thing about Corey is he won't give up. He will win the small battles and the big battles. That is what Ozzie needed. I would ride for 30 minutes and get nervous and fed up and put Ozzie back in the barn. So, I am really excited to get him back home and start riding Ozzie and not being so nervous. Cavaletti poles here I come!!

Booster Impostor!

While on our dive to Houston last weekend, we packed the dogs along for the ride. I just hate to leave them in the house all day long. Plus they love a good car ride. Well, when we hit Beaumont I looked back to check on the kids. They were being really quiet. Cowpokette was asleep and when I glanced over to Little Cowpoke's booster, there was an impostor! Silly Brodi!! Boosters are not for dogs! "Really? Because I kinda like the view from here!" Little Cowpoke had started out in his booster. I guess while Mr. Cowboy and I were busy in a serious adult conversation, Little Cowpoke switched seats with Brodi. Well, at least the dog was safe!

Crawfish Boil

On Easter weekend here in the south, I think just about every family in the bayou has crawfish. After church we visited with Mr. Cowboy's Grandmother and Aunt. Then we came home and went next door to eat crawfish with the in laws. Mr. Cowboy can down crawfish faster than anyone I have ever met. He can eat 10 lbs in no time. Grandma Touchet sat next to Mr. Cowboy, she is too funny. I think Cowpokette looked like her. What do you think? Similar? I think so. The kids always find ways to entertain themselves while the adults eat the spicy crawfish. Their is the trash can where all the eaten crawfish bodies are tossed! That posses for hours of fun. There are Louisiana mud puddles. Those are a guaranteed fun!! Nothing like mud between your toes. Then there are the big boy toys. The four wheeler rides! The kids love to ride with Paw Paw on the four wheelers. He is their favorite. The only two words you can really understand Cowpokette say are "Momma" and "Paw Paw". It's funny. And when Paw Paw is done giving rides, Cowpokette has no trouble getting her Dad to take her for a spin. What is it with men dressed in camo riding four wheelers that is so hot? And then you through in his daughter and sigh........it just melts me. And if the crawfish weren't enough for ya, and the entertainment wasn't good enough for ya, then you can always just stick your fingers in your ears and scream. Well, at least that is what Little Cowpoke did. Goof Ball. He was running around saying, "I can't hear you!" He got a small group of followers too. Monkey see Monkey do. It was too much fun, I tell ya. I think that we should do that more often. And if you don't feel like screaming, then you can just make funny faces. That works too. See, fun for the entire family! Gotta love southern crawfish boils. Then when all the food is gone and we run out of gas in the four wheelers, we just hang out and shoot the breeze. That is what I like. Adult conversation. A stay at home mom misses that from time to time. Can you tell that these two are related? Or this one? Or this one? I think they all have the same eyes and noses!! But that is just me. I guess that is what happens when you are family. You kinda look like each other. See I think Mr. Cowboy looks just like this next picture! Grumpy!! Whuahahahahahaaa! I crack myself up. Belle is much cuter than Mr. Cowboy. Oh dear, there I go again. Okay, I am sorry Mr. Cowboy. Not that he ever reads this. I have high speed Internet with slow speed husband. But we love him anyway. Here is Brodi dog doing his best Elvis impression. I love it when he does that. He has done that since he was little. And Mr. Cowboy took my camera from me and got a picture of me. I think I only have a handful of pictures of myself. I am normally behind the camera. I surely don't mind sharing the spotlight with my Cowpokette. Oh I could just squish her everyday. Well, I do, but not too much. But that is how it's done down here. Well, the crawfish boil and family stuff that is.

Busy Weekend, Foal Update

We have been non stop for the last three days. It has been super crazy around here. We got the whole "turning out my horses" thing figured out and straightened out. I told Mr. Cowboy I would just keep my mouth shut because I was upset and didn't want to say something I would regret. But it's all straightened out. Cowpokette is feeling better. She now is back to sleeping all night and smiling all day. Well, almost all day. Saturday morning I went out to the barn to clean stalls and move mares and babies around and I took some pictures. Here is the filly I call Tater and Mr. Cowboy calls Moon. Mr. Cowboy hates the name Tater, but I think it suits her. Do you see that little stinker? She is opening the gate. She knows when they are done eating that she gets to go out and eat grass. She is a sweet foal. She will let anyone touch her and pick up her feet. When she lays down anyone can practically lay on her. She is really social. She loves that green stuff! She is getting really thick. Nice big rump, huge chest, and nice wide back. Built for speed!! Well, at least we hope so. Then there is this Diva. She is 5 days old in these pictures. She is a lot more reserved than Tater. She is graceful with her playing. She doesn't buck too much or too high. When she rears she acts like it's ballet. I had started calling her Josephine, or Josey for short. But I am not sure about that now. Her sad attempt at bucking. She really is quite the lady compared to our spunky Tater Tot! Mr. Cowboy and I have been throwing around some registered names and we have come up with a few different ones. Mr. Cowboy loves ZZ Top and someone suggested calling her ZZ or Legs. ZZ Top has a song called Legs. So, we tossed around a few registered names with "Legs" in it. The first one, "Review Deez Hot Legs". Her sire's name is Final Review, and that goes back to Sonny Dee Bar, Skipper W, Mister J Bar, Leo, and Impressive. Don't hate me because I have an Impressive foal. I always swore I would never have an Impressive bred horse, but now I do, and I will repent later. Okay, and now I can't remember any of the other names we had picked. I had written them down and I can't find the paper. Drats! That is just the weekend I have been having. I just thought up one, "Impressive Hot Legs". But I kinda wanted to leave out the Impressive part. Being that some people really cringe when they hear that name. Kinda like what I used to do and still kind of do. There are a lot of people who say Impressive foals are crazy. But I know a lot of them that were awesome performance horses and pretty darn good looking too! So, if anyone can think of a fun registered name, let me know. I am stuck. What do you do when your legs are longer than your neck? I love leggy foals. This Little Cowpoke loves foals too. The foals will walk up to him way before they even think about coming over to me. I think it's his size that has something to do with it. He isn't as scary as I am. She is really a fun little filly. She does cut up sometimes, but it isn't long lived. She really is more prissy than Tater. That is way I had liked the name Josephine. Well, I figure she will get a name soon enough. Little Cowpoke wants to call her Juney and Big Cowpoke wants to call her Gloria. I just hope she will be an easy horse to train and will move with beauty and love to show!! Is that a Pirouette I see there? I think I might have taken too many pictures, but I can't help it, and trust me.....I deleted a lot! And then I just didn't post all the others! And as far as her color goes, I looked into the Dunskin thing. The only way she can be a dunskin is if she has Dun in her family lines. Her mother is a Thoroughbred, so no Duns there. And her Sire is a Cremello, but he doesn't have any recorded Duns in his family lines. So, this filly just has a lot of Dun characteristics, but not the family genes to back it up. I will have to see if she keeps her dorsal striped, webbing on her face, bars on her legs, shadows on the back of her ears, and shadow over her withers. With all those Dun Characteristics I was sure I was going to find one Dun in her Dad's family, but nope, not one. So, a buckskin she is.