Baby Jim

Photo courtesy of The Old Cowboy Archives

     Early in the week I got a message from John Duffy that he was off this Thursday and that he and Jennifer were planning to ride at Lake Anna if the weather was nice.  I checked the schedule and saw that with a few minor changes I could be off as well, and sent him back a message inquiring if they wanted some company.  John replied that there might be a small group coming and said they would enjoy having me come along.

    I already had Wednesday off to take Marie to the doctor for a few tests, so I sent the office an e-mail that I would be out til Friday.

     Wednesday was cloudy and threatening most of the day but it never did rain around here.  The weather guys said the rain chances were greater the further south you went but there were chances of scattered showers throughout the area.  John left a message Wednesday evening that if it was raining when we got up the next morning, then they were not going.  If not we would check with each other before departing.  I awoke at 5:30 and fixed some breakfast and watched the morning news and the weather guy gave the same forecast as the previous day.  At about seven we played a little phone tag and finally decided to go.   I was going to meet them at the park.

     So I went out and hooked up the trailer and loaded Star Baby.  Perkins gave me an inquiring look and I gave him a cookie and a pat and told him to go back to sleep. 

     I got to the park a bit early and stopped at the ranger station and got a park pass for riding.  It is good at all the state parks.   As the crow files the Lake Anna park is not far from me but it is all little back roads and so for safety sake I usually run a little longer way and it takes 45 or 50 minutes.

     John and Jennifer got there just a few minutes later and they were soon mounted and looking at me.  The others they were expecting had some showers locally and did not venture out.  So it was just the three of us. 

     This was the first trip away from home without Perkins.  I didn't think it would be a big deal as they are not stabled together and are not bonded tightly.  It was not much of a deal.  When she was the only horse in the lot she was looking around wondering, but as soon as she saw other horses she knew what was up. 

     I took her over to the picnic table to use it as a mounting block and parked her right at the end and she was standing very nicely till John said something about how quietly she stood for mounting.  She must have understood because she immediately swung her hind end around ninety degrees and I had to park her again.  This time she stood quietly and I stepped aboard.

     There was a slight mist in the air and we expected it to rain anytime.  I could see specks of moisture on stuff but it never felt like it was raining.  Made a mental note to pack a little rain coat.  That is about the only thing I don't have in my van for riding.  I decided that if it rained today I just might get damp but it was not cold and so a rain would be bearable and the weather was not predicted to be stormy, just a chance of scattered showers.

     Jennifer started out in the vanguard and then John and Star Baby and I rode drag.  We talked a little bit about what trails to ride and I said that I would follow wherever they wanted to go.    I had thought to get out my GPS and had turned it on and stuck it in my shirt pocket but I don't have maps for it yet.  I have found the site that has a mapping program that I want to use that should be compatible with my GPS but I have not gotten the program yet.  Expert GPS has downloadable 24K topos and aerial photos.  But then I forgot the camera so no photos on this report.  I had my cell phone on a leather thong around my neck because my belt clip broke off and a canteen with some water.  Fifty pounds of old roping saddle and my petite self and Star Baby was saying enough already.  Junior may be pressed into service by spring just to haul all my necessary trail riding supplies.

     Jennifer took us out on a trail that I had not been on at Lake Anna.  We rode a good ways up and down some  pretty good hills under a power line.  Star Baby was a little antsy out there and we never did figure out exactly why.  She wanted to go off on her on and was a little heavy and slow.  Not a problem, but just a bit inattentive.  Then we went back into the wood and along a nice trail.  We had a couple of small water crossings.  Star Baby wanted to fly over the first one but I talked her down and she finally just stepped right through it.  The minor wet spots we came to after that were not hardly worth a second glance from her.  She did spy several deer.  Some she watched a bit more intently than others.  She always saw them before I did and normally before anyone up front said anything about them.  Most times I would notice her looking at something and I would follow her glance to see what it was but I normally had to wait for the deer to move before I saw it.   

     She got along very well without Perkins.  She kept wanting to nip on Johns horse and one time she did try to kick him, but I got her checked before she spun around.   She really does think that she should be the boss hoss.   She is just as easy as pie with people but wants to intimidate every horse she comes across.   I am hopeful that with time and exposure and stern correction, that over time I can get her over this.

     She is not a raging maniac about it but I want my horse to be solid and dependable and not have to worry about whether she is going to fire one at every horse that comes within range.  I think exposure and time will do it as she is much less aggressive with Perkins now and does not try to light him up every time he passes by.

     After we had ridden a couple of hours we got to a fork in the trail and John asked me how we were doing and whether we wanted to go on or head for the parking area.  I told him that Star Baby was tiring and my hip was just starting to  hurting and that quitting before long would not break my heart.   As I suspected we were not very far from the parking area. 

     We got back and untacked and Star Baby was tired but was not hot at all.  One of her boots had rubbed a small place on her pastern just above her hoof.  She had pastern wraps on but I think in the future I will use vet wrap instead.  I will put a little antibiotic cream on it when I put her back into her lot.  She is grazing in the area near the barn now, since it is overcast and not hot.  It is one of those spots that just has one stand of portable fence and where I only let her when I am home.

     After visiting  a few minutes I thanked John and Jennifer for inviting me along with them and we all loaded up and headed home.  Within five miles of home a log truck on one of these back roads popped over  hill on a curve and he was in the middle of the road and nearly caused me to wreck.  I missed him but I am not certain how, other than I was going slow and careful and trying to stay on my side of the road.  I still had to get in the ditch to miss him but managed to do it without shaking Star Baby up. 

     Then a few minutes later we drove through some rain on the way home.  But it had stopped before we got home and we had not had any here.   Put Star Baby out to graze and Junior and Perking galloped up to get a report and I went to check the cows. 

     Found that we had one more calf and now only have three more to go and we will be finished calving but one of those is a couple of weeks away yet.   Really nice set of calves but then we only have the best cows left.  One bull calf out there nice enough to make me wish we were not selling them.  Half a dozen nice heifers.    The 5492 cow I am keeping had a popping good 86 lb Diamond D Sure Enough 6D heifer calf yesterday. 

     It was a wonderful and restful day and the folks at work will be glad to see me in a good mood again tomorrow.