Posts Tagged ‘ranch life’

A Kid, a Colt and Interesting Ideas

March 6, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

Calving was starting and my son was gathering the cows at night while I fed them some good hay in agrass lot. Colin was 12, and he was riding his filly Callie who was a three year old. He had officially“started” her the summer before, but unofficially, he’d been sneaking off and riding her bareback […]

Old Bridles, Good Memories

February 21, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

It’s starting to crack and is too fragile now to use, but I have a bridle that has intrinsic value to me. Itwas my Dad’s. He was born in 1926 and got the headstall and a set of reins for his 13th birthday I believe.He told me the story of going to the Denver Saddlery […]

Spur Marks

February 10, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

My grandsons were playing on the floor, with the middle one, a preteen, being the bull and theyoungest being the bull rider. They got pretty wild before going their separate ways, accompanied byplenty of laughter. It made me think of a story my Dad told about his Dad as a boy, and I shared it […]

The Day Before the Storm

February 6, 2025
Anna Foulger

The day before a winter storm blows in, the cowboy (my husband), the toddler, baby and I load up into the feed pick. Feeding extra before a storm is very important for our cattle, a cow that is eating is a warm cow. After loading up, we head up to the barn to fill the […]

The Biting Cow

February 4, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

There was a veterinarian that I inevitably had to have dealings with who wasn’t at all pleasant to workaround. He was arrogant and always talked down to any woman around, so you can imagine I didn’tenjoy time with him at all. But, he was the local vet and it was a long way to another, […]

Finn the Cowdog

January 27, 2025
Anna Foulger

A brisk early morning of twelve degrees as I put on my shotguns (chaps) and gloves, getting ready to bring the heifers in to do Bang-s vaccines this afternoon. Finn, my handy little border collie, is waiting by the door ready to go out, anxious to work some cows today. Working cow dogs are a […]

Ranch Horse Agility Training

January 23, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

My Dad had a really good, home raised gelding named Reno. He was my Dad’s horse of a lifetime. Agolden buckskin, he was a smooth made combination of a Thoroughbred mare and a Jack McCue bredstud. Foaled in 1960, by the time he was five years old, there just wasn’t anything he wasn’t capable of […]

Wild Cattle on the Rez

January 19, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

This may not seem like a cowboy story to begin with, but hang in there, it gets to be. Several decadesago, my cousin John was a professional trapper in eastern Colorado. He worked for the state and also for private ranchers and farmers all over the plains for many years, besides being a wheat farmer. […]

Tips for Winter Riding

January 12, 2025
Anna Foulger

Winter riding can be a lot of fun or a major hassle. Here are some practical tips to make riding through the cold months more enjoyable and safe. Basics include some safety things to keep in mind for your horse and you. As well as some easy solutions for even the most frigid days. With […]

New Saddle Christening

January 10, 2025
Jan Swan Wood

My first custom saddle was a pretty exciting thing for me. Having ridden all sorts of saddles over theyears, I was finally getting one made to fit just me. I’d studied the options the maker was offering andhad, on paper, created the saddle to fit my needs perfectly. The saddlemaker was an artist at his […]