Some Women Buy Jewelry, I Buy Horses for the Dude Ranch
I am just as excited to buy a new horse as I was when I got my first pony. Where some ladies buy expensive jewelry or shoes, I buy horses for our working dude ranch. Of course horses can’t be piled high in a wardrobe. They come complete with work – feeding, horse shoeing, doctoring – all of which cost time and cash. But who wants a wardrobe full of footwear when they could be out trail riding on a good horse in wide open country!
I procured three horses heading home through Texas. One is Poncho, our new cowboy’s sorrel gelding – a neat little horse that should work out well here at our working dude ranch. Poncho will be herding some strays tomorrow – already working for his keep.
Then our cowboy had a buddy who went to college and wasn’t using his horse. It is a mare and I don’t usually buy those, but this gal is one of the sweetest-natured, gentlest horses that anybody can ride easily – plus she rides well and ropes, etc. – good little ranch horse. She’s a little slim and needs a set of horseshoes but is going to be a keeper. She will get a lot of use by cowboys and cowgirls on our dude ranch all through their cattle herding family vacation.
This mare isn’t a very tall horse but big enough and will be real pretty when all her winter hair sheds off.
My third new horse is unusual. He is a very well-bred big sorrel – a real good looking horse. He was kept to be a stallion on a good quality, small size ranchin Texas. Unfortunately, his owner became bedridden and passed away leaving the widow with her hands full of broodmares, two stallions, weanlings, and yearlings. In the meantime the stallion became a gelding and was sent for training as a reiner. After training, the horse didn’t do much. He was trail ridden by a neighbor occasionally, but passed most of his time in pens or stalls. So he is 7 going on 3 in training. But he is even tempered and very bright – and positively gorgeous. We expect he will turn out to be a good guest ranch horse – he certainly has the potential.
My husband has put a stop to horse buying – at least for now.
Filed under: General | Comments Off