The 7MSN Ranch

Why do burros roll?

2009-11-12T04:00:00.002-07:00

George and Alan roll around in the dirt a lot, taking several dirt baths every day. It's a burro thing. They've identified many bathtubs around the ranch where the soft dirt is optimum for their daily soaks – no rocks 'n roll for them.

When one burro starts to roll, the other is sure to follow. It's like asinine synchronized swimming. Rolling isn't all fun and games, though; it serves a variety of purposes.

Rolling helps restore the insulating properties of their coats.

And coating themselves with dirt helps repel biting insects.

Rolling also helps them shed their coats from season to season.

But most of all, rolling just feels good.

Why do horses yawn?

2009-11-11T04:00:00.002-07:00

I was reading an article on thehorse.com recently about why horses yawn. There are various reasons: sometimes a yawn indicates abdominal pain; some horses will yawn to stretch their jaw muscles; and some horses will yawn "close to meal times as if they are anxiously anticipating their hay or grain."

Guess what time it is.

Look out...here comes another one.

And another one...

'Fess up. Are you yawning now, too?

The equine yawn is not to be confused with the equine laugh, technically known as the flehmen posture. Like the yawn, there are various reasons for this response: an equine might flehmen when suffering from colic – no laughing matter – or when getting a whiff of something new or different. After an equine draws in the odor, he curls his lip up to temporarily close the nasal passages and hold the particles inside, then raises his head to help the molecules linger in his vomeronasal organ. That's just a fancy way of saying "get the camera ready 'cause this is gonna get interesting."

Exhibit A: George takes a long whiff of Deets.

Exhibit B: Lyle at his first wine tasting, on the occasion of his first birthday.

This concludes today's lesson on when to take goofy pictures.

Deets makes his apologies

2009-11-10T04:00:00.002-07:00

I'm really sorry about the whole roof incident.

I didn't mean to disrupt the dinner schedule, and

I truly appreciate how you propped that hay bale

on top of the rail so I'd have a soft place to land.

Then I felt so bad when the bale fell on your head

and all that hay went down your shirt.

Will you ever forgive me?

Yes, Deets, I forgive you. It's Alan you need to worry about - he tends to hold a grudge when his dinner is late. You'd better go over and apologize.

Easy, big fella. I won't let it happen again.

For whom the bell tolls

2009-11-09T04:00:00.002-07:00

Deets, you knucklehead!

What did you do that for? You'll never get down by yourself!

Mayday! Mayday! Cat on the roof!

Everybody's going to blame me, but it wasn't my fault!

He jumped up there on his own!

Dinner's going to be late and it's all your fault.

Don't look. Maybe mom won't notice.

Dear Orvis, You had me at the cover.

2009-11-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Raise your hand if your mailbox is overflowing with mail-order catalogs. It's a good thing my mail man drives around in a big honkin' Suburban because this time of year, I'm getting about ten pounds of catalogs a day. But I'm not complaining. I love to shop as much as the next gal, just as long as the experience doesn't involve malls and parking lots and people and leaving my living room.

Yesterday's catalog roundup included the usual suspects – Eddie Bauer, Land's End, Cabela's, Land's End, Drysdale's, Land's End, B&H Photo, Land's End. Some of these guys are very persistent. The catalogs will sit in an ever-growing pile on my coffee table for a few weeks until my Christmas shopping is done and it's safe to throw them away.

But this one? This one I can't ignore. This one is following me around the house telling me to buy everything inside. And you know what? It's working.

Smooch already has a suitable dog bed, but now I'm confronted with 30-some pages of deluxe, super-duper dog beds, with names like Comfort Couch and Dog's Own Lounger and Double-High Bagel Bed. These beds have real dogs sleeping on them, convincing me that Smooch is just as deserving of a quilted microfiber dog's nest with memory foam as they are. And doesn't every dog deserve to have her name embroidered on her bed?

Count me among the demographic that indulges the needs and wants of our ~~children~~ pets. I will peruse the Orvis Dog Book many times over, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the pictures from their cover dog photo contest and all the fine merchandise. And this bed here? I think this one could have Smooch's name on it come Christmas time.

Saturday Encore ~ The Instigator

2009-11-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

This photo essay from July 2008 has always been one of my favorites. It illustrates the quintessential Lyle at his trouble-making best.

I was minding my own business, checking fence the lazy way – on the Ranger. Silly me drove home through the middle of the pasture, only to encounter the boys.

Hmm...tastes pretty good. Could use more salt.

Lyle, not the camera bag!

Lyle, leave the pail alone.

Lyle, don't even think about it.

Lyle, if you had a hammer, you wouldn't know what to do with it.

See what you've done? Now George has to get in on the act.

George, don't go there...

George, just because Lyle does something doesn't mean you have to...

But, Mom, you let him do it.

Yeah, you let Lyle do it. He gets away with everything.

Mom, can I have a ride back to the barn?

Lyle, just...go...away.

A simple pig with simple needs

2009-11-06T04:00:00.002-07:00

A sunny and warm afternoon...

a quiet place to take a nap...

a little privacy, a little shade.

Hog heaven.

Moonset over Los Piños mountains

2009-11-05T04:00:00.003-07:00

This is the third in a series of what I call pajama shots – you can see the first and second pajama shots here and here.

pa•ja•ma shot n. a photograph taken while wearing pajamas, shortly after photographer awakens, looks out window, and stands agape at view. May or may not involve wearing of slippers, depending how fast photographer runs out door. Subject matter typically involves sun, moon, sky and/or breathtaking light.

Check out the links on the Skywatch home page to see if anyone else ran outside half naked this week in pursuit of a photograph.

Watch as I hypnotize my dog

2009-11-04T04:00:00.002-07:00

What did you do with your extra hour?

2009-11-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Whomever decided that daylight savings time was a good idea did not have a herd of animals expecting their dinner at the same time every day regardless of what the clock says.

While wiling away the extra 60 minutes between daylight dinner time and standard dinner time, George and Alan stood around gossiping. Hank feared they were talking about him.

George demonstrated that the New Mexico light is particularly flattering to burros no matter the hour of the day.

With a bray heard 'round the neighborhood, Alan announced that the world was about to end as he had not been served his dinner at the appointed time.

And I took pictures. Some things never change, regardless of falling back or springing forward.

Deets rethinks his idea of making a house call

2009-11-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone around here gets along harmoniously, except for Smooch and Deets. Smooch has a hissy fit whenever Deets is the object of my attention and affection. No fool he, Deets stays on his side of the fence, and Smooch has no choice but to stay on hers.

Last week when we had a little snow and a lot of cold, I didn't spend as much time outside as I usually do, and Deets decided to make a house call. Seriously, I think he wanted to make sure I was ok. Smooch made it very clear that it was her turn to watch over me and she had everything under control.

Deets went back to his post at the barn, and I went back to work, safe and secure in the knowledge that my guardian angels have my best interests at heart.

Does Ft. Worth ever cross your mind?

2009-11-01T04:00:00.003-07:00

I got an e-mail last week about the Ray Hunt Memorial Clinic, A Tribute to the Legacy of a Legend, in Ft. Worth on February 27 and 28, 2010. I've been thinking about going ever since. It's only 756 miles from here. Ouch.

You can click here for more details, but a bunch of Ray's students (including Buck Brannaman, Martin Black, Peter Campbell, Tom Curtain...the list goes on and on) have been invited to demonstrate how they work with a young horse. They were chosen and are being honored for their dedication to the horse and to Ray's legacy. Far from a colt-starting competition, each presenter gets 45 minutes to work with a horse they've never met and will be critiqued by a panel of judges and the audience on the basis of who best employed Ray's methods and teachings. And the winner gets ... are you ready for this? ... Ray's saddle. Yowsah. The opportunity to watch all these guys (and one gal - Lee Smith) at one event is almost more than I can stand. The website does mention the possibility of a DVD being produced, so purchasing that will be my plan B. But plan A, a road trip to Ft. Worth, sounds like way more fun...except for the 756 miles part.

Saturday Encore ~ Deets goes trick or treating across the horizon

2009-10-31T04:00:00.000-06:00

Tricked

2009-10-30T07:21:00.000-06:00

Doesn't seem quite fair to have to deal with snow in October.

All of Deets' plans to scare people on Halloween have been dashed. Kind of hard for a black cat to hide against a white backdrop.

Wynonna's worried that I won't take her trick or treating if the weather stays like this.

I told her she should worry instead about the task at hand – staying warm. She got busy spreading around the extra straw I put in her stall. She's very particular about her bedding and likes to push it around until it achieves the proper degree of fluffiness.

Back inside, Snapper grabbed the best seat in the house, atop the wooly and luxurious lamb pelt that I bought for myself and swore the animals would never be allowed to use. Smooch made several unsucessful attempts to run him off.

Smooch thinks if she stares at me like this I will get her a lamb pelt of her own. She's probably right.

Nothing's going to come between Snapper and his soft and snuggly spot in front of the woodstove.

Not even a big hairy tarantula.

The truth about burros and donkeys

2009-10-29T04:00:00.001-06:00

I am asked all the time, "what is the difference between a burro and a donkey?" Semantics. They're the same animal, Equus asinus. The domesticated version is called a donkey, and the feral version that roams the west is called a burro – the Spanish word for ass. George and Alan are burros because they roamed the western range prior to their capture through the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro program; Ellsworth and Bernard are donkeys because they were bred and born in captivity. Bottom line, they're the smartest, gentlest creatures on four legs...not that I'm biased or anything.

I love the gorgeous stripes on George's legs. These markings are believed to trace back to the African ass.

You horse owners are familiar with the chestnuts on your horse's legs – burros and donkeys have chestnuts, too, but they're delicate and paper thin. If you collected a bunch of the flaked-off layers and taped them together, you'd have a very interesting piece of stationery. I might have to try it.

So except for their names, there really isn't much of a difference between a burro and a donkey. An ass by any other name would be as sweet.

File this under "What was I thinking?"

2009-10-28T04:00:00.002-06:00

When I had the 2010 George and Alan Calendar printed and put it up for sale on Monday, I figured the orders would trickle in between now and the end of the year, I would mail out a few each week, and I would get stuck with a lot of leftovers which I could give away the last week of December, or drop from a helicopter, or something.

Mom, why are we staying up so late?

Ok, I was wrong. All 50 calendars I had printed were sold by Monday night. Not to worry - I've ordered another batch and they'll be ready to ship at the end of next week.

So thanks, everybody!

I tried to convince Snapper to lick all the envelopes, but he was having none of that.

The first batch goes to the post office ~~tomorrow~~ Thursday*. George and Alan are very much looking forward to making you smile in 2010.

*Sorry, guys. The snow is coming down pretty good and the road is a big muddy mess. Today's trip to town has been cancelled.

Hot off the press! The 2010 George and Alan Calendar!

2009-10-26T04:00:00.002-06:00

George! Alan! Come here, quick! You've got to see this!

Check it out. There you are, in living glossy color, on premium stock, no less. Opening to a full 11" x 17", you are showcased for 12 months at your photogenic best.

What are you going to do with all of them, mom?

Well, I'm going to offer them for sale to your adoring fans, at the low low price of $5...plus the dastardly shipping and paypal processing fees of $3. Still, that's a pretty good deal, don't you think?

I think we're worth way more than that.

Yes, you are, Alan, but we're not in this to make money - we just want to spread the wonderfulness of BLM burro adoption to the rest of the world. Imagine if just one person walked by one of your calendars and said, "Oh my, ~~nice ass~~ I had no idea burros could be so entertaining. Maybe I should think about adopting or rescuing one." That would make our life complete.

What do you mean, I'm not in there?

Sorry, Deets, it's all about the burros.

What are we, chopped liver?

Sorry, guys. This time the spotlight is on George and Alan. We want more folks to know what incredible animals burros and donkeys are, and we want more of their unwanted brethren to find homes. We're even putting our money where our mouth is. For every calendar we sell, we will dip into George and Alan's college fund to donate $2 to the Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Colorado.

As long as you put it that way, I guess we'll take a back seat yet again to the stars of this show. So what does somebody have to do to buy one of these limited edition wall thingies?

Scroll down to the "Buy Now" button after the bottom of this post. Click the button to go to the secure PayPal site. Once you're there, you can pay with a credit card or a PayPal account. PayPal will send the order to me, then I will mail your calendar to the shipping address you specify on the following Saturday, when I head out to the post office. If all that PayPal stuff seems too complicated, you can just e-mail me and we'll work out the details. (But using PayPal is really your best bet for safe and secure online shopping.) My apologies to anyone outside the U.S. and Canada who might want one of these...that part of PayPal is too complicated for me to figure out.

And just a couple more things. If you're a local and will see me in person sometime soon, skip the whole ordering thing. I'll hand-deliver yours and you can save $3. And if you received a 2009 calendar from me in your Christmas stocking last year, don't you dare order one of these 'cause guess what you're getting this year.

The further adventures of Ellsworth and Bernard

2009-10-25T04:00:00.003-06:00

I dropped in on Ellsworth and Bernard yesterday.

They have been together for about three weeks and are getting along famously.

They both seem to enjoy visiting with the horses next door. Bernard is training them to scratch his butt through the fence.

Bernard is quite the precocious little donkey. He insisted on helping Don walk Ellsworth to the barn and took matters into his own ~~hands~~ teeth.

See if you can top this, George and Alan.

Saturday Encore ~ Sunday morning sleep-in

2009-10-24T04:00:00.001-06:00

The herd at the 7MSN is enjoying another lazy weekend, not unlike this one from May 2008.

Man, I’m beat. Walked around all night, nibblin’ here, nibblin’ there. Time for a nap.

I’ve got first dibs on the powder pit. Don’t tell Hank.

Crap...he saw me. Here he comes.

My turn. You’re outta here.

Nah nah nah nah nah.

Might as well go annoy Deets.

I’m dreaming of a green pasture...just like the ones I used to know...

...where the raindrops glisten...

...and horses listen...

...to hear sprouts begin to grow.

Yo, Hank. It’s my turn in the powder pit.

5 more minutes...just give me 5 more minutes.

That’s what you said 10 minutes ago. Come on, man.

Lyle...wake up. It’s almost time for her to feed us again.

Food? Where?

Come on, George. You can have the pit now.

Time to eat again. Life is good.

Deets shows up late to the party and causes a scene

2009-10-23T04:00:00.002-06:00

If burros gave air kisses, this is how it would look

2009-10-22T04:00:00.000-06:00

Horsemanship Through Life

2009-10-21T04:00:00.002-06:00

I've been to probably a dozen horsemanship clinics over the last ten years, and they've all been pretty similar. A whole bunch of riders from all disciplines and at all levels of ability gather in an arena. There's a lot of nervous energy buzzing around as participants and their horses adjust to the environment. The clinician philosophizes on horsemanship, shares his experiences and knowledge and takes questions, often for extended periods of time, while the riders get anxious and just want to start riding. Then the clinician leads the participants through various maneuvers, all directed toward developing softness in their horses. This goes on for two or three days, and everybody goes home full of knowledge and enlightenment and sometimes with a softer horse. I have benefited immensely from every clinic I've attended as a participant or as an auditor and wouldn't trade those experiences for anything...

...anything except the experience of participating in one of Mark Rashid's clinics. Now that I've been to the other side, there may be no turning back.

Everything about a Rashid clinic is different except the subject matter. There are only eight riders, and each one receives about an hour of one-on-one attention from Mark each day, followed by an hour with Mark's wife, working on the lessons just learned.

Each individual's hour starts the same way. Tell us about your horse and what you'd like to work on.

Mark quietly listens and observes. To evaluate where you are with your horse, he might ask you to do a few gait transitions, then stop and back your horse. He has a remarkable ability to pinpoint the root cause of a problem, which this day included everything from a rider holding her breath, to a horse holding his breath, to a rider unknowingly using a particular bit which was confusing the heck out of her horse and causing all sorts of discomfort.

He works with each rider patiently and respectfully, with a calm and quiet energy that defines him, his horse, and even his dog. He practices his horsemanship through his life – being a better horseman makes him a better person and vice versa.

And you gotta love the guy's dry wit. I think his exact words to this rider were, "You're going to need to breathe at some point...whenever you get a chance." He must have said this at least once to all the riders, and I laughed every time. Had I been riding, I'm sure he would have said it to me, too.

What I think sets Mark apart from all of today's clinicians is his knowledge of how the rider's energy and focus has everything to do with the horse's actions and reactions – good and bad. He can articulate and demonstrate these principles to his students, who are able to apply them and get immediate changes in their horses and themselves.

As much as I wanted to ride in this three-day clinic, auditing it for one day was a perfect introduction to Mark's unique brand of horsemanship. I'll spend the next eight or nine months trying to incorporate his methods in my own riding...and looking for a ranchsitter... with the goal of attending one of his week-long sessions in Colorado next summer.

Going out on a limb

2009-10-20T04:00:00.001-06:00

It was a beautiful morning, and I could think of no better way to spend it than in the company of the boys. After a few misguided attempts, I finally found them.

Deets climbed down from a tree to greet me, providing all the inspiration I needed for the morning's photo shoot.

Act your age. Get your butt back down here before you hurt yourself.

But look at these views and these shadows. Finally, a fresh perspective!

Psst...Lyle...don't look now, but I think she's gone off the deep end.

You're going to fall! Get down this very minute! Who will feed us if you hurt yourself?!

I'm not kidding here. Step down from the tree limb.

Follow me.

Now don't you ever climb up there again. Have I made myself clear?

High Five

2009-10-19T04:00:00.001-06:00

What an amazing day...even Mark's dog thought so.

I'll be back with stories and pictures from the Mark Rashid clinic once I download my brain and my camera.

Considering the Horse

2009-10-18T04:00:00.003-06:00

"Before we can expect our horses to offer the best of themselves, we must first find the way to give the best of ourselves to them." Mark Rashid

Today is a big day, a very big day. I am on my way to Santa Fe to meet Mark Rashid, a horseman I have wanted to ride with since the day I read the first page of his first book. By the time I learned about the clinic he was holding, the rider slots were full, so I am going to sit on the sidelines and soak up every ounce of knowledge he offers up. Oh, and take pictures, of course.

Mark doesn't have a show on RFD-TV; he doesn't have an online club to join; he doesn't have a line of tack or equine accessories that carry his name. But I think he has more wisdom about horses and getting along with them than all the other modern-day horsemen out there. He's a born storyteller and has written a pile of books - they're not "how-to" books, just stories about the horses he's met, the mistakes he's made, and the lessons he's learned.

I've learned more about horses from Mark's books than from all the other sources I have tapped, and there have been many. I expect I'll come home tonight bursting with knowledge and insights to help me be a better horseman.

Look out, Hank and Lyle, you may not recognize me.