Giddy Up Cowboy

I have been feeling nostalgic lately. Maybe its because we went to stock show or all those candy hearts I have been eating or maybe its the fact we have been stuck in the house. Regardless, I needed a segway into this post about our recent outing to the Stock show. Seeing all those animals, especially the horses brings back some of my best childhood memories. I love horses and some day will own one again (I know my husband is saying "do you know how much they cost to feed and maintain?")

So this post is a little past and present, ye haw!

Yup this is me on my first horse "Tuffy Bear." I am Mason's age. Tuffy was a buckskin and a gentle giant. Except one time he "bucked" me off and a stick went about 2-inches into my leg, still have the scar. My dad made me get back on after I was cleaned up. Good thing because that could have been the end of horses for me.

When I was 8 I found him dead in our corrals on Easter. Its a long story but the short of it is he was shot by someone doing target practice around my parents house. I had a lot of nightmares about it as a kid but my mom forcing me into piano lessons at the time really healed me:)

Pack trips were a part of my growing up as well. Buns of steel has nothing on sitting in a saddle for eight hours, trust me. Cowgirls don't complain...got it!

Look at this hot mama, my mama! This was her first horse Stormy.

And Cade he was quite the little cowboy, I can see some of Mason in this picture.

First off WOW can you tell its the 80's? Anyways, this is my dad's horse Rogue. Lots of stories with this guy, he was a part of our lives for 16 years until lightning got the better of him:( A retired race horse, my Dad got him when he was just 3 and not many other people could handle his power quite like my dad. The mare is Abby, we breed her and had a foaled a baby horse called a foal. Complex I know but really an amazing experience.

This is my horse Duke, the horse after Tuffy Bear that I had all the way to college. He was awesome and gentle and smooth. No tragic death here, just time. Love ya big guy! We had a lot of great horses and I thank my folks for teaching me the work and love that goes with caring for them.

Matt doesn't believe me but I can saddle a horse, pick their hooves, and tie a mean knot..and throwing hale bales, forget about it!

Stock show is a big event in Denver for three weeks in January and we decided it was time for Mason to get his first dose.  My godparents Linda and Gary joined us as well.

Mason loved it because he got to share it with two of his favorites.

My city boy husband even got in on the action.

A real Llama...so soft!

and afterwards you hit up the hand sani. They did not have these when I was a kid but hey we use to have candy cigarettes. Not only is my husband a city boy he is a clean and anti-germ city boy. Really I am just teasing him, he loves the outdoors, I wouldn't have married him but he has not been around livestock much. Its weird because Matt was built to be a cowboy (bow-legs) but he refuses to wear Wranglers. Its a shame, a darn shame.

The tractors were the highlight of the adventure. Not only for Mason but for all the guys. If only I had $47,000 laying around I would buy this tractor just so they could move dirt around my parents house.

watching the steer competition. No rodeo this year, Mason does not have the attention span for that.

And the whole group.

Fun day of animals and fair food.

In a couple more years Mason will be doing the Muttin Bustin, we began training recently.

Happy Trails!