August 10, 2008 Thirty-third ride; Happy Birthday!

We rode pens with dad today and helped him to get out sick cattle. Bear doesn't look at the little calves as well as the 4 and 5 weights. Maybe he thinks they are my black lab, Queen. He isn't concerned about her at all. He did trail this little calf up to the chute pretty well, though. We hung around and watched and listened to the doctoring; the cattle going through the snake and the clanging and banging of the chute. Took the calves back to their pens and opened and closed the gates.
We rode down through one of the river pastures after riding pens. We practiced riding over logs and doing maneuvers over and around logs and did a lot of suppling in the thick tamarisk. Saw a lot of deer and even found a nice big tom-turkey feather!
I think Bear likes going through the river pastures. He is always attentive but seems real relaxed when we ride down there...even with the deer jumping out, Gabby running crazy-wild, coyotes, ducks and cranes and turkeys. I probably enjoy it more, too, especially all of the monster antler sheds we manage to find in our exploration!
I was really tired today; I worked last night, but Bear was great and what a great way to spend my birthday!

Springfield Ranch Rodeo July 31, 2008

Bright lights, little kids screaming and roping each other, ropers loping around us, trains rolling through with whistles blowing and tons of people, dogs, horses, pickups and trailers, cattle and sheep!

Bear was excited to go to his first public outing but responded nicely when cued and remembered all of his training and manners.

We got to the rodeo too late to ride around in the arena during warm up but spent a lot of time out back in the middle of everybody warming up to go in. Bear was attentive to everyone loping around and swinging their ropes, but didn't get nervous or act like he felt he needed to do the same. He waited calm and relaxed for my cues and did his maneuvers like the champ that he is. I was very happy with how the evening progressed.