We had overcast skies and light drizzle for a bit this morning. Kind of cool, but it is fall.

I puttered around this morning and fed the stud and the colts. Started work on a new saddle. Hope came up about noon. We went out and worked with the weaning colts. They are all haltered and dragging halter ropes and starting to learn to give to the tug on the end of the rope. I don’t like leaving halters on horses, but this is a pretty easy way to get them started learning about halters, ropes and what to do when they feel a tug. They have to learn to give to the pressure to get rid of it. And they are the ones responsible for the tug and release, so in essense, they are teaching themselves.

They all are doing great and we moved them a little further in their training and petted and fussed over all of them. All the good habits they learn now, will just be better for them, down the line.

I’m always careful to not get them hurt and for them to find out that I am their friend, but that they have to yield to pressure. Later in their lives, when someone asks them to yield to pressure, all of this will come into play and will help them and whoever works with them. Just lke a child, the early foundation is crucial and a big step on the way to a good and productive life.

Cindy brought my niece home to spend a few days as her Mom is pretty busy for the next few days. She’s a cutie and it’s just about like being around another colt! Lessons, life is full of them.

I tried to post a picture of the colts, but I haven’t figured out how to do it yet. When I do, I will start posting some pictures.

Well, I survived another gathering at Hot springs! Hard to believe this was the ninth one. Man, I am getting old!

On Sunday I went to New Underwood and met Chance and Hope and we went to Curtis Coomes’ ranch and looked at horses. He lives south of Scenic and isn’t too far from pine Ridge. Sure is pretty country down there. High rolling hills and lots of pine trees.

Curtis and Peggy have an old timey ranch and they have lots of land to run on, with few fences. If some young feller was interested in starting colts and working on an old time run ranch, he should give Curtis a call. Curtis has lots of colts to start and likes to have them started in a hackamore.

Curtis has lots of horses and they are all well bred and have a lot of bone. Kind of a cowboy kind of horse. They are built to handle lots of miles in rough country.

We sure enjoyed getting to look at them and even ended up picking up a little blue roan. The feller who is working for Curtis followed us home with a trailer and delivered the colt and seven head of yearlings, that we are going to halter break and gentle a little bit. They seem nice and I don’t think it’s going to be too big of a problem.

Tyler came out for his day off and is going to stay over night and vote in the morning and then head back to Spearfish. He picked up Hope on his way here and Chance stopped in when he got off from work and they all ate with us and we watched a movie.

Cindy and I went down to Eric’s and picked up our young stud. Eric did a real nice job with him and Mijo will get to spend the winter with the weanling colts and get fed a little better then the rest of the horses.

Cindy and I got halters on all of the weaning colts today. And I kicked the mares back across the road, as they have about forgotten that they had colts and there is good grass there.

I wasn’t feeling too well, so I kind of took the rest of the day off.

Hope your day went as well as mine.

We are back to our normal doings around the ranch.

I have finished up the ceiling in the living room and Cindy is back to working on the kitchen. She painted this morning and helped me with the ceiling this afternoon. She has been putting polyurethane on the wood, I put up in the ceiling of the living room.

About noon, a neighbor and his son stopped in. They had been to another neighbors, helping them to gather and ship their calves. We had to go look at the colts, which they pronounced as good looking! It’s always nice to have your feelings affirmed!

Chance was up and helped me for a bit this am, but he had to leave and take Hope to her doctor appointment this afternoon and then they have a meeting this evening. Cindy and I should go to the meeting also, but it’s in Spearfish and we have driven and gone enough for awhile!

We are going to Box Elder tomorrow evening for Tate’s celebration of his birth. (he will be 24 tomorrow) He has informed his mother that he wants a carrot cake for a present, which she will gladly oblige. I am looking forward to spending time with him and Kass, but mostly, I just want to spend more time spoiling our grandson. After all, I remember what a pain his father was and I want revenge!

I am setting here listening to Cowboy Culture Society and just havin’ a great time!

We took our Danish visitors back to the airport today. they seemed kind of wistful, but ready to go back to their normal life. Vagn had never been away from his wife of 40 some years, for more than a day or two, until this trip. So he was anxious to get back to her.

We got some new kitchen chairs. Oak and made solid. They will match well with the table my grandfather bought around1919. Dad was born in 1914 and said he could remember when he could’nt see over the top! So it’s got some age, but mom and dad got it re-done in the 70’s. I guess it’s about time for us to do it again!

Both table and chair look well with the newley cleaned and refinished oak floor in the kitchen. We keep this, and we might even get respectable!

Thanks to the lovely Donna, we now have a blog to go with our new website. The website is dennisranch.com.

Today, Sunday Sept 24, 06 was a lovely day here in western SD. Warmer than the last few days and we had almost 3 inches of rain, in the past 3 days. Some of the waterholes finally have water in them again, and that’s just wonderful!

We have a couple of guys from Denmark visiting. They leave tomorrow. They have been here for the past 3 weeks, riding and working around the ranch. While they were here, we went and helped several of the neighbors gather and work their cattle. We also shipped both bunches of stocker cattle that we had here this summer. I think they have really enjoyed their stay here! Today, we went for one last ride together. Kind of sad, when you make new friends and enjoy their company and then they have to leave and travel clear across the globe. I hope to see them both again.

I also weaned my two colts, seeing as how I got a new one yesterday. When your feeding one weaned colt, you might as well feed two more and get the job done. The colts are nickering and wanting to be back with their mothers, but their mothers have to quit feeding them milk so that they can better withstand the coming winter and keep strong and healthy for the sake of the colts they will have in the spring.

The fresh weaned colts will get all of the nutrition they need and a I have kept a yearling in with them for companionship and to help calm them. It’s always better in life, if you’ve got a friend who’s been there before you, to help you out and show you the new routine! LOL

Be sure and stop in and check up on me and see what we’ve been up to. I’ll try and keep everyone posted as much as I can.

And again, thanks Donna! you are one wonderful lady.