We're here!

Just a short update to say we arrived in Texas tonight. It is hot as we expected it to be. I really hope Napoleon is feeling well and that he gets some rest tonight. We check in tomorrow at the Will Rogers so we will be out early to pick him up from his horse hotel and check him in there and let him settle. Of course he has eaten well the whole trip and drank okay. I want him to drink more but he is urinating fine and looks fine. Not gant or anything. I just don't want him to be sore anywhere as he really leans on the trailer divider as we go down the road.

We had a busy weekend. I showed him in the rancher class at a local cowhorse show and he did really good. He was like a seasoned show horse! Went down the fence like an experienced pro!! He knew what to do with the cow and was easy to direct. A friend of ours, Anne Branger, took some fabulous pictures of him and I will show some here and am printing off the rest for his stall at the Coliseum.

My brother and his horse and family are here with Napoleon and I and my daughter Zayle too. We transported Dave Weeding's horse too. It is always such a long trip! About 12 hours of travel each day with traffic and water, fuel, and potty stops!

Hope to report a happy healthy horse tomorrow!!

So Happy!

I am so proud of Napoleon today. He is doing so well. Such a joy to ride. No stress about his performance! Now, getting ready to pack and DRIVE to Texas is the stressful part. The heat there is a bit intimidating. I am hoping Napoleon takes as good of care of himself there as he does here. He doesn't let a blade of grass, a bucket of water, a piece of hay or an ounce of grain escape his lips. We worked cattle today and he was perfect. So happy with him. He is getting so handy and easy to ride one handed. Love that! I took him over a long chain that connected some gates and it was a scary object and he just went carefully over it. Picked up those feet! I have to thank my family (kids & husband) for giving me all the extra help an support these last few weeks. Feeling confident and prepared now.

What A Funny Guy!

Napoleon is quite a funny guy! Tonight I turned him out of his stall for some exercise time and he didn't even move 2 feet away from the gate. He just hung his head over the gate and looked at me quietly. Now, the Reymanator got turned out in a different pen and he was really tearing it up! You would think a wild horse would want to get out and move but he doesn't fit all the stereotypes of a gentled mustang. For one thing he isn't very careful about where he puts his feet. He trips over things and it has been challenging to teach him to walk over ground poles and walkovers. I jump him and sometimes he jumps great and sometimes he just plows through things. Now, when we get out in open country, he is very forward and nimble, but he is lazier in the arena. In fact, as I have said previously in the blog, Napoleon does not get out of a walk, ever, in the pasture. Isn't that interesting?

My brother came over yesterday and brought his mustang over to work our trail course and ride in the arenas. He has a cute little guy too. He has been more challenging to put weight on as he just barely started eating grain last week and he is not quite as thrivey as Napoleon. The horse has a lot of potential though. He is a natural lead changer and a good mover and also easy to teach. He is greener than Napoleon but I hope they do well too! My brother's name is Shawn Burtenshaw and he is from Recluse, Wyoming.

I am thinking that the next week will fly by! I really need to make a detailed plan to get ready to go next week. It will be busy around here. I am entered in the Rancher's Class at a cowhorse show in Deer Lodge, Montana this Saturday. I am excited for that!