Worst Trail Ride Ever Give-away

I've had a lot of worst trail rides.  Mostly, though, they're amazing, but any time you put horses and humans together in the wilderness things are going to happen.  Just ask the Bionic Cowgirl - her last worst trail ride involved a plate and nine screws in her right arm.

I have a whole list of worst ride stories.  I could tell you about the time my Barn Boss' horse went to noon on me, or about the time that I did a Hollywood-style dismount, or about the time we had to AirLife a guest out of the forest.  I don't know anyone who has been around horses who doesn't have a worst ride story.

With that in mind, I thought we'd do a little contest for Julie Goodnight's new book, GOODNIGHT'S GUIDE TO GREAT TRAIL RIDING.

Read about how Estes darn nearly broke my leg in half with a gate.

All you have to do to enter is to write a blog post (or two) about your worst trail ride and link up. The contest will run from now until Friday, December 23 at 11:59 pm MST.  The winner will receive an autographed copy of Julie's new book (Julie's autograph, not mine).

Note: Bionic Cowgirl, you are NOT eligible for this give-away.  Neither are you, Beel.

Those Old Westerns

A friend of mine from the Writers' Police Academy sent me this; I thought you'd appreciate it.

Enjoy...

Those Old Westerns

Awww...

Talked to Mom today, who talked to Ida, Estes' "other mother".

My baby girl is doing okay out on fat pasture, which makes me very happy, because we got her moved down just before the weather went to crap.  However, she spent the first two days she was with her old herd, hollering and looking for Mom's herd.  It's the first time since I bought her that we've broken up Mom's herd for the winter and it was distressing for her.  That makes me very sad.

She's settled in to her old herd again and has stopped calling for Ranger, Jesse, and Washoe.  But it still makes me sad, in a my-kid's-gone-to-kindergarten kind of way.

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In happier news, remember this:

It's been released!  Heidi got her copies the other day.  I can't wait to read it.  Anyone who is interested in buying it can go here to order it.  And, if you order it by a certain date (I honestly don't remember what the date is), Julie will inscribe and autograph it for you.

I'm a little nervous to read my contribution, because Heidi just asked us for some trail riding horror stories.  So I shared the story of when Estes about broke my leg in a gate.  Since I just jotted it down, I have no recollection of what I said, other than Estes about broke my leg.  I hope she or Julie polished it up pretty-like and I don't sound like a total idiot. :)

Heidi asked for trail riding horror stories too early - if she had waited a few months, Mom would have had a doozy to contribute.  Nothing like getting kicked, shattering your elbow and having to ride out as a contribution to a trail riding book.

Sooooooo Glad...

...that Queen Estes is at fat pasture.  We took her down on the last nice day we had, after a beautiful ride.  I have lots of pictures that I want to post, but my computer died and I'm using a work "loaner" that sucks big ole hairy donkey balls.  Sometimes the 'e' key works.  But I spend a lot of time going back and adding in the effing 'e's.

Anyway, I have about 18 inches worth of reasons why I'm glad Little Miss Estes is down in the lowlands.  It's single digits up the hill and the snow is falling, falling, falling.  She doesn't have nearly enough fat on her bones to handle the kind of weather Mom and Bill are having.

As soon as I get my new computer, I'll get pictures up.