On the fifth day of Karl Lentini’s cattle herding vacation, Karl rides Yellow again and learns more about riding horseback in cattle country.
My Time at Double Circle Ranch
by Karl Lentini
Day 5: Thursday Sept. 9 2010
Cowboy Karl Searching for Strays in the Thicket
Rode with Wilma and Forrest today. Forrest was also on a yellow horse named Doc. Rode up a terraced hill where, ages ago, someone piled up rocks in concentric circles, giving the ranch its name, Double Circle. An aerial view would give the best perspective. No one knows who built them or why, not even the Apaches. In fact, there is a fence that runs right through the circles of rock separating the ranch from the reservation.
After leaving the circles of rock Yellow started acting strangely. Wilma told me to get off of him immediately and I did. We found some old telephone wire caught on his foot. The ranch used to have phone lines, but not any longer. Most of the wire has been removed, however pieces of it still lie around and can tangle up a horse’s feet. I pulled the wire from Yellow’s foot and set it by a tree where no horse or human would step on it.
I’m too easy on the horses. A finished horse shouldn’t be able to get away with standing there when I want him to go. As Mike said, ask him nicely once, and if he still doesn’t go smack him on both shoulders with a rein. Can’t say I blame the horse. How would you like carrying a hundred forty-five pound creature on your back yanking at a piece of metal in your mouth, expecting you to stand, move, or run when you’d rather just eat grass?
It occurs to me how amazing it is that a horse can hold a bit in his mouth and eat, drink water, and neigh without dropping the bit from his mouth. Not even a human can do that. Bet you can’t hold a metal spike in your teeth, eat some food, and drink water without letting the spike out of your mouth. If you can, you must be a horse.
It also occurs to me how amazing it is that a human can fit perfectly onto a horse’s back. Imagine how useful horses have been for us — hunting, warfare, agriculture, transportation, sport…coincidence or God’s plan? You decide and let me know.
Nearly got yanked off Yellow. Wilma, riding Flash ahead of me, skillfully negotiated her way down a narrow pathway inches away from a tree with thick branches. Now, why Yellow chose that particular moment not to follow Flash, when he was following Flash so closely the last two days, I’ll never know. Yellow went right under the thick branches and I dodged out of the way as usual. But then he stopped and wouldn’t go forward. I wondered what was happening, then Wilma noticed that one of the reins got stuck on a tree limb and was holding Yellow back. I untangled the rein and we continued on our way.
I should have made sure that Yellow followed Flash instead of getting us stuck under a tree. Good thing he didn’t spook. Yellow, as with all horses, doesn’t pay attention to whether his rider can make it through whatever branches he’s going under. That’s the rider’s problem, not his.
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