Last year we got some mini pigs from our good friends Sky & Debora Shivers.  Now from time to time we make more piglets.  These little guys and gals were born the first part of March.  We think they are among some of the cutest baby animals, right up there with puppies.  It always amazes me at how mobile they are right from the start.  They get up and run around almost from day one.  I guess that comes from survival of the fittest.  We have enjoyed having this new addition.

Every year, sometime in January, the Dude Ranch Association holds a convention for all of us fellow dude ranchers.  This year is was held in the Cody Wyoming, home of COLONEL WILLIAM F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.  So we packed up the family and took the 22 hour/1252 miles West to Cody.

After many miles of sage brush and mostly flat land mountains finally appear.

We were worried about snow but instead Barry had to hold the van on the road when gusts of 50 to 60 mph winds would come across the highway.

Traveling is so much more fun now that our youngest is 8.

There is always a lot of sleeping on such a long drive.

The start of the Boysen State Park.

We drove through Boysen State Park in Wyoming where the Wind River runs along side the road.  During this part of the drive we always make the kids turn off their electronic devices because of how interesting and beautiful the pass is.

The truck in front of us gives you and idea of the size of things.

At the convention we get renewed and refreshed with new ideas and it always gets us excited and ready for the next season.   We love seeing all of our friends we have made over the years from coming to this event and we always seem to make new ones.  It is half vacation half business I guess you could say.

Walking the streets of Cody, WY.

Lunch at the La Comida

Cody found his dream "climber" wagon while we were there.

Cody is located just outside the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park.  If you drive up the canyon towards the West entrance this time of the year(which is closed in the winter) you can see all kinds of wildlife due to them moving to lower grounds for food.  Our favorite are the big horn sheep.  They are much harder to spot in the summer when they are up running around in the rock.

Heading up the canyon.

Can you see the big ram? You will need to click on the photo to enlarge it to find him.

They are literally right on the side of the road.

Another ram.

Mule Deer Does: We saw a lot of mule deer. They are so much bigger than the white tail. Notice their big ears, it's how they got their name, they have ears like a mule.

A big herd of elk.

People ice fishing. The weather was pretty mild, around 40 and 50 degrees. Usually it is a lot colder and the ice fishermen will be more out on the lake.

When we came back we stopped at Cowtown Candy Company.  April from Three Bars Guest Ranch had gone there earlier and said they had this most magical white chocolate covered stuff  and we should get some.  Okay, maybe she didn’t call it “magical stuff” but after we ate some we did!  Cowtown’s truffles were good but this white chocolate covered “puff” stuff was the best.  If you ever go to Cody you have to go in there and try some, actually don’t even worry about trying it, just buy a bag it’s worth it.

Huge jawbreaker.

Old fashion rock candy.

Cameron was sad because he ate all of his candy.

All dressed up for the Educational Trust banquet and fundraiser.

After lots of good meetings and classes it was time to pack back up and head South.  It was a short trip but well worth it.

Nebraska Sunset: There is beauty in every part of this country if we just look. It's a little blurry but there is no stopping on I-80.

Another early start to driving home, day two.

Kansas Sunrise

Home Sweet Home!

Growing up in Utah there is just something about the West that will always have a piece of my heart.  If you haven’t done it you really need to visit Yellowstone National Park.  All of the Yellowstone entrances are unique and different.  If you decided to go through Cody and the West entrance there are a several things you should take a moment and see/do:

1. Visit the Dude Rancher Association Heritage Center  building right in downtown Cody.  Make sure you tell Colleen and her staff “hello” from Horseshoe Canyon Ranch.
2. Visit The Irma: “A place in history”.  Buffalo Bill named the hotel after his daughter.
3. Buffalo Bill Historical Center.  You will need plenty of time to explore and see all the center has to offer.  Very interesting and informative.

This is the time of year when the guest ranch part of the ranch is closed and we start on projects.  Right now the lodge is getting the walls and floors refinished  and  the little old shooting shack (which it is truly a little shack) is being torn down and a new one put in it’s place.  These are the normal types of things that happen over the winter but this time around we have added a new project that we haven’t done in a long time, young unbroken horses.

Back when we first started the guest ranch and didn’t have as many horses as we did today we decided it would be “fun” to buy some young quality stock, that normally would cost quite a bit older and broke, and start them ourselves with the hopes that they would work out for our trail string around the age of  4 1/2 – 5.  Max and Slingblade are couple of those that have been here for many years.  This past year we decided since we had Cowboy Cody and Tember, who have both started colts and are very capable of training a horse, why not get a couple “projects” with the intent to either resell to pay for an older broke horse or keep him around and turn him into a trail horse for the string in the future.  So off I went to last September  Lolli Brothers Special Horse Sale in Macon, MO to pick out a couple long yearlings (these would be two in the year 2012). And I did just that, except I came home with one extra…oops.  :)

Here are the colts I purchased at the sale, they have yet to get their nicknames:

Zebs Dunn Parr - born May 21, 2010 Registered Quarter Horse

BQH Buckshot Burney - born June 7, 2010 Registered Quarter Horse

Sheer Golden - born June 1, 2010 Registered Quarter Horse

 This guy is the “extra” horse… guess you would call him the third wheel since I was only supposed to come home with two.

Then we remembered we needed to add Thistle to the “project” list.  She was born and raised here.

Thistle

Thistle - born April 2010 Sire: Quarter Horse Dam: Flower (Spotted Draft)

In December Barry and I decided to go  the Tulsa Horse Sale in Tulsa Oklahoma to see if we could pick up a riding horse or two for less than we would pay in the spring.   During the sale a coming three year old bay roan gelding was led in, not broke of course.  His price was so cheap that now he has been added to our “project” list.

Belles Sixcess - born May 31, 2009 Registered Quarter Horse

Now that we have our “projects” it’s time to get started with them.  The 2010 “kids” will only need to be worked with in the round pen with saddling and bridling, very minimal stuff, until they get a bit older this summer.  The 2009 gelding is old enough to do it all.  We have only run into one problem with our plan, Cowboy Cody left us to work on a 650 head cattle ranch in Oklahoma but we still have Tember.  :)

We are looking forward to watching these guys (and girl) grown and develop into reliable and fun trail horses.

All the yummy food and none of the cooking and cleaning!

We will be open the week of Thanksgiving for guest ranch packages – Thanksgiving dinner included!

Just give our reservation office a call at 1-800-480-9635 to book your spot today. 

We also provide a traditional "kids" table.