DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW IN A TWO- HORSE OPEN SLEIGH

This year we decided to do something totally different on Christmas day. After watching all those TV commercials on unusual Christmas rituals, we decided to start our own.
We co-hearsed our neighbors Ani & Rick and Little Tuki to go on this adventure.
We loaded up at high noon and headed for the mountains.
Leavenworth here we come….we are going to join Icicle Outfitters at their sleigh ride location.

First we took turns driving a team of Belgiums: Claude & Clyde pulling a sleigh. We are looking at adding Claude & Clyde to our “family” for  hay wagon rides and our wine rides this summer.

Aaron Driving Sleigh

Between the Gee and the Haw and the Whoa…and the Step Up..we got the jargan down.  What a Feeling it is to handle these massive beautiful creatures with just 2 pieces of leather in your hands.

After our fun in the snow we joined the Icicle Outfitters Crew for Christmas Dinner in a heated wall tent. A first for all of us!

IMG_7165

Thank you again..Aaron, Bruce, Sandy& Wendal for making our Christmas Day an event we will always remember.

Aaron sleigh 2

 

 

Posted 30 Dec 2009 by admin
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Mushroom Hunting

Who would think  you could go right out your backdoor and pick Chanterelle Mushrooms by the bag full.

mushrooms2
Do not try this on your own…you may pick something that is poisonous….go with someone that knows mushrooms and you will be guaranteed to stay out of the emergency room and have a beautiful bounty of mushrooms to saute.

Posted 06 Dec 2009 by admin
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OOPS!

The results of a movable truck hitting a movable horse trailer….while sliding backwards down a small muddy incline.
A picture is worth a thousand words.

Horse Trailer

No damage to the horse trailer

Truck back window

The end result.

Posted 03 Dec 2009 by admin
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Stillwater Trail String Goes East

The Best of the Best at Stillwater were recruited to take part in the annual Icicle Outfitters Horse Drive for 2009.

That’s like playing on the All Star Team for our horses.
Over 100 people showed up to drive horses from the park back to the Icicle Outfitters Ranch in Eniat.
For 3 days the “horse pushers” lived like they were back in the old west.
Well, they had a few modern day conveniences…like a water truck…out houses….heated wall tents.
What an experience it was for Dalton and Dan (who went along as the “Stillwater Wrangler”).

Chuck Wagon arrives for lunch

Chuck Wagon arrives for lunch

Lunch Is Served!

Lunch Is Served!

Dutch Oven Cooking for Dinner

Dutch Oven Cooking for Dinner

What would a Trail Drive be without entertainment!

What would a Trail Drive be without entertainment!

What a wonderful peaceful view

What a wonderful peaceful view

Lunch Time for Dalton

Lunch Time for Dalton

Getting Ready In the Morning

Getting Ready In the Morning

Posted 21 Nov 2009 by admin
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Susie-Q and Jackson Get New Shoes

It was “Mule Shoe Day” at the ranch on Wednesday.  Lori our “Mule Farrier” came to give both Jackson and Susie-Q new shoes.

Jackson was first. Since Lori was Jackson’s owner before he came to Stillwater, she new exactly what to expect.

This is making me S..l..e..e..p..y.

This is making me S..l..e..e..p..y.

I'm tired from all this shoe stuff...I think I'll just rest my head on Cindy.

I'm tired from all this shoe stuff...I think I'll just rest my head on Lori

Now Susie-Q on the other hand was the big unknown……no one knew if she had ever had shoes on. But we were getting ready to find out.

The “clean out”..with a “Hoof pick” went well .Susie Q foot clean outSusie Q getting her back feet trimmed

The trimming went well. Mules hooves are different than horses. The heels of the hoof need to be higher than a horse in most cases. More like the donkey side of the equation.

Then came the shoes. All the banging on the anvil forming the shoes for a perfect fit to Suisie’s foot…made her a little nervous. With some reasuring “scratching” from Dalton she soon settled down and was a gem for 3 of the 4 shoes.

 Susie Q lean

 The last and final shoe on her hind foot….took Lori more time than normal…..for some reason Susie just didn’t want that last shoe on!  Lori is extremely patient and eventually…the 4th shoe was attached.

Susie-Q has been using her new shoes and doing well in her trail adventures with Dalton.

Posted 01 Nov 2009 by admin
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Susie-Q Comes to Stillwater

We all know when Dalton can’t go outside and work…where he is…looking at “Horse For Sale” websites.

He was bound and determined to find a mule of his own!

After searching far and wide- Missouri – Iowa- Montana- Idaho – he finds a 16 hand molly mule in Walla Walla. At least it is still in the state, barely. Armed with directions from Map Quest and our GPS we head off for Walla Walla one morning. 4 hours and 55 minutes later we arrive at Cindy’s Ranch. We are greeted by baby puppies, baby mules and this very big red mule- Susie-Q.
After a few hours of discussion, a ride around the arena- Susie-Q was loaded into the trailer and we were headed back to Sultan, 4 hours and 55 minutes
away. With a quick stop at the Fly’n J Truck stop for fuel , food and changing drivers we were back on the road headed home.

Now this is the time….when you start second guessing yourself….the drive home….why is this person really selling this mule?…..what’s wrong with her that I didn’t find?….did the owner “ace” her up to make her gentle?….the thoughts run rampid….then you finally tell yourself…Well she is mine now and She Is What She Is!

 Susie-Q head shot

What a girl Susie-Q turned out to be! She was everything Cindy told us she was….kind..gentle…willing…big hearted and best of all she likes Dalton! Unlike horses..mules choose their owners…and once they choose them..you had better not go anywhere without them, or you will see the biggest temper tantrum in the world. Nothing like seeing a 1,000 lb mule pitching a fit.

I am sure that there will be many Dalton and Susie-Q adventures to come.

Posted 30 Oct 2009 by admin
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Pistol Packn’ Jackson Comes to Stillwater

Whenever it rains really hard around here for a day or two and Dalton can’t be outside I can always find him in the office in front of the computer looking at “Horse for Sale” sites.

Having a trail string is exactly like a football team, you are alwaysJackson Headshot 2 looking for a good draft pick.
So this time he finds “ Pistol Packn’ Jackson a 6 year old mule, who just so happens to be less than 5 miles from the ranch. This is a good thing…most of the time he finds them in Montana, Wisconsin, Florida, Tennesse and they have to be chaufered out here by Cowboy Express.
After a few conversations with Laurie , Jackson’s owner we are headed over to the field to see what this mule looks like.

Dalton just happens to have the horsetrailer hooked to the back of the pickup truck. That should have been my first clue…..that just maybe Jackson would be coming home with us.
So here is our newest member of the Stillwater Family
Jackson

Jackson puzzled look

Jackson headshot

Jackson is offically Bailey approved!

Jackson is offically Bailey approved!

Posted 11 Sep 2009 by admin
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WE LOVE BIRTHDAY PARTIES!

Birthday Girl

The Birthday Girl

bother lighing candles

Big Borther is the "Offical" candle lighter

birthday wish

The "Birthday Wish". Think it was for a horse?

mom

Let's Eat this cake!

the end

The end of the party....until next year!!

What could be better than a birthday celebration riding horses , chocolate cake and ice cream?

Posted 22 Aug 2009 by admin
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A Horse and A Sprinkler = FUN!

On one of the hotest days of the year, we hooked up a sprinkler and put it in the middle of the corral. “Hondo” decided that this was a whole lot of fun.

First it was the face

First it was the face

Then it was the whole body!

Then it was the whole body!

Hondo sprinkler roll

Hondo ended up a little muddy, but a lot cooler!

Hondo ended up a little muddy, but a lot cooler!

Posted 20 Aug 2009 by admin
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Comet, The Mule Gets New Gear

Finding  just the right packing equipment for Comet for our Backcountry Drop Camp Adventure was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

After searching the internet for days… Dalton fianlly decided that  Outfitters Supply in Columbia Falls, MT. had what he was looking for         ” The Trail Max”. You can use it on a sawbuck pack saddle, a Decker pack saddle or convert it to a regular old saddle. One phone call and $400 later we were proud owners of our very own brown Trail Max!   We met the UPS truck at the gate excited that our new purchase had arrived. After opening the box and looking over “The Trail Max” we were a little disapointed that the seams were not double stitched. The quality of the canvas was good and the design was excellent.  Then we had to find Sawbucks to to attach our new found purchase.  After a couple of calls we found a set that fit Comet and $300 later…we were proud owners of our very own sawbucks. comets-new-sawbucks

The first trial run..Comet didn’t know what to think. She was used to her old packs and not quite sure about this new fangled contraption. Like a good Mule she took it with a grain of salt and decided that maybe these crazy things would be alright.

Even though they do make her hips look wide- It’s a girl thing!comet-ready-to-go

The first Drop Camp with Comet’s new gear went off without a hitch. The Trail Max lived up to it’s reputation and packed back all of the guest’s camping gear in perfect conditon.

coming-home1

At the end of the day everyone came home safe and sound.

Posted 29 Jul 2009 by admin
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