Here’s Josie, all that’s missing is me!
Hi all, I’m back from ten days of heaven…I mean Montana - big sky, rugged mountains, cute cowboys, good food, harsh weather, heavenly horses! I spent yesterday afternoon stuck in that dang Seattle airport again - but that All Romance E-book award-winning author, Mia Watts, and I spent two hours texting each other - until the battery on my phone died.
We stayed a couple days at my daughter’s boyfriend’s cattle ranch. Eat more grass-fed beef! This coming from a vegetarian who has been desensitizing herself to meat in recent weeks after ages of avoiding it, because I’ve witnessed firsthand the kind way this family cares for their cattle and their responsible stewardship of the land. I figure if they come to Napa, they drink our wines…if they host me, I’ll taste their beef. These are real cowboys who cry if they lose a calf or a horse or a working dog. Seriously.
Then we moved on to the cattle ranch that was our initial introduction into this wild corner of Montana a number of years ago, Sweetgrass Ranch - heaven on a hoof! For three days, I rode my standby, Trinket, a blue roan. She’s great, transitions smoothly from the trot to the lope to the gallop, she’s sure-footed on the steep, rocky trails, but she doesn’t like cattle and after three days, she began coughing. I got to ride Garrett - a brilliant little horse - stole him from Janice, my Scottish friend! As she says, he explodes, but he’s so kind, he takes you with him! She’s right. Have you ever watched a cat rev his hind-quarters up and then spring forward as he’s stalking something? That’s Garrett. You can practically feel him revving his little hindquarters up just before he explodes across a meadow. Riding him is like blasting off on a rocket! He’s smooth as silk and so dang cute! But, Janet, damn her…wanted him back, so my daughter, head wrangler that she is, switched me to Josie, saying, you’ll love her, she’s very forward.
OMG! There are no words to describe the feel of Josie beneath me! Sigh and double sigh. Triple sigh. She’s tall, powerful and fast. She did everything I asked of her. While her trot is a bit high, when she lopes and gallops, you might as well be floating on a living cloud. If someone had been able to take a picture of me, you would have seen a big, shit-eating grin on my face - but of course that would have been impossible as I was past everyone in a flash, gone in a cloud of dust!
Josie and Garrett, Janice and I, became partners in crime, getting into trouble, racing across meadows of wildflowers, leaving the rest of the group far behind.
Me to my daughter: “I haven’t had this much fun on a horse since I was a kid!”
My daughter to me: “Yeah, I noticed! You’re acting like a little kid!”
Me to my daughter: “Aw, c’mon, can’t I lope some more??? Pleeeeeeease?”
My daughter (rolling eyes) to me: “I’m regretting my decision to give you Josie.”
Nah, at the end of the day, my daughter whispered in my ear…”I knew you would love her. She’s perfect for you. She’s just like the horse you lost.”
Perfect ending to a perfect week.
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Welcome back! Glad it was so great for you! I lived in Columbia Falls for a bit, and can say Montana IS gorgeous! I envy you.
It sounds like an amazing week! I’m so glad you were able to get away and enjoy yourself and your new friends. Josie sounds absolutely wonderful.
but that All Romance E-book award-winning author, Mia Watts, and I spent two hours texting each other – until the battery on my phone died
Hee hee hee hee hee.
I’m so envious of the horse-y-ness. It’s been an age since I rode and when I did, it was all rough country and leaping off to tackle pigs in the midst of thorny bushes, dodging trees, and hoping to hell I didn’t break my neck when she took off after her wayward colt. NEVER ride a momma. NEVER. There’s just no controlling her.
So glad you are back safe and sound with fantastic experiences under your belt. OGEEZ that sounded wrong. I mean under your belt figuratively, although I’m guessing that the horses were experientially fantastic in a totally clean fun kind of way. That other beast you were with, the one who opens doors for you, can take the credit for that other less-pure kind of below the belt fun.
……..and now I’m talking around my foot again. Go ahead Bron, you can say it….
Thanks, Nicole. I do love Montana!
Thanks, Bron. I do love Josie! Already reserved her for next year!
Yes, Mia, a horse is better than a man, but not in the way your dirty little mind thinks! No, I wouldn’t want to be on a mom worried about her colt!
Sounds wonderful but I have to say I’m still afraid of horses. Don’t laugh. I got thrown of one when I was 10 and broke my arm. No horses for me. =)
Happy to have you back though.
((hugs))
Yes, I’m green:-) I love horses but haven’t been on one in ages! It sounds as if you had lots of fun and I’m glad you had such a wonderful vacation. Welcome home!
Your experience sounds so wonderful! The last horse I rode was a psycho killer! I was working on a Nevada sheep station one summer and I was “given” a wild, unbroken, rescue horse that needed some riding time. I’m not the strongest rider… The horse was well behaved until we were several miles from the station. I have no idea what triggered the episode but the horse went berserk started bucking and ran straight toward a barbed wire fence and tried to scrape me off his back. I had to yank my leg out of the stirrup and kneel on his back while he scraped the length of a rusted fence. Then he started spinning with his head down and kicking. It was horrible. Finally I got the fastest hardest ride of my life when he turned around and bolted for home leaping over sage brush. I have no idea how I stayed on his back. The contents of my pockets were strewn across east Nevada and I was bleeding and bruised for a week. I was 17 and I haven’t been on a horse since.
XXOO Kat
Yup ladies, you can get hurt on horses. There’s no question about it. I’m living proof! But I still love them.
Oh Kat, I cannot believe you! You’re like me. When I was younger, I’d get on anything, any time, anywhere! When you’re young, you don’t know better. I’m glad you didn’t die! Seriously!
Paris - A 60-something year old woman who had never ridden before showed up. She was an awful rider, but her horse was very well-behaved. Like my hubby says - her horse will need to go into therapy after this!
*sigh* It’s been so many years since I’ve ridden. Hip replacement surgery made it dicey, and by then, I was just too damned fat. Poor horse. Oh, it never bothered the horse…it bothered me that I couldn’t hop up into the saddle like I used to. LOL! I’m soooo jealous!
Ah Frannie…a hip is very tough. It would be super hard to ride. I’m soooo sorry! I’m lucky it’s just my knee that’s loaded with titanium! All I do is set off airport security alarms so I can be wanded and patted down!
You poor thing!
Glad you’re back! Good to hear you had such a blast!
Stacey xo
Thanks, Stacey!
I have to admit I’m envious. Hearing about a great horseback ride in a beautiful place is a bit like hearing about someone else’s great sex in a dangerous place… I want to get back on a “willing” horse someday before it’s too late and have a good ride. lol
XXOO Kat
Great sex in a dangerous place…how fun!
Welcome back! It sounds like an incredible time away. The horse is absolutely gorgeous.
Sounds like you had a wonderful getaway!
Thanks, Amber. the vacation was beyond words great.
Thanks, Chris!
It sounds exactly like heaven. So glad you had such a wonderful time.
Hugs.