About you Designs

Yesterday, I went out on the ranch to help gather, sort, and make a few bull calves into steers. It’s always been my job to move the calves from one pen into another, then sort them into the chute so that they could become steers. It’s a quick process if everything goes well. IF everything goes well.
Here I am on Whistler, my stallion. He worked so well yesterday. Even among a few stranger horses, you could not tell he was a stallion from his behavior. You’d have thought he was some old broke ranch gelding instead of an 8 year old breeding stallion that I’m just finally getting finished up training. (Every time I wanted to start him before, I was pregnant, or in the middle of an extremely busy photography season, etc). This is him after moving in one herd of cattle. He’s a little sweaty and dirty, but that’s the way of life for anyone and any critter on a working ranch.
This image was taken by my daughter, Little T. We are still discussing the importance of how to shoot properly. It’s a work in process, but since I am almost NEVER on this side of the camera, I will not complain! LOL I tend to forget that she doesn’t know how to direct a shoot, use a full frame, or capture the ENTIRE animal in the frame, to include the legs and feet. This is the cleaned up cropped version! LOL Little T did great!

Anyway, what you can’t see in this image is that on the other side, my leg is hanging straight down and I can’t get it in the stirrup. Earlier in the day, I had been kicked from behind by a large calf as I was sorting another off the group to run into the chute. The calf kicked me just right, effectively dislocating my knee and dropping me straight down into…you guessed it…lots of lovely cow poop. Not the most pleasant experience in the world. I managed to convince a friend to grab my ankle and pull, which he did, effectively putting my knee cap and everything else back where it belonged.

I then got up, finished two more pens of calves, and rode dear Whistler for the rest of the day, pushing in the main herd of cows with the rest of the cowboys. I stiffened up pretty good by the time we got back, but was able to run ahead, open some gates and guide a few bulls where they needed to go. When it was time to put Whistler away, I could barely walk, and the horse basically helped me to his pen, where, I struggled to get the gates closed, but managed to do so. At that point, my knee gave out altogether and Little T had to run and get Big T to carry me to the house.

Ouch….

But after a night spent with Tylenol and my children taking care of my every need, I managed to get some sleep and feel better this morning. My knee is ugly and swollen though and I’m not doing anything fast…at all. Sneezing SUCKS! Every muscle in the body tightens up and OUCH!

So, while my husband has been looking around on the internet for some parts he needs, I have relaxed, done some knitting (to be seen soon!) and enjoyed hanging out with Little Man. I did not even have to cook lunch! Big T did that! Pizza always tastes better when someone else cooks it!

So, here is to healing up and relaxing a little.

Michelle