It was roundup time at the ranch.
Calf crop was trapped earlier. This was eight foals.
Not admirable; horses today are handled similar to bovine.
Yet, there’s reflection of equine production through ages.
Spot was mated to Peppy Creek in 1963, had her first foal, bay Missy Creek, 11 months, 11 days later. Buchman’s Queen was born next, then Buster in ’66.
No foals were raised for a time, but Nellie Belle birthed sorrel Ramblin’ Cowboys Bell in 1970. That son of Rambleo was the first horse we’d ever owned to win a blue ribbon, championship to boot.
Nellie had two more foals. Final one beautifully spotted by Mr. Dugan’s Paint, but lightning took momma and baby in the pasture.
Then, we got our first stallion, first registered horse Dennis Good by Peppy Creek, and soon first registered mare Sexette West.
Horse breeding expanded such our memory fails on individual births. Up to 40 mares grazed the ranch at peak. Never did the foal crop reach that total. Some broodmares always came up empty.
Each fall, every foal was weaned, gentled, broke to lead, conditioned, and for 25 years merchandized through our production sale.
A handful of different stallions served as sires through the years, with most notable being Zane, registered as Trouble Steel Bar.
Nearly 500 horses throughout the country carry the BB prefix on registration papers, plus significant number unofficially identified.
Today, there are nine mares, lineage tracing to Peppy Creek 52 years ago. Three spotted mares are descendants of Spot, our first horse in 1962.
Stallion today is an own son of Zane, and every mare features similar lineage, most for several generations.
Saturday morning, stockman son mounted the mechanical cart, and roared the band into makeshift corral. Each pair was sorted, loaded into the big stock trailer, with mares turned out, until all eight foals remained to be hauled to headquarters.
Four new owners pleasingly made double selections from the weanling offering, as we anticipate another colt crop come spring.
Reminds us of Jeremiah 51:28: “Roundup horses, hordes of horses, consecrate the nations for holy work.” Such inspiration, Isaiah 49:18: “Seeing them all gathering coming to you.” Remembering, Psalm 125:5: “God will roundup the backsliders, corral them with the incorrigibles.” Still, Psalm 146:10: “The Lord will reign forever throughout the generations.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
X–44–10-30-16
