What we are all looking for.
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Monday, July 27, 2026
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Thursday, July 23, 2026
The Ride
The Big Horn Mountain Roundup trail ride has been going on in the Big Horn Mountains since 1965. For four days and three rides, men from all over the nation come out to ride the trails of Wyoming together. Though the numbers aren't what they once were, the tradition of brotherhood, freedom, and fun is still going strong.
The ride takes a different route every year. This year it was in Elgin park, in the southeast quadrant of the Big Horns.
I was not real sure what to expect as I rolled in early Thursday morning. But my buddy Pete, who is one of those in charge of this thing, said to come up for the day and join in. So we did.
First stop was getting a leather name tag.
Chief was all ready to roll.
A good group of riders from all over. I met guys from Florida, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, Utah, Montana, Ohio, as well as our locals.
Fun stuff. New country.
We stopped once in the morning to stretch our legs. Then again for lunch. This is a well oiled machine. They guys meet us at each stopping point with beverages and lunch.
The pulled pork was a welcome site.
After a nice lunch and a good break, we were back in the saddle and riding.
Cool country. The Forest Service is cutting down any conifer trees in aspen areas to help the aspens rebound. Seems to be working.
The ride was great, but not a walk in the park. Most of the guests rode outfitters' stock.
Right before the end, Pete pulled myself and a couple other guys out to help him scout-out one leg of a trail he still needed to mark for Saturday’s ride.
Pete used to have the lease on this land and run his cows up here. He knows the country well and where would make a good trail ride.
Jumped two bull moose!
Then the sky opened up. Downpour!
About 4pm, we rolled back into camp.
Well done, ol' son.
Before dinner, the clouds broke and the sun came out. Just in time for the lowering of the flag ceremony and prayer before the meal.
Rack of ribs. Good stuff.
Fun time and great opportunity. I'm super thankful I took advantage of it. Met some great men and saw some beautiful country. I'm glad traditions like this still live. This kind of freedom is what this country was founded for. When we saddle up and ride like this, we appreciate all we've been given and the sacrifices it takes to ensure it. Praise God for this land that I love!
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Old Shoes
I've always wondered if you could reuse old horse shoes on the same horse. Only one way to find out.
Back in early May, my buddy Devlin put these shoes on Chief. We wanted to try pads under the shoes because he can get a little tender footed. Devlin did a good job and the shoe/pad combo worked great. About eight weeks later, I pulled them off. That's about all the longer you want to run shoes without trimming the hooves, and I wanted to go barefoot for the 4th of July parade. Now that I'm needing to re-shoe Chief for some summer riding, I turned to these old shoes and wondered if we couldn't just put them back on. I see no reason why not.
The horses have been doing good, hanging out at the VO Ranch on the Clear Creek.
Before we did anything with their feet, I shot them with fly spray.
Mom's feet were a mess. Looked like a duck-billed platypus.
Her hooves actually trimmed up pretty nice. I'm thankful for that.
Chief's were in great shape, for not being formally trimmed since May.
Before we got too far down the road, we cleaned the old shoes up. The pad was riveted onto the shoe, which was one reason I wanted to reuse them. Looks good to me.
Everything cleaned up pretty good for my standards. I like to take the sidewalls of the hoof down as far to the sole as I can, so there is a good mating surface between the hoof and the shoe. Everything sized up real nice. Chief has easy hooves, simple 00 size with no shaping needed.
Horse shoe nails are interesting. They are tapered on the side that has traction marks on the head. Those marks go to the inside of the hoof, which ensures that the nail veers to the outside of the hoof when nailed.
Nailing on a shoe is never easy for me or Chief. But, we always seem to manage, thanks be to God. When running pads, you want to fill up that void between the pad and the sole with some special shoe glue. This keeps bacteria from forming in the confined environment and also keeps rocks and dirt out of there, which can make it worse than if there were no pads on at all. Looks good to me. The only drawback I can see is that the new nails stick up higher than the worn shoes. Shouldn't be a problem.
Chief seems happy.
Good stuff. With some riding coming up, we'll have prime opportunity to see how these old shoes hold up. I've gotten away with more than I should on this horse. He really is an easy keeper. So, my rudimentary shoeing skills seem to get by just fine. Let's ride.
Monday, July 20, 2026
Sunday, July 19, 2026
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