Cooper the Llama

Now I bet you are wondering why I have a picture of a llama on our site! Well, let me introduce Cooper, a packing llama for Yellowstone Safari Company. This group takes people into Yellowstone and pack in supplies with their llamas. This past summer we got an emergency call from the group, stating that Cooper was badly injured in the back country and they needed help in getting him out. He had broken a leg, which is not a very good situation. So, we grabbed a couple of wranglers and a few good horses and headed into the Park to find Cooper. This was how we got their vet to the scene of the crime. They wound up splinting the Cooper and helped him limp out of the Park and into the trailer to the vets.

Well, it took two surgeries, lots of care, and I'm sure a lot of vet bills, but we just got word from Yellowstone Safari that Cooper is Back!! Now that's a happy ending and another exciting adventure at the Covered Wagon Ranch!!

Dude Ranchers Association Convention

Well, my apologies for being so late on the blog. JT and I have been traveling since January 18th. We hooked up "Homer the Hauler" to our fifth wheel and hit the road, ultimately reaching Tucson and attending the Dude Rancher's Association Convention. Before we got to Tucson, we stopped off to see the Grand Canyon (quite spectacular), the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, and down through Pinetop up and down a quite spectacular canyon that turned out to be a nail biter for me (but we all know what a scaredy cat I am!).

We got to Tucson this past Tuesday, and pulled into this RV Park that JT picked out because it was close to the Tanque Verde Ranch where the convention was held. Well, thank you Jerry, as the RV Park was for Seniors Only, which they define as 55 and older. I told him I was the baby here!! Is this what I have to look forward to??? :-) We are traveling with the infamous "Francois Pierre", my 13 year old Jack Russell and JT's least favorite friend!

The Convention was awesome, as well as the ranch. Although, I must admit, I'm not too interested in riding in the desert and worrying if I fall off my horse that I would get stuck on a cactus! These big tall cactii called Saguaro's are amazing. They don't start flowering until they are 50 years old, and don't branch out until they are 75!! Now they would qualify to stay in that RV Park, wouldn't they?

We learned so much at this meeting. We both took the Wrangler Certification and Horse Safety Course, and have so much to tell Jeremy and Darlene when we return! They will love this information. Lots of fun vendors, and some fun new ideas we'll bring back to the ranch this summer. Also, JT was elected as a Board Member for the Montana District for the DRA, and that was very exciting.

We're currently in Wickenburg, Arizona, as the meeting ended today, and on our way to Vegas. Look out slot machines! We plan to be back in Bozeman on Thursday night, so more later. Any bets???
debi

A Winter Day At the Ranch

Well, it was quite the day at the ranch! Jeremy, Darlene, Brayden and Chase decided to make a visit and check things out and were surprised by two trespassers at the ranch. When they

first pulled up, this big old bull was hanging out by the playhouse just to the left of the lodge! They watched him from the steps of the lodge and thought they were done, when all of a sudden a second moose appeared at the ranch! Both of these characters didn't seem too frightened to see the Young family, so they just stayed there and decided to bed down right around Cabin 10. (the moose, that is!) Considering the snow was up to their knees, the Young family decided to stay close and do what they needed to do then leave the ranch! The moose (or do you say meese???!!) just stayed and watched them. Pretty funny! That's all for now,

debi

New Year's Day for the Horses

I'm not thinking they're having as much fun as we are on New Year's Day. Yikes! Look at the snow on their back and how well they insulate themselves. As long as these horses have access to water, forage, minerals and cover (which they have all of the above), then they are better off being outside grazing as opposed to inside a barn. They are choosing to hang out and graze, instead of running down in the coulee away from the weather. Amazing, isn't it?

debi