Archive for the ‘Big Dan’ Category

Posted on February 12, 2010 - by Hubba

Big Dan; Here We Go Again

Me and Crackerjack followed the other horses at a lope as Gall, Cessna and Pepper exploded through the gate into the corral.

It was cold this morning; not just chilly like it had been, but cold.  I felt a little frisky, so me and Crackerjack joined Gall and Cessna to the far end of the pasture at a high lope.  Maybe those two idiots were rubbing off on me a little bit, but it felt good, and Joe, I was convinced, seemed to expect it.

When he had gotten us all rounded up, me and Crackerjack had kept up with the others, but stayed behind them.  Pepper didn’t fit through the gate and sat back on his haunches, and Crackerjack almost ran over him.  We all milled around the corral at a lope or a trot, whatever we felt like, and then came to a stop by the barn with steam rolling off our backs.  Joe was fumbling with the chain on the gate.  There were tears at the corners of his eyes and his face was a mix of white and red.  Probably cold and fury. (more…)

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Posted on May 15, 2009 - by Hubba

Big Dan; The Neighbor

The next day, one of the neighbors came to help Joe with the job we didn’t get done the day before, which turned out to be sorting all the bulls off and moving them to the bull pasture behind the house, and moving the cows to another pasture.

We didn’t start until afternoon, and once again Joe rode me.  I was starting to feel a little overused, but I got to meet George and Gus.  George was the neighbor who came over to help, and Gus was his horse.

I was saddled and tied to the fence when George pulled in.  He drove clear through the yard, around back somewhere, and I could hear the trailer gate swinging open and then slamming shut (more…)

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Posted on May 1, 2009 - by Hubba

Big Dan; Let’s Call Her a Day

We walked clear across the pasture without anybody saying anything.  Actually, Cessna and Pepper walked and I jog trotted nervously along.  This kid had me keyed up.  I could hear him whimpering up there in the saddle, and he had a death grip on the horn.  When we got to the other end of the pasture, Joe pulled up to a stop.  “Well,” he said, “we were gonna sort the bulls off this afternoon, but I think that’s a tall order for this bunch.”  He had calmed down quite a bit, but it looked to me like it was taking some effort.  He sat there quietly for a minute, and Pepper decided to poop again.  He really was the poopingest horse I had ever seen.

Joe let out a long breath and turned in his saddle.  “I tell you boys what, there’s a lame one in here, maybe we’ll just run him in and call her a day, whatdya think?”  He got no real response.  “Allright,” he said to himself, “let’s go.” (more…)

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Posted on April 16, 2009 - by Hubba

Big Dan; Stop & Go

Will hurried toward me and Joe.  He was wearing a cap which was too big for him, so after he got down from the pickup I couldn’t see his face anymore.

Joe turned me a bit and wrapped the reins around my neck.  After a bit of commotion off to my left, Will plopped down in the saddle on top of me.  I wasn’t sure for a second how it happened, but I finally decided that Joe had just lifted him up.

Joe stood there for a bit holding the reins.  I could feel Will shaking up on top of me, but I was too tired to get excited.  After a few words with Will, I could feel Joe hand the reins to him.  By the time Joe handed Will the reins, he had settled down a bit. (more…)

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Posted on April 10, 2009 - by Hubba

Big Dan; A Trio

The mornings were getting awfuly cool.  Me and Crackerjack didn’t stand under the trees until afternoon anymore.

When I was given the chance to.  Joe had been riding me a lot lately, and riding me a little hard at that.  Everytime we went anywhere, Joe took the “big circle.”  I was getting to know the country around here, and I had seen it all at a fast trot or a lope.  The last week, I had been the “night horse” every night.  My days started early and ended late, and I had become very familiar with the horse trailer.

I had been let out the night before and spent the day out in the horse pasture (more…)

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