Well havn't been roping much this month, had a new stint installed in my ticker, but feeling much better now for an 80 year old, will be roping again in another week..

In the meantime as I heeled up and started hairing over my grand daughter in law, won a roping heading off my heel horse and brought home a sack full of money, Me and Memaw got a good steak dinner out of that deal, but havn't got my horse back yet, and who knows, I may not..He has always been an outstanding head or heal horse, paid for his self many times over, but now the girl found out my most well kept secret! he can run the hell out of the barrels, sometimes you get bored and train them to do stupid stuff!..

I fear I may be in need of a new horse, so maybe I'll buy myself properly broke 4 or 5 year old and make myself a new heel horse.

I guess, hope I can borrow the old boy from time to time to compete on..He is 18 now and acts and looks like a 8 year old ...He is still worth a ton of money, I should sell him but would lose the whole family if I did. I think I got one more horse to make left in me..

quote:

I think I got one more horse to make left in me..

Go for it.

Ray:
Damn I wish I could even fork a pony, let alone a bronc and I haven't been able to since I was 50! Bad knee's, now back couldn't handle the rocking around.

Wish you all the luck in the world with it.
George

Good for you Ray.

I already know that horses we buy will always be here. Heck my daughter was looking at colleges with a barn lol lol. There is a lot worse things that could be happening.

Wife went to a horse show yesterday, did well including winning Trail, she's got artificial knees. Told her, I heard them talking about her on the radio. They said they had contestants aged from 5 to 70.

Grizz

Came up with one a few years back.

"Life: Is just a test, of our stamina and endurance"

"Age: Is just a number used to judge how long we could handle it all"


By the time we get this old, we've all got scars, some can be seen, others can't.

George

I will never give up my horses or my guns, its the two things I dearly love..The horse is Gods gift to those who go the route. I'm feeling good and roping at least once a week, heeled 30 steers two day ago at a practice team roping with friends..Wonderful to be able to still do that at my age..I am blessed. Finished it off with beer and hamburgers, don't tell the wife. They got me on a diet of chicken and fish with red meat once a week!! That ain't happening!

30 steers and still have all your fingers. Pretty amazing.

Had a couple of close calls over the years but never lost one..but at 65 you can tie on with a quick release and that solved all the finger problems for us oldies but goodies..you need to get on this band wagon and we'll go rope, lots of low number ropeings in your part of the country,,you get good enough and we'll go to the old timers ropings, that's fun and at out combined age we can get in the over 65 and no competition, most of them have died and the rest are drunks, can't beat that!

You give me hope Mr. Atkinson. I was thinking maybe I'd find someone to start my baby, as I started her mum who was a bit hot 15 some years ago. Maybe I'll do one or two more.

It ain't living that's important, it how you live what you got..go for it..

My mule riding buddy is 85 and he still rides one of his mules each and every day for an hour or two up in the hills. The mules are 26 and 29 but they still can put in a good days ride in the hills but he has kind of retired them from pack trips into the Snake River country. Taking care of those old girls, working them and cleaning the barn is what keeps him a going.

rbrbrb6, You really know how to make an old man feel good! Sold my mules, but I need to start riding again to keep up with your friend. Ray and I are the same age-4 years younger than your riding buddy-so he has a little time on us.
I better get outside NOW!

Thanks

I need to get some pictures of Francis with his girls. Folks can not believe how young his mollies look but they are well cared for and worked several times a week. I only hope to be able to ride like he does when I am his age. My two mollies are 6 and 8 so they will be the last ones I own during my riding days.

Had Hip replacement this summer--Doc say as long as I don't ride broncs I can get back in the saddle by winter time-

Sean,
My neighboring rancher at Marathon, Tx. bording the Big Bend Nat'l. Park, had both hips replaced and was back ranching and riding every day in no time, He was older than me, and told me he felt better after the fix than he had felt in years...

Talking about old mules, most folks don't realize that mules live and last longer than horses and usually by quit a few years..On my dads ranch we used the 25 to 30 year old mules, and sold the young mules to other folks..The first thing one notices about an old mule is he will not kill himself or you. He knows he has a days work to do and he will pace himself, I would rather ride and old mule that's been around a long time than any young mule..

Dad raised and sold about 50 or more young broke mules a year, however many young mules as my brother and I and two Mexican cowboys could turn out ready to ride, pack, and do at least a decent days work, and be easy to handle. We sold last years mules this year, and that gave us two seasons to finish them out, and once you get that program started you have 50 ready each year, or at least that was the normal plan, and buyers waiting at the gate..

I have seen mules still very usable that were near 40 years old. My favorite hunting mule died of colic at 37 years old, and I could shoot a deer, drag the gutted deer up in my lap with a little help, and ride to the house or camp..He would smell and point deer like a bird dog, even talk to them at times, that would push them out of the brush! damn he could be loud braying down one of those sotol packed canyons..

A good friend recently told me it's all in the dash, as in 5/18/1933 - 10/2/2015. That dash, the years in between.