Merry Christmas!

Wow, I can’t believe another year has come and go. Time seems to go faster and faster every year. This year was a very busy one for Kurt and I. We welcomed our second son, Sawyer, into the world in January. Braxton wasn’t too sure of him at first, but they are now best friends and always into something!

I hit the ground running, (literally) six weeks post C-section Barrel Racing on a few new horses, a gray head horse named Uno (which most of you know the story behind that pony if you don’t do ask it is a good one).   I am seasoning him on the barrels and he has quickly won my heart and been my go to horse. He is the one I hit the trails on the most this summer (even over Pancake). 

Perry, who isn’t new to barrels but was new to me; unfortunately, she was out with a couple different injuries most of the summer. However, she still ended the season with two buckles and reserve national champion in my division! Needless to say when she did run she was spot on! Lastly, my rock-solid go to Barrel Horse Princess Daizy. I keep telling myself I am going to retire her and put a baby in her belly but she hasn’t told me that is what she wants yet. I am sure it won’t be long until Braxton steals her from me as he enjoys exercising her for me in the summer.  All three horses won me enough money to cover my entry fees…which is always a plus and I learned an incredible amount of information.     

We bought a little place near Three Forks, Montana that we will eventually build our house on, but for now we are using it for shoulder pasture in the spring and fall to keep the big herd and to keep our broodmares, babies and personal horses at in the winter time. Kurt and Papa T did some work this spring on the property and we now have a couple different pastures. There is a spring fed pond on the property and we even snorkeled in the pond! Needless to say we spent a ton of time out there this spring and most every Sunday this summer.  

 

In April we welcomed Rita’s third baby, Logan. He was the first baby born at the new property near Logan, hence his name. He is a full brother to Miranda and Dollar and a half brother to Blake, Gwen and Sass. This means lots and lots of BLUE ROANS around the ranch! Speaking of Blue Roans most of them we put more rides on this year and started the foundation for several of the younger ones. They should be ready to hit the trails come this summer. We bred Rain Dancer for a 2018 foal and bred Rita back too, this time to a High Brow Cat Stud. We are excited to see Rita’s baby’s future as cowy as she is!

Crew got here in May, we opened the doors to Guests in June had a very fun and successful season at the ranch. As always it was full of lots of wildlife, lots of miles on young and seasoned horses, oodles and oodles of stories and even more friendships were made.

This fall we finished up the season with our ‘Adults Only’ month, had a wild third week of September with a ton of snow and super cold weather and then ended the season a week later with gorgeous weather and no snow.  

We retired two long time Covered Wagon Ranch’ Horses, Bo and Cheyenne, to North Dakota and brought three more into our herd, Roanie, Maggie and Shasta! We are super excited for our guests to get to know them. That brings our herd to 96 head now at the ranch! Hard to believe we bought the ranch 4 years ago with 40 and there are only 12 of those horses left!

This is the first time in a long time we haven’t had any horses at the ranch….which means that Nikita is turned out too! This is a big moment for us as she has been doctored and in the stall for two years. She is in a small pasture with Winston (who is also healing from an injury) and they are enjoying it. She still has a road to recovery, but it is a step we never thought would come. The rest of the herd is doing great and loving their life. Rita and Rain’s bellies are growing, the colts too and the older ones are showing the younger ones the ropes. It won’t be long when we are gathering them to start all over again. 

As always this time of year we try and head over to our friends to help them out with their annual Bull sale. Kurt took a new little filly he bought this summer, Drifter, and I stayed true to the tradition and brought Pancake. Both of the horses did great, but it is hard to beat my big old Boy Pancake doing any kind of ranch work. We had a ton of fun moving cows and it was great for our horses and dogs to get out and do some work too. 

December has been so much fun with our little family preparing for the holiday. The lodge is decorated and we have five trees up!

The biggest one is 12’ and Braxton was beyond excited to decorate it.  We have a visitor from the North Pole, Red the Elf, that is watching over Braxton and Sawyer and returning to Santa each night to report on their behavior (I wonder if he can stay year-round)

and Braxton has been on his best behavior.

Braxton started pre-school in Gateway and is loving every minute of it. Sawyer is all but walking and is super busy. As for Kurt and I we are finally catching our breath and excited to spend Christmas in our home with our family and friends. We hope whatever holiday you are celebrating this December that is a great one!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the Covered Wagon Ranch and the Pucketts!