Many years ago I was long trotting in real tall grass.  Some cattle I was taking care of had gotten into a pasture they were not supposed to be in (CRP for those of you that know that program)and I was going to them.

All of a sudden my horses front end disappeared.  I kicked out of my stirrups, lifted my reins and leaned back.  As my horse continued to “endo”, my position in my saddle sent me forward and I lit on my feet out of my horses way and holding my rein.

My horse had stuck both front feet in a badger hole and went over.  He wasn’t hurt and either was I.  I just stepped back on and went and got my cattle.  This was back in the day of no cell phones.  We were on a pretty big place and no one knew where I was, and if I had been hurt they would of had a hard time finding me.

A fellow by the name of Greg Elio had told me several months before how you should react if your horse endos.  He said you needed to prepare for it in your mind so when it happened you would react as you have no time to decide what to do.

I had prepared myself mentally and had the physical ability to do it.  When it happened it was just like time slowed down and I was aware of everything that was happening and did the right thing instead of panicking and not following my plan of action.

Fast forward fifteen years or so and I was in a whole different world.  I was still horseback, but instead of big country with cattle, horses and dogs I was surrounded by asphalt and concrete and lots of interesting people.  I was in North Carolina and really enjoyed visiting with a real successful guy that liked the cowboy world.  Gary had lost a son in a car accident not to long before.  He told me that something in the future would completely change my life, and I should prepare myself for it.

Well, that change has come.  Beautiful wife Tammy has some health challenges.  We were trotting along in the perfect tall grass in life and all of a sudden we hit a badger hole.

We never dreamed this would happen to “us”.  It hit us hard but without really knowing it we were prepared.  We have been married for more than thirty years and it seemed through all the ups and downs we were in a perfect married state of mind to ride through the wreck together.

We have both been very concerned about our health and have tried to take care of our body’s in a way that we could enjoy our lifestyle as long as possible.

Tammy is very strong mentally and physically.

We have really tried to not have debt on things that don’t add to our future financial security.  We are not rich, but we don’t have to worry about making payments.  If we had a lot of em it would really make our life much more stressful right now.

We both have strong faith.  We go about it a little different ways from ourselves and other people, but we believe.

We hardly ever follow the crowd.  We try to do things that we feel best fit us.  Tammy will not do things because everyone else is or someone says we should.

She figure things out and does it her own way.  Doctors beware!

Tammy has a way of making people feel good.  I have seen her lifting folks up and making them feel good about life for the last thirty years.  From Peruvian sheep herders missing their families to wealthy folks that have everything, Tammy has a special way of bringing folks to a better place in their life.

She has created such a strong support base for us. You can’t believe how many people are praying for her.  I’ve seen grown men cry when they found out, and people offering whatever they have to help us.  You can’t imagine how good and confident this makes us feel.

As I look back we have always been in a long trot, sometimes at a lope, and have been on a dead runaway at times.  We’ve covered more country than we could have ever imagined, stumbled a few times but have never stepped into a badger hole.

Because we are prepared we can lean back and ride through the wreck and we believe we will come out the other side on our feet with our reins in our hands.

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To tell a little more of the story cancer is the badger hole.  Tammy has been researching lots of ways to go about this.  From her research she feels the best chance at the quality of life is not conventional way of chemotherapy, as the doctors have told us that with this cancer there is no cure, you just slow it down.

The interesting thing is that the animal pharmaceutical company’s that have provided much of our living for so many years seem to have the cure for her .

Fenbendazole  (animal wormer)seems to be working with great success at curing and stopping cancer.

We are so thankful for the great care she has gotten from modern medicine,

and I believe everyone is doing the best they can, but sometimes you have to step up and go for it, and I’m so proud of and in awe of Tammy’s ability to go through this with so much courage and try.

I have written before about Agape Boarding school and the great people that help young boys with a little trouble through the horse and God.

When I was there last year I spent a lot of time learning from and being inspired by a cowboy in the truest form from a skill standpoint, try standpoint and a spiritual standpoint.

Tim Mulloy has some rare disease that is taking parts of his body.  He had one leg missing when I was there last year and was still getting horseback and working and getting lots done.  I just found out they have to take his other leg.

They are doing a fundraiser for Tim and this saddle is being donated.

I have more to add to this story.

Several years ago I was at an event where there lots of saddle makers and artists.  If you know anything about western saddle makers in the west Dale en he Harwood is one very well known and respected saddlemaker.  I couldn’t afford one of his saddles and didn’t want to wait the 6 years on the waiting list, but I always wanted one.  Dale and his wife Karen were at the deal and when I got introduced I told Dale how good it was to meet him.  He said he new me when I was a little kid.

My grandfather worked at a big feedlot in Roberts, Idaho and when he went to town he would stop and visit Dale at the saddle shop.  I remember going in there and hanging out, but I didn’t realize it was his “Trails End” saddle shop.

That brought back memories and made me want a “Harwood” even more.

As the story continues I was doing clinics in the Kansas City area and I met a fellow by the name of Tim Trabon.  We hit it off for some reason, and I tell you he truly was the most interesting man I have ever met.(and I have met a lot of interesting men)

Through the years when I would go to the area I would ride his horses and use his gear.  He was a great collector of good gear and had the best.  He new the story and my desire to have a Harwood and always wanted me to ride a wonderful full carved slick fork that fit me just right, when I was there.  He would just leave the stirrups long and not ride it so I could use it the next time.

We had so much fun and I really enjoyed spending time with Tim and his wife Patty and their boys.  They were people that had done very well in life and really lived.

Tim got cancer, spent lots of months in Houston fighting it and getting the most out of life even then.  He wrote me this note one day.

Curt,

I’m getting real tired of storing that Harwood saddle of yours in my tack room
Takes up space and I feel the need to clean it up.
I thought you were more of a responsible guy.
When I get home in February, I’m gonna ship it to you.
Tired of looking at it

Tim

  I told him no, that I would come ride with him when he got home and we would discuss it.  He agreed and I was so much looking forward to riding with my real good friend.

I can’t tell you how many acts of kindness I’ve seen from Tim, but how much crap and guff he could give to his friends.  He was the best storyteller I’ve ever heard (and I’ve heard some good storytellers.)

My friend Tim died.  It really never hit me until I went to visit the family long after his death.  To go his home and family and him not there it really hit me.  I was very sad.  The reason I was there is his wife Patty had read the email that Tim had sent giving me the saddle and she wanted me to have it.

So I now have a full carved Harwood that means so much to me.  Every time I put it on a horse, I have a piece of my memory of my childhood with my grandfather, know I am riding a saddle by a real legendary craftsman that has been an inspiration to lots of folks I know that build saddles, and when I pull up my cinch it always brings me back to a “Tim” story and sometimes I look at the spur tracks he left in the seat. Tim had more buck off story’s than anyone I know,(and I’ve herd a lot of buck off story’s)or think of his hunting bear with a black powder rifle, or how much he loved his family and life and the pride he had in both.  My friend is with me every time I throw my leg over that saddle.

So that’s the start to my saddle stories.  I was going to go about it a little differently than I did, but when the Harwood for Tim’s benefit came up it got my emotions going.  If you need a good saddle that will only gain in value while you ride a great one, check out the benefit for Tim Mulloy.

Contact Riley Olson by email.  Here’s his email.  I’m sure you can find him on Facebook as well.

wycow703@gmail.com

The King of Hearts Ranch that was purchased and I went to work on is now named “4 Suns Ranch” spelled Suns but in honor of the owners four sons.

I think the name is perfect and “fits” the beauty of the country the ranch is in.

I have been horseback a lot.  I feel the best way to learn the land and really see things and learn is from the back of a horse.  You can see out and around as well as down at the grass and the ground.  You go slow enough to see everything and you don’t have be as in tune as with a vehicle, the horse sees the holes and sagebrush, and pick the trail.

The Zupan’s that have the cattle on the place are calving, and I help tag calves when I can.  Weston, one of the Zupan’s 4 Sons (fits the new name)works on a neighbor ranch is who I help tag with and he is real helpful on telling me things about the ranch, hunting and anything I ask, so I think it’s time well spent.  I enjoy working with all the Zupan’s.

It’s been a long time since I have tagged calves and covered lots of country horseback.  I really feel like the knowledge I have accumulated about animal behavior and stockmanship has really helped me set up the catching of these calves in a real positive and safe way.

Most of the calves are pretty young and easy to catch, but a few are a little older and want to go.  Today I had two that I was able to get them to stop and actually come toward me a step or two to get a nice standing shot.

I used the drive, draw and maintain pressure to stop the cow/calf then draw the calf and hook him on and get a nice easy safe shot.  It is so rewarding to use stockmanship skills and get the same satisfaction as a hunter or fisherman, only with stockmanship you are improving life rather than taking it. (So you can take it later)

It’s good sized pastures, lots of trotting and covering some country.  The three horses I am riding are really benefiting from the work and getting much better.

The last couple of days we have had a late spring storm and it’s been cold and snowy.  The ground is slick and it is cold riding but I still think it’s worth it and refuse to do my cattle work on the new side  by side, as my horses eat hay anyway and they only get better when you ride them, and if you find a problem with the machine you probably have to get a horse to solve it anyway.

Two things that I use everyday is my “Greeley” (my cowboy hat) and a saddle.

It’s pretty windy country and it is so good to have a hat that fits good enough to not worry about them blowing of your head.

I wear my older used Greeley’s.  I’ve had them a long time and they are well used but still look “ranchy” and are in good shape and fit good enough to stay on my head.  I don’t leave home without one.

I am going to write a little about my saddles and horses I’ve been riding in the next few weeks.  I think it will provoke some thought and give some insights in saddles and horsemanship.

Son Rial is in Wisconsin with the Sackett’s doing a horse clinic and starting some colts.  In true Rial style I have not heard from him or how it’s going, but I bet he’s making it just fine, and doing good for horses and people.

Wife Tammy is in Oklahoma with Daughter Mesa, who had a horse fall with and broke her ankle.  A word of advice, don’t cowboy outside with sliders on your horse, stay in the arena.

So it’s me and my dogs and horses at the 4Suns Ranch.  The cook is not to good so I’m losing weight, and their is not much else to do so I’m getting lots of work and exploring done, and enjoying the heck out of life.