She's a Union Horse!

At my desert stables they have 80 head of horses on the rental string. Each one has his/her distinct personality and the wranglers have to know each and everyone of them. They have a saying there whenever a horse does something to stop working...they say "she a union horse" meaning that they belong to the "working horse union" that provides them with similar ...shall we say "entitlements" that any workers union would. When "Sally" felt she was over due for her 15 minute break...she did what she always does... she lays down on the job!When her 15 minute break is over...the guys have to encourage her to get back up on the job. This time it took 2 of them a few minutes, then she reluctantly agreed to get back on the line! Here's Spanky looking proud of the work he did just getting Sally up. She's sure got those cowboys trained!!!

Your Desert Rose!

Cowboy & Mama H Ride with The Desert Rose!

A few weeks ago..Cowboy and Mama H came to ride with The Desert Rose in the Indian Canyons! There was a SMALL issue...Mama H was NOT willing to have the Desert Rose be in the lead for this ride. This was sooooo confusing for the Desert Rose because when Cowboy H and Mama H were courting...their foreplay was...Cowboy H trying to take off Mama H's bridle while in a full gallop in the dry wash!!! How could she be scared of a "little" unscheduled overnight stay on the mountain with me??? But to make Mama H happy...The Desert Rose complied with her request. Either Mama H or Cowboy H led the ride! But because the Desert Rose was too polite to ever make a fuss about this arrangement...Little Lady was sooooo happy to stand in for her, by tyring to kick Mama H's stable horse when ever she could!

It was truly a beautiful day for a ride...even if my riding buckaroos were a bit late in mounting up!!! (I had to mention this in case the Bossman and I are late for our ride with them soon at their stables!)

Yes we just climbed up that hill! No...none of my PONY COUSINS have done THIS ride! Almost at the top Cowboy and Mama H pose for a photo opp! See the little pointy Mountain in the background??? I will be riding that soon...it is a great ride, 360 degree view!!! Cowboy and Mama H in the Fern Canyon! Uh Oh...Little Lady...wha wha what is this??? Oh don't worry "Auntie" I can jump this no problem!!! ( Hay...can I call you MOM soon???) At the very top of our trail...we see this!!! (The unscheduled overnight stay on the mountains was just below and to the left about 3 miles beneath the snow!) Cowboy and Mama H climb the big hill!We stop off at the water fall to give the horses a drink!

Cowboy H relaxes in the sun.

You can hardly see it but Little Lady picked up a stick from the water to play with!

The last week of rain we had here has filled all the usual watering holes...aren't they beautiful?

Look Ma...no hands!








While filming this video, Little Lady stepped into a sink hole with her hind hoof. You will see us dip to one side then she lunges up out of it. We tend to get sinks holes after heavy rains, the sand can get just like quick sand. Fortunately this was a small sink hole!



When we stopped to use the little girls room I tied Little Lady close to the trees because she loves to eat them!

I call her Little Piggy all the time cause she will eat anything!

On our way back to the trailer Cowboy H and I did some trotting and loping in the creek bed for Mama H to photograph! Had to say, that was really fun!!! It was so nice to see Cowboy and Mama H...glad I'll be seiing them again soon.

Your Desert Rose!

My Dear Friend....Back in the Saddle Agian!!!

Most of you remember that my "Dear Friend" had a terrible accident while bathing her horse, Barbie. That was back in the early part of July. Her injuries were very severe and she almost died several times. her road to recovery has been long and she has been so brave to battle her way back to health. Her doctors have finally approved for her to get back in the saddle for light riding. Her stamina still needs to get back to were it was and her muscle tone needs some work. When she called me on Halloween morning to say she was going out to ride that evening I knew I had to be there. Little Lady and I were there when My Dear Friend rode Barbie for the 1st time since her accident!

Welcome back my Dear Friend...I missed our time together this past summer but I am so happy to have you back in the saddle! Way to "Cowgirlthefuckup"!!! (25cents in the cuss jar!)

Your Desert Rose!

Flying M Ranch 3x3!

What a lucky cowgirl I was this week ( actually 3 weeks ago), riding the trails with 3 buckaroo's at the fabulous Flying M Ranch!!! Because the 3 rides were all at the Flying M Ranch I am combing the 3 rides into one post so you will not be bored seeing the same old scenery!

The Flying M Ranch is a 360 acre privately owned ranch that was... in it's hay day, 18 years ago when I had my first horse George. I was lucky enough to be taken by friends several times to ride there since I did not have a trailer.

In those days the rental stables was very busy, a very large restaurant/lodge was built and there was a grass air strip for small planes to land. There were rustic cabins, camping spots and corrals to spend the weekend with your best equine friend.There were wagon rides for those who did not wish to mount up and BBQ dinners you rode to! The years have not been kind to the Flying M Ranch. It's owners ( a lovely couple) had to sell most of the property to pay taxes but retained riding easements for the whole property. The new owners let things run down and eventually closed the restaurant/lodge down. They still do some BBQ dinners, have some camp sites and allow homesteaders! Some pretty broken down trailers and plywood leantoo's!The old owners still run the rentals and are developing a campground and new trails. They were so hospitable to us that we have decided that we will try and spread the news that the Flying M Ranch is back! My 1st ride of the week was with my Dear Friend. Between the 2 of our schedules since I have been back in the PNW, this was our 1st trailering out ride. Meeting at the stables at 8am we soon have ourselves and the horses loaded and ready to go. Barbie loads just as fast as my horses, we were on the road by half past 8. We had an hours drive to the Flying M Ranch...neither of us had been there in years but we had directions. I was driving as my Dear Friend has been getting her trailer and gear ready to go camping for 5 days. I did remember from my last trip there that there was a very long gravel road at the end of the drive (about 10 miles) up and down narrow hills with logging trucks coming at you from time to time. However as we were driving it...it did not seem quite so bad. By the 3rd time I drove it I felt that I was right at home with it.

Once we arrive we groom saddle and mount up to explore the trails. Our memory of the "old" ranch was so different than what we now found. We soon left the lodge area and headed out to the wilderness area of the ranch. We were in the saddle about 3 hours and found a great spot for lunch.

Today I am riding The King...we take turns leading so Barbie gets trail savvy too!

There are 2 kinds of forest's that we ride in here in the PNW this one is an enchanted forest, the other kind is a forest prim evil...which will be shown next. The horses can sometimes be a bit tense in a forest prime evil but do love the enchanted forests!

Here The King and I have a photo opp in the forest prim evil!!! See the difference between the 2 kinds of forests??? We find the perfect lunch spot for all!

At 1st the horses were tied on the same rail but since Barbie was in heat and acting a tad slutty...the King "dropped" and we thought he was going to mount her right there. We got them moved about the time he was whispering sweet nothings into her ear! This would not have been good lunch time entertainment!!!

Here is my Dear Friend and Barbie in the water...remember the water issue post??? At the end of the day she would go in with out too much of a fuss!

The King loves to ride with Dear Friend cause she is a sucker for ear scratches! We all miss our Dear Friend who is finally home from the hospital after her terrible accident. She has a very long recovery ahead of her...I will post about her progress soon!

My next ride ( 5 days later) was with the Back Doc. He has not ridden since I left for the desert last fall and had never ridden the King, however they made a fine team.

Little lady and I take the lead at 1st...but we also trade, never want them to think they HAVE to lead...or CAN'T lead! The Back Doc named this place "God's Cathedral" , very fitting don't you think???

The Back Doc and the King in an enchanted forest!!!Little Lady and I LOVE "photo opps"!!!

At the end of the ride the King sees the King Ranch and Jesse's Limo and tries to gate towards it!!!
2 days later...yes another trip to the Flying M Ranch...this time with my Sissy, Cowgirljlynn, Dear Friend and a riding group buckaroo!

The King and Cowgirljlynn take their share of being in the lead!

Ye Ol' watering hole!!!

The King/Cowgirljlynn photo opp!!!

Lunch stop...different from the other days!!!

There are great tie rails at several spots for lunch...however Little Lady was waiting for "her" lunch...she knows "Auntie Rose packed for her!!!

After lunch we head back out for another ride...isn't life grand???

3 different ride days, 3 friends, ain't' life grand!!!

Happy Trails,

Your Desert Rose!

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Prayer's for my "Dear Friend"!

Yesterday my "Dear Friend" had a freak accident with her new mare Barbie. As you all know Barbie has water issues that stem from an injury she had when she was young and the water therapy she went through to heal.
My "Dear Friend" had been preparing for weeks to go on a camping trip with Barbie and the last thing to do was bath, blanket, and put her to bed. The next morning they would be on their way to Mt.Adams for 5 days of great rides.
After Barbie's bath...my "Dear Friend" unhooked the cross ties to take her from the wash stall. As she was leading Barbie out of the stall the water hose fell of it's hook and started spraying Barbie. Barbie went into "panic flight mode" and ran my "Dear Friend" over crushing her chest causing life threatening injuries. My "Dear Friend" has undergone 3 surgeries in 12 hours. Her injuries include the following.

1. A torn aorta close to the V that could not be repaired with a stint. The cardiologist had to surgically make the repair. (3 hours)
2. A crushed trachea that needed to be repaired by harvesting muscle from her chest. She has a breathing tube until she can breath on her own. (5 hours)
3. She has a punctured lung that should heal on it's own.
4. Several broken ribs and a "floating sternum".
5. Her lower lip was torn down one inch in the middle. Plastic surgery was required. (2 hours)
6. 4 to 6 weeks recovery and could be longer before she can get back in the saddle.

4 seconds later Barbie was grazing peacefully as if nothing had happened near my "Dear Friend who was on the ground. Fortunately there where people at the barn to call 911 and get the emergency aid there.
We all need to be so careful in everything we do with these big companions of ours even when they don't have a mean bone in their body. The are a "flight' animal 1st and they ALL will at one time or another...unintentionally hurt that special person in their life. I was kicked and stepped on during my last outing. I was in the wrong place in one instance...and the horse was in my space in the 2nd. I was fortunate that all I have is a bruise or 2. I probably get to spend more time with my horses than most of you so I tend to have less caution. However my "Dear Friend's" accident will stick with me for a long, long time!!!
Please remember my "Dear Friend" in your prayers tonight!

Your Desert Rose!

Desert Cowpoke Ropes Cameron!!!

So this is a great story!!!

Over the years when ever a "photo shoot" with a celeb was scheduled for the desert and a horse/cowboy was needed, my stables was called to full fill the duties! In the past this awful duty fell upon the Cowpoke AKA Cowboy H to pretend he was the Cowboy rescuing the damsel in distress. After the Cowpoke left the stables this terrible job fell upon The Texas Ranger. In a recent fashion issue...which I forget the name of, this picture was one of the photos that went to the cutting floor. However it is really GREAT and The Texas Ranger looks soooooo handsome!

But watch out Cameron...The Texas Ranger has already been roped by The Yellow Rose of Texas!
The Texas Ranger and The Yellow Rose of Texas!

Your Desert Rose!

Time too....say Goodby!!!

We have come to the end of our season here in the desert! It is always hard to say good by to friends and...the leisurely lifestyle we lead down here. Most of our friends are also heading back to the PNW for the summer but I will need to say good by to my desert buckaroo's and this year Little lady will have to say good bye to her 2 dads! I bet some of you are thinking that Little Lady's dads are gay...like the book, MY 2 Dads!

In this instance I mean Slick and The Bossman.

Yes...they both think they are studs, but only one is a STALLION!!!

Slick is her biological dad...and The Bossman is her human dad! This year instead of going to Montana in the big pasture for the summer she is going to the PNW with her Auntie Rose! And of course Jesse will be staying with The Bossman. This will be one of the saddest goodbye's I will have to say. It will be over 6 months till our next season starts...so I will need to come and visit Jesse during the summer. I am trying to convince PONY GIRL to come with me in June ( 100 plus degrees) and ride the PCT!!!

As all of us equine owners feel...there is nothing as sweet, to the depths of your soul as the bonding you have with your horse! They touch you in a way that no one ever has...or ever will because it is not a place that a "mare" human could go. Oh and by the way...notice how Jesse matched his outfit to mine today??? Would YOUR cowboy do that, with out begging him???

And talk about sweet, 2 new friends this year, Tristan and Toby have to say good by for the season too! But Toby is already planning his visits down here next season. One change will be that his 2 yr old brother Jed will get to come down too because Toby has FINALLY agreed that Jed can get a TICKET too!!!

The Desert Rose will still be posting and riding, no pun intended here only as of May 16th with Little Lady and The King, in the PNW!!!

Your Desert Rose!

The "Gay" Cabalero and his Pink Bandita's

A ride had been scheduled for 2 months! The lunch had been called in, ordered and picked up. The Starbucks had been picked up!!! Then I get the call from...the Cowpoke! (You must say this in a sissy kid of voice)"I just want to let you know that the wind has picked up a bit here at the stables! So I say" Well I am on my way, let's wait, maybe and see, maybe the wind will die down, (Sometimes it does!)
I arrive to the stables and as I drive in, the Cowpoke and Spanky are... just standing there looking at a branch that has been broken off by the wind. I roll down the window and say to them,"You said windy...not FUCKING windy!" ( 25 cents in the cuss jar! ) They apologise as any cowboy would to a cowgirl and off I go to my tack room. Jesse is saddled and waiting (The Bossman will be proud of the cowpoke because he is TRAINABLE!)
But.... I have a secret weapon on the ride this time....I have The Cowpoke's" Bossmam!!! She will always side with me because she is a true cowgirl and knows how it feels to be not as (physically) strong or (financially)stable but she can ride the shit out of any horse any cowboy won't mount!!!!!!!!! So there ...COWBOYS OF THE WORLD!!!!
After a few minutes of "calming down" the Cowpoke comes to me to say..."there are bets going on out there that "THE DESERT ROSE" won't ride in this wind!!!" Well...what a way to make sure that I WILL ride in the "fucking wind"! (25 cents in The cuss jar) This post is becoming so un lady like, not the real me! So this is the weather when I arrived!

Ya...it does look "Fucking" (25 cents in the cuss jar) windy!!!

But Jesse is all saddled and waiting for me...oh so calm, even in one of the most windy days I have ever seen in the desert! And so is Sunny Doc, (For the Bossmamm) even with his hot pink saddle blanket! The Bossman would be so proud of the Cowpoke...he is trainable!!!

Some of you may remember The Bossman and Sunny Doc and a GATE issue!!!

Ok... I must confess...that this ride was going to be entitled " Tough Enough to Ride PINK!" All 3 horses and riders were to be dressed in PINK! But 2 hours later as we tried to drive through the Indian Canyon gate...they CLOSED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shit !!!!!!!!!!shit!!!!!!!!!!!shit!!!!!!!!! It was going be a GREAT ride post cause the Cowpoke and his soon to be Bossmamm can sometimes get really wild and crazy!!! They can be at fast run...trying to take off each others bridles. My Pony Cousin nieces were on a ride with the Cowpoke and me playing a very mild version of that game once! And now how would I ever get to introduce them to you with out a ride??? Then because the Cowpoke was the one to come up with the idea for us to all wear pink...I wanted to give HIM top billing!!!

Jesse's baby pink blanket does not show up well...but the Cowpoke's shirt and wild rag sure as horse shit shows up HOT PINK!!

Notice how proud Jesse is to wear PINK! And remember the saddle post???? This is the pink shirt I bought the cowpoke when I told him that there is nothing sexier that a man in a pink shirt!!!!!!!!!! The horses are untacked and put away. What are we going to do now??? I know..."photo opp"!!!

But the wind is soooooo bad now you can't go out without a wild rag over your face. One or 2 of the cowboys suggest that going with out a wild rag could save me the $$$$$ for a mircoderm face polish! FUCK THEM!!!!! I say! NO MONEY TO THE CUSS JAR, THIS IS A FREEBIE! See, STARBUCKS IN HAND???

The "Cowpoke" gathers up his posse! For what....we say???? To drive a stagecoach through the wild west!!!

Oh yes...The "Cowpoke needed his cowgirls to come out and battle the wind with him...he would not do this on his own without his Cowgirl POSSE!!! Of course you all see who needs the "liquid courage"!!!

However when one of his Posse begins to "blow away" he catches her!!!

Oh thank goodness... she may not have survived if the Cowpoke and not been so quick to act! Bet he was a thinkin that... she is the "girly girl" of the posse who just may not have survived if the cowpoke had not saved her!!! But surprise ............. HA HA....SHE IS THE EVIL LONG LEGGED COWGIRL!!!! SHE NEVER NEEDS TO BE SAVED, so the Cowpoke had better watch his ass!!!! Later I think she may just punish him f0r trying to save her and make him dance!!!

Ok... it may take a few pictures before you see... that she really does have him dancing....I will not speak for a moment and yes I was speechless at the time too!!!

Now...only u and I are privileged to see this rehearsal of their up and coming wedding dance and since I am the only one going to be there...for the actual dance...no harm done!!!!!! Now the banditta must have a pair of my chinks on, as she does here... to make it real!!!! Think I will loan her this pair!

THE DESERT BRIDE CHINKS!

Too soon the Cowpoke and and his soon to be "Bossmam" have to leave. Even though we had to eat lunch in my tack room with the door closed because of the wind...we had a great time together catching up! I do hope to get a ride with them before I go back to the PNW! We've had 3 rides scheduled...the 1st one was"fired out". They had to evacuate all the horses at their stable because of a wildfire. 2ND ride was postponed of the wind this day and the 3rd was postponed because of the Rosette's birth. And they say that the 3rd time is the charm!!!

After they left...I made lunch for Jesse, Slick and Little Lady and here are some self portraits of me and other things getting blown away!

Look at the sand in the air and the tarp over the hay! Also the chair is blown over.

I could not take off the wild rag or my glasses...the sand was terrible!!!

The round pen was a dust bowl!

As I was taking this picture a huge gust came up and literally bout blew me over. I staggered a bit and since I only had one "lemonade" it was definitely...the wind!!!

When I got home this is what I found in my beautiful back yard.

And this was inside...all over. my loving husband did not realize it was so windy until it was too late!!!

Sorry you all did not get to ride with us...maybe the 4Th time is the charm!!!

Your Desert Rose!