Daughter invited me to come for a ride.

[valley ranch]

Look at this lush land ~ on the east side of the Sierra Nevada ~ way over next to the mountain is a town called Genoa ~ mountain spread is way up the mountain ~ wouldn't think there's anything flat up there

```

 

[baymule]

Pretty pictures. That's a good price for their calf, she looks beautiful. Your girls are growing up, getting independent..... It doesn't sound like you are ready to let go. LOL

 

[thistlebloom]

The east side of the Sierras was always my favorite.
We used to go to Mule Days in Bishop, and backpacking up above Rock Creek.

 

[flowerbug]

The east side of the Sierras was always my favorite.
We used to go to Mule Days in Bishop, and backpacking up above Rock Creek.

really interesting to know someone familiar with that area after reading about Owen's Lake/water issues for years...

 

[ducks4you]

I know this picture is a year old but the horse looks so thin. Was he recently rescued?

Mary

We who have owned "hard keepers" are always getting noticed bc it looks like we don't bother to feed the horse. We suffer trying to come up with the correct food formula that will get the horse to gain some weight without foundering or colic from food that is too rich. There are supplements that work, and some that are a big waste of money. Surprisingly, horses benefit from vegetable fat, and that can be added to their food, IF they will consume it.
When the topline of any horse gets sunken it takes FOREVER to fill it back it, and if the horse is older that may never happen. Just some FYI. Love the braiding!

 

[ninnymary]

Ducks, what are "hard keepers"? Are these horses that you can have since birth or some that are rescued?

Mary

 

[valley ranch]

The east side of the Sierras was always my favorite.
We used to go to Mule Days in Bishop, and backpacking up above Rock Creek.

How about the Camel Races at Virginia City ~ ever been there ``` Looks the same today as when Samuel Clemens was there ~ writing stories for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise.

South of our mountain ranch down hwy 4 is Murphy where the Frog Jumping Contest he wrote about is still held ~ last I heard ~ and over in ~ well ~ that's another story ```

The Cilio Ranch ( think that's how it' spelled ) is walking distance down the road ~ it was a toll road for wagons ~ Cilio was a Brigadier General ~ I think in the Union Army ~ another Cilio Ranch is over Woodfords California ~ that road leads to Indian housing I used to drive bus ~ for a time ~ picked up the Indian children to school ~ ( on a Field trip to Kirkwood ~ I taught some to ski ) the road leading from that colio ranch to the school ~ winds through tricky canyons ~ perfect place for an Ambush ~ first thing I thought when I drove through there ```

Once when I hiked up into Horse Thief Canyon to hunt deer ~ Aaah ~ that's another story ~ wish you'd a been there ```

 

[valley ranch]

Ducks, what are "hard keepers"? Are these horses that you can have since birth or some that are rescued?

Mary

Hi Mary ~ Well ~ If you're asking me ~ Yes all are rescues ~ some ~ about 8 were at a ladies ranch ~ she use to have 40 horses ~ she rode and showed them ~ sh got older, will never ride again ~ she fed & watered them ~ but ~ well ~ she fed alfalfa ~ alfalfa it too rich, hot for horses that don't work ~ just like people ~ if they eat rich food and sit on the couch the get joint trouble ~ similar to Gout ```
After WWII the food available in Europe was ~ not as much cheese and meat ~ concentrated foods ~ Gout disappeared for years ~ until now it's back as here in the States ```

Others came from places and people who couldn't keep them and wanted to sell because the couldn't handle them ~ they were neglected ```

Strider , the one who's mane she's braiding ~was kept in a corral for years ~ daughter use to go to the furthers part of our fenced & Strider came to the north east of his corral and they'd watch each other ~ I didn't find out until after we bought him ~ when she went into him ~ in his corral ~ the lady who owned him was scared ~ me too ~ but they hugged ~ she was kissing him ~ he wrapped her to him with his head and neck ~ she use to feed them for Carol ~ the lady was saying she didn't want to get sued if somebody got hurt ~ but ~ if you had been there ~" 'intimos ~ el y ella " ```

All are happier and better with someone who is not afraid of then and can be the band leader, herd leader ``` If a horse knows you're afraid of them ,` they show it ~ if you're nervous the get nervous ~ if you think they'er big and dumb and dangerous they know you're afraid ~ they might just knock you down ~ you've heard some talk about them ~ they can feel it ```

Richard

Oh, you're talking to ducks ~ sorry ```

 

[valley ranch]

really interesting to know someone familiar with that area after reading about Owen's Lake/water issues for years...

When I was little ~ my Uncle Joe and Steve came back ~ they'd gone to the hot springs ~ and had seen Owens Valley for the first time in a long while ```

Owens Valley had been a paradise ~ lush and green with lakes and islands and wild life ``` Los Angles has quietly purchased land there and had begun to pump great amounts of water ( the water table was just below the surface ) Now with the millions of gallons per day being feeding a canal south to Los Angles ~ Owens Valley had become Dry Desert the trees died the lakes dried and the animals were gone ``` Uncle kept saying " Owens Valley is gone to desert ~ you have to see it to believe it ```

 

[valley ranch]

There were two brother who ran a bank who tried to help the people in Owens Valley who saw the drying of their land ```

Los Angles arranged that their books were audited and had them arrested ~ accused of fraud and other crimes ~ the people in Owens tried to dynamite a pumping station ~ but in all they were unsuccessful ~ ~they could no longer raise alfalfa or cattle ~ their orchards died with their animals ~ LA got more and more of their land and Owens Valley died ``` There are still some people living there ~ but ~ there were bumper stickers a while back " Save Mono Lake " don't see them any more ``` The bigger island ~ now that the surface subject to dryer years ~ has a land bridge that allows the coyotes to walk across and eat the birds who nest on the island ~ Brine Shrimp is still harvest from Mono ~ for aquariums and shipped to the cities ``` Uncle Joe was right ~ " You should see Owens Valley "

Owens Valley is in the Shadow of the Sierras and receive the run off ~ but it's goes quickly off to Southern California ~ so people can have English Gardens ~ wash their cars and let the water run down the gutter ```