Painted River Ranch

Finally had a chance to get the pony out and do some competing on the trail course/horse park we worked so hard on to develop.

In 2018 a trail committee of mostly 4 dedicated volunteers set out to develop and design an outdoor trail course worthy of international recognition. It took us 3 years, thousands of hours of labor, volunteer work, we donated time, equipment, we sacrificed family and personal time to see it to fruition. It was completed in 2020. I broke my back completing this course, it was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak, requiring extensive back surgery in 2021 that resulted in paralysis. I overcame the surgery & the paralysis. So to be able to ride the course I toiled over on a home grown filly I raised myself was one of the highlights of the summer for me.
The RM and the construction company that helped with the course are recognized on the trestle bridge. The trail committee that committed the hours, labor, secured the contracts for those 3 years etc, were Colleen Kellett, Jeffrey Beck Laura Martin and Lorraine Beaudette.

Scenes from around the Ranch this Canada Day. Hay like I have never seen in these parts…now to just get it out up dry. A bald eagle 🦅 stops in for a visit. Just a rescued Dutch shepherd and her cows. Ralph’s pain staking shots of a Baltimore oriole and a full garden under rainbow skies 💕 and the real boss around here

Well heaven gotta another good one!! Bruce's mom Ida Martin got her Angel Wings this past Saturday. I was so so blessed to be part of this families life. I was loved with welcomed arms by his parents and I think all the "in laws" of the family can honestly say we always felt like we were born into the family. I was so fortunate to have them visit me here at the Ranch recently, and was surprised when I got a call from 95 year Walter and 93 year old Ida that "we just in Saskatoon and we're coming out for a visit' 😳🤣They always loved surprise visits. We will miss you Ida but glad there is finally someone making Bruce tow the line up there. He had free rein for far too long!!

https://www.serenity.ca/obituaries/Ida-Dorothy-Martin?obId=31736886

What a great weekend of learning and hands on with the Masterson Light to the core clinic. Learning how to identify areas of tension (due to all kinds of causes) in the horse and stimulating release of these areas. I got up work on several different horses as well as Pete (retired APHA superior trail, pleasure and 2x PtHA World Champion) and boy did we find spots that he loved to release LOL. He will be a work in progress and I am so glad I got to learn how to help him. Thank you so much to Tammy Rettger for hosting the clinic and the amazing Janet Stephen for her humor, her knowledge and compassion. It was so great great to meet a the group of like minded ladies who wore their hearts on their sleeves for these blessed creatures. The love and compassion during the hands on sessions were immeasurable. This is what horsemanship is truly about. With Carla Norman, Christina Weese, Melissa Stieb, Tammy Rettger, Erin Fletcher, Haley Rolko, Helen Perkins, Laurie Ridgeway, Ester, Forsyth..

Anybody got grasser yearlings or early calves for sale or looking to lease cattle pasture for the summer? Looking for something to keep our pastures down. 5 or 6 head to start maybe more if moisture holds. Approx. 40 acres St. Denis area. Pasture is brome grass and alfalfa . Good fences, automatic waterers, cattle oiler/scratchers, shelter & holding pen. (Photo for attention)

It was a great ending to our 3 part ranch horse clinic series on Saturday. We had fun chasing cows, flags and kids. Our horses got some great exposure to cattle work and handling. Thanks once again to Braden Bernier for being our most cordial clinician for the series. In March we worked on horsemanship, April was pattern work and May was cattle work. Now we are all set and ready for Ranch Horse season 😉.