Jon Ensign's Horsemanship Blog

2008-07-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

It's been over a month since I have been able to write at all, I have been very buisy lately, I had a ranch clinic at my place last week that went well, we had a lot of fun.

This last month has been pretty warm here so our snow up high is melting fast wich has the river still at flood stages, The other day I took some colts for a ride to a mountain lake that I like and we had to break through about four feet of snow to get all the way to it. It sure was nice up there, we even saw a mountain goat up on some cliffs above the lake.

I sent my son to a good friend of mine's house today to rope and brand some yearlings, I ended up with a head cold some how so I thought I would stay and try to heal up a little.

My clients horses are all doing good and were getting a lot of riding done on them. We started six of our colts the other day also so we have plenty of work right now. Were running close to 300 head of cows this summer on a forest permit so were getting plenty of saddle time.

I hope every one is good and by all means STAY SAFE.

2008-05-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

I have,nt been able to write to much lately because my computer has been down but I will give it a try today and see what happens!

It's been very buisy for me here this spring, our weather has held a lot of work up for people so as soon as the sun came out everyone has to get all there spring work done.
I just came back from Dillon, MT, last night where I was staying for a little while helping some folks that have a big feedlot over there. It was great for the horses that I took over there as I rode them about 14 hours a day. We sorted lots of cattle, branded calves ,and doctered and shipped some yearlings that were headed to grass somewhere else. My horses did good and it was a lot of fun, looking forward to go back there soon.
Our weather has been in the 70's and the snow pack is realy coming out of the mountains fast, parts of my pasture is realy flooding in the afternoons when it is the warmest. It will be gone soon and then I can fix my fence again!
Until next time, I hope everyone stays safe!

2008-05-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

I went outside early this morning to feed and it sure was warm out. Looks like a rain storm coming in today, we could sure use it, maybe it will spark the grass into growing a little.

I have been riding Spike on little rides trying to get him into shape, it's been a while since he was ridden and it is remarkable how well he is doing. He is one of those horses that you never want to get off of.

Some new colts are coming in today from a ranch a little south of here, there all three and four year olds that have never been haltered, my son Kade and I are going to halter break them today when he gets out of school, hopefully the weather will hold so we can get that done.

I have still been looking for some elk horns but have'nt had any luck, we still have a lot of snow in the mountains around hear so it's hard to get up very high, if it warms up fast I will be getting some flooding in portions of my pasture. That always does a lot of good for my fence, I usually have to replace a quarter mile or so a year. I guess it's about that time!

Hope all is well with everyone, Check back later and find out how the halter breakin goes.

2008-05-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

I'm a little slower getting up this morning than normal, I had a great day yesterday, I got all my colts in and brushed a lot of their winter hair off and trimmed their feet and also wormed them. It took a while trying to find them in a 640 acre pasture and I guess I forgot how many I had!!!! Jeeez they sure add up in time!!
I sold a couple of my finished horse this winter so I employed a horse named Spike that I have. I thought Spike was a five year old but I looked at his papers yesterday and I guess he has been five for three years. I was surprised to learn that he was eight years old this spring. I rode Spike a lot when he was young and then gave him to my dad to ride. I took him away from him yesterday ( he does'nt know yet) so I can get him in shape and replace the horses that I have sold. I think Spike and I both wintered well this year, were both packin some extra pounds, I noticed it when I was puttin shoes on him last night. I'm not sure who was breathing harder, him or me!!
I think I will take Spike out today and start getting him into shape, I have some brandings to go to in a couple of weeks and want him to loose a few hay bales before we show up and get laughed at.
Well my finger has a cramp in it from all this one finger typeing so I guess I am going to go ride.
Happy trail and stay safe.

2008-05-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

I opened my eyes to a dark crisp morning today, as the dark fades it looks like a beautiful blue sky day. I have a lot to do today, I need to get my colts in from my pasture and get them all vaccinated with spring shots and wormer. It looks like I need to fix some fence from the snow pulling it down. I also need to do some more harrowing and get 3-4 colts rode. It will be a buisy day but it's nice out so it will be enjoyable.
I'm still getting some very nice e-mails from last weekends trainers challenge, I sure appreciate it from everyone, everybody that I have Met from Alberta has been so friendly, It's nice to hear that everyone liked my work. I work hard on trying to change the horses life in a good way, they have so much to teach us we just need to listen.
Well I am going to grab some more coffee and get to work. Check back soon and see what else we can get into!!

2008-05-01T05:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, I just made it home from Red Deer, Alberta from the trainers challenge at the Mane Event. It sure was a well put together event, the folks that put that show on sure do a grand job. I thought my colt was a little more sensetive than the others but she was sure nice. Steve Rother and I were realy close going in to the finals, I started off going first in the finals, I had never done anything like this before so I was pretty nervous, lots of things going through my head. It was hard being in front of over 5000 people for the first time, The horse was easy, the people were hard! I completed all the required obstacles, walked, troted, and loped her around the arena both directions, picked her feet up, and loaded her in the trailer. She was touchy about her right hind leg, I wish I had more time to help her through that spot, hopefully someone will take their time with her and get that right.
Steve went last and did a very nice job with his horse, she was sure willing to do what he asked of her. In the end Steve won the challange, Congratulations to him he earned it.
I hope to do more of them in the future, it was fun and the people in Alberta were awesome.
It looks like a nice morning out, I have a hand full of colts to go ride today, I think I will take them for a ride outside, I have a nice mountain range right out my front door that are loaded with elk right now. All the bulls have lost their horns by now so I think I will go horn hunting, What a nice way to spend the day, riding a nice horse looking for elk horns, I got myself all excited thinking about it so I gotta go. I will check in with you later.

Mane Event Canada

2008-03-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

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