Chuck and Larry

The day started as any other day so far, breakfast, cleaning up the ranch, lunch and then more cleaning of the ranch.  The cool new part to today was the patriotic running of the horses.  This afternoon, the wranglers had all the guest kids paint the white horses with red, white and blue.  

See the paint on the white horses?

Around 5 o'clock, Dace (the ranch manager), Lee (the head wrangler) and two others took their horses faster than I've ever seen someone ride right in front of the lodge where all the guest were standing at the fence.  The wranglers then opened the horse gate to let the other horses run after them and they stampeded to the other pasture across from the lodge.  After those horses were gone, they let the white horses that were painted go and they had them moving pretty fast too!  I wish I could have gotten a picture, but I was in the old fashioned fire engine that followed behind them throwing candy to all the children.  It was pretty simple, but very moving with the horses and the "I'm proud to be an American" playing in the background.  You don't get any more cowboy than that.  ;o)  

Horses get all patriotic for the big event

After all this, the group I work with drove into Steamboat Springs, ate Italian at a place called Mazzola's and then we watched the new Adam Sandler movie I now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry.  Cute movie and it was on the ranch's dime, so it was even better.  The ranch had a barn dance tonight that we all missed, but I'll see it next week.  The rodeo is this Friday.  I'm suppose to be going to that...  Saturday is my day off!  I'm so excited!  Just not sure what I'm going to do with myself.  Although, I know I'm riding my first horse out here at some point that day and then possibly going on a hike.  We'll see... 

Remember I said the horses were moved to a different pasture?  Well, tomorrow when I wake up, they will be grazing not even 5 feet away from my bedroom window.  I've been looking forward to hearing them and seeing them when I wake up all week!  I'll make sure to take a picture to give you an idea of how close they are.  Pretty excited!

Jake lays just about anywhere on the ranch

Oooohhh, earlier in the week I mentioned one of the kids that was REALLY into the FBI?  Well, yesterday he was wearing one of those FBI jackets you see in the movies and then today he had a FBI sweatshirt.  I had to take a picture.  It's just too priceless and cute! 

Giddy up,

Heather

Another one of Jake

My FBI friend

Whitey's get ready to run

Just before a wrangler lassoed the can.

The girls prior to throwing candy to the kids

Neal - our driver

Dace getting ready to start the stampeded

Dace again getting the horses ramped up

Seconds before the run

The lone horse who stayed behind

Coming back after the run