Yolanda and Slim (in back)

It has been a wet weekend here with rain and snow providing some much-needed moisture. This morning before the rain moved in again I got outside for the first ride of the year in the mountains with the newest member of the family–Slim.

About three weeks ago Joe and I bought a 7-year old gelding. We had been looking on and off for another horse for the past year, now that Taz is 27 years old and can no longer do multi-night trips. He still does great on day rides, and spent a week in hunting camp last year day-riding from camp with Dave and Clare. Taz was a trooper on our four-day, 40 mile elk hunting trip last fall too, but the long pull back out to the trail head loaded with the front quarters of an elk was a bit much for him and from then on we have been seriously looking to add to the herd. Since our two saddle horses are mares, we had to narrow the search to a gelding. We rode Slim in the arena along with eight other head before buying him, but today was the first time actually riding out. It was sunny for a while!

We did about a seven-mile loop, enough for Slim and Yolanda to break a little sweat and for Joe and I to wake up some leg muscles, and two deer horns later, made our way back to the truck.  It was really nice to get outside! Hope you were able to get some fresh air this weekend too. Slim is a great addition and will be used in hunting camp this fall …he will become an important part of the process of making meals from the mountains.