OK I know what you are thinking. What the heck does DCWARP stand for. Well it is kind of knotty, I mean a naughty little secret. Way back in 2008 a group of cowgirls got together for a horseback riding vacation at a place called Box R Ranch in Southern Oregon. Lets just say we did a lot more than horseback riding and bonded pretty tight. 
Box R Ranch 2008
We have lost a couple members over the years but gained a couple too. Continue reading
“Desert Masterpiece”
High Black Rock Desert, Nevada 3/2012
After at least a hour of “patience” I was able to get a close enough for a few shots of this magnificent paint stallion. He was letting me know loud and clear not to get too close to his mares and foals.
Some how this did not get posted yesterday. Better late than never
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From the Tony Stromberg Workshop at Absaroka Ranch, Dubois, Wyoming. 6/13
No this is not a Sundog and no this is not Rockin’ Roy. Shhhh….. it is a guest appearance.
I love it when my birthday, June 8th, falls on a Saturday. On June 8th, about 2 weeks ago, the scheduled temps in Chico, Ca. were around 108 degrees. At Sundog, up in the foothills, the temp might ONLY be 103 degrees (how do I make a degree sign on a computer?) So I asked Rockin’ Roy…if we could do one of my favorite things. Camping in the cooler mountains and not just regular camping, horse camping, even better. You see, I have my Appaloosa gelding named “GQ” trained so good right now I can just about let anyone hop on his back for a ride and that means Rockin’ Roy gets to ride him. Lucky Roy. I can hop on my newest ride Chiron. Chiron is pictured above after loading into the big tin can trying to sniff the big black thing in his face and asking “where the you know what are we going now?”
I tell Chiron “you are going on a trip with your buddy and staying right next to each other all day and night ” He does not care about anything else. Like the fact we are going to a place called Skillman Campground about 2 hours drive from here where it might be 10 degrees cooler. 
The feeling of driving away with the horse trailer and camping gear is just about as good as it gets. Only one problem. No Sundogs are aboard. The campground we are going to requires dogs on a leash and some of the trails go too close to highways. Taking a Sundog or two would be way to complicated and even dangerous. Besides, it is good for us to have vacations away from each other once in a while. Just like Rockin’ Roy and me go our separate ways quite often…I mean once in awhile. AND it is not like the poor Sundogs are deprived. They are staying home lounging by the pool being spoiled by some lucky Sundog sitters. 
See, here they are. Minus one.
“On the fly” to me means spontaneous, not fly fishing. Non tent living quarters pictured above is part of the “on the fly” theme. Spontaneous is fun and makes me feel young again but it has some drawbacks since neither Rockin’ Roy and I are all that organized.
Like…..I had to immediately wash all the camping supplies due to ample amounts of wood rat droppings in the camping stuff bin. Of course it was not MY fault because I did not pack the truck. The person who packs the truck with STUFF is supposed to check the STUFF since this was the first trip of the year….. but I did the dishes anyway. Doing the dishes when you are camping is like playing house when you were a kid. Plus the scenery is nice. I was a bit embarrassed to put up this photo of me doing the dishes but I wanted you to see our “on the fly” set up. Please don’t laugh at our camping gear, we keep the thrift stores in business.
What a nice fire huh? I built this fire while being left alone for an hour. Left alone because someone (who me?) forgot to put everything we needed in the cooler. Like coffee and cream which is a must for waking up on my birthday morning. And another someone (not me) forgot to bring along the lantern, another must have camping item. Making a fire with dry wood is a piece of cake. In fact with this fire who needs a lantern? GQ and Chiron are into their busy bags. The best part about horse camping is sleeping near and looking at your horses all the time. It’s like we are living together. I think I will title this photo “Life is Good”.
“Life is Good” came to an end when in the morning I had to clean the stalls. Lots of horse poop is a fact of life having horses, unless you have a poop picker upper. Which most of us don’t. But the duty is not so bad since we are in the cool mountain air and the flies are at bay.
While cleaning the stalls the horses had to be tied up to a hitching post. A wood hitching post is an old fashion invention. Why they make them out of wood I’ll never know. Standing still while tied is a horses job. As you can see in this photo Chiron is not exactly doing his job well. He is starting the annoying habit of pawing at the ground due to boredom I quess. GQ watches me wondering why Chiron gets all the attention all the while misbehaving.
The pawing kept him busy for a while. I tried not to make much of it.
He built up some pretty nice soft soil there around him to stand on. Maybe that was what is was all about?
GQ decides to go introverted at the hitching post.
It is all he can do to deal with the situation. Being tied to the hitching post with Chiron is about as bad as it gets.
Eyes closed, head down, nose to post. “Maybe nobody will notice me”.
Secret whiskers on alert.
Time to wake up goober nose.
Chiron feels he has to help GQ wake up by sniffing around and tickling GQ’s belly. GQ is enormously tolerant of Chiron in this way.
“Mom come and get me now “!
Chiron on the other hand has other ideas.
As you can see a wood hitching post has its disadvantages. Notice how nice and straight Chiron’s teeth are? No I DON’T brush them daily. Also notice the orange drips on the hitching post?
Habanero sauce, which usually works to discourage wood consummation. Chiron did NOT do all this damage to the hitching post. The many horses that visited here before did it. Chiron was just doing his part.
After a bit of Habanero sauce Chiron quickly lowered his head under the hitching post as if to say…..”I think I’ll just hang my head low and be a good boy like GQ”
“Or maybe not” As you can see this horse has some pent-up energy. Lucky me I get to ride him today, my birthday.
Speaking of birthdays look what I got! What more could a cowgirl want? No not the Corona…..a new tool. Besides a couple of knives it’s got wire cutters and a bottle opener. Even though it was only late morning we were camping and it was my birthday so off popped the cap on the Corona Light which is like drinking water almost. It is good to loosen up a bit before a ride
Being an experienced trail horse GQ goes back to snoozing while Roy has to check the map one more time. He knows all about conserving his energy before he has to work.
The warm mountain sun is starting to get high meaning we are REALLY late getting started for our ride today. Do you think GQ cares?
Absolutely NOT!
But the time comes to ride. I tack up the horses because Rockin’ Roy is allergic to them. 
Doesn’t GQ look fabulous in his new headstall?
Chiron finally calms down knowing he is going to get to move his feet soon. Saddlebag not needed today. 
Whoa Roy! Heels down, shorten that inside reign, lower those hands, elbows in. GQ wonders “who is this on my back and why is my usual human standing on the ground in front of me?”
At this point my trail camera bit the dust and it was time to get on with the ride. Chiron was calling me to hurry up and get on. No more blogging time just riding time. Rockin Roy and I had a glorious ride through the forest. We even had lunch at a cafe along the trail. The weather stayed below 95 degree’s I think. GQ and Chiron were perfect mounts and the rest of the weekend went of without a hitch….ha ha no pun intended.
Adios Amigo’s…until next time.
This is the first photo that came to my mind when I thought of the word CURVES.
Titled “Synergy” Original Photo In color
A stunning Saddlebred stallion “Lange’s Cheyenne Gold” owned by Eitan Beth-Halachmy meets a Morgan mare, defusing his pent-up desire….somewhat.
“Synergy” Turned into Fine Art
And finally here is yours truly posing with the infamous Eitan Beth-Halachmy, founder of “Cowboy Dressage” in my fine art booth at the Light Hands Horsemanship Clinic in Santa Ynez, California two weeks ago. Original photo taken in May 2011 in Grass Valley California.
This is actually “Part Two” of Mountain Dogs: At It Again But I had to name this post “The Precious”. Because anybody that has a retriever or any dog that likes to retrieve you know what I mean.
When we go to Tahoe the Sundogs become “Mountain Dogs” Close by the condo cabin we have the Truckee River or “The Lake” We did not take “The Precious” to the river because it may end up downstream if somebody does not do their job to recover it. And we don’t want to litter the river beds with “The Precious”
So today we take “The Precious” to the lake.
But first we started out by having Rockin’ Roy get the dogs focused on “The Precious” on the lawn. Notice who are the best students. Lassen the noncompetitive one has other things to investigate.
Sasha’s focus is unbeatable.
At two years old she’s in her prime. Sorry Yolo.
After the warm up it’s time to head down to the pier. As you can see someone got a little too warmed up and is already cooling off at the shore. Normally at the condo cabin we have to have the mountain dogs leashed up in the common areas and the pier. But since it is off season and no one is around the COAST IS CLEAR!
We HAVE to make sure we bring plenty of bags (for you know what) and the leashes out on the big long pier. Because sometimes guests come walking out and want more peace and solitude than the Mountain Dogs are willing to offer. 
Human rules don’t apply to the Mountain Dogs.
Even though Sasha’s in top form these days Yolo will not give up on owning the “The Precious”. Lassen on the other hand has other things to investigate.
You see, Yolo is addicted to “The Precious”. His addiction gets a little annoying at times and we have to put “The Precious away”. Right now Roy is trying to teach Yolo a little patience.
Yolo tries to maintain his cool.
“Will you PLEASE throw that thing for me!”
“Finally he is lifting his arm a little”.
“I thought it would never happen. And look….. all five Mountain Dogs are competing with me now. Darn”
Their off!
Miss perfect beats Yolo again by two body lengths at least. 
Watch out for Sasha. MONSTER MOUTH.
ESCAPE ROUTE PLEASE!!
Amazingly Sasha makes it back to Rocking Roy with “The Precious”. 
Did you ever wonder if “The Precious” ever goes over the edge? Well it does. As you can see Yolo still has his eye on “The Precious” but I have to be truthful and admit, it took quite sometime for him to put two and two together and figure out how to get to it.
He finally figured to go over to and then down the stairs that lead into the human swimming section which is where “The Precious” fell. He looked and looked at the water and at me. “Where is The Precious?”
Sasha was looking for “The Precious” too.
Finally they both were on track and getting near “The Precious”.
When suddenly Sasha gave up and turned back. I think she just wanted to give her big brother a chance. But in reality Yolo is “still the man” He kept his eye on the ball (I mean “The Precious”) and did not give up for anything. I guess his “Precious” addiction is good thing…….sometimes.
Sasha not being quite as addicted the “The Precious” said “I gotta get back to dry land”.
While Lassen is off investigating again. Not giving a hoot about “The Precious”
Until next post.
Adios Amigo’s!
I, we and they are at it again. “I” meaning I’m finally back to this blog. “We” meaning Rockin Roy and I took the Sundogs to one of their favorite places in the world. And “they” meaning the Sundogs doing what they do best. Strutting their stuff at Tahoe in the Truckee River. This year Sasha is a whole year older and becoming quite the competition for the Yolo the “king” of our retrievers. As you can see above Sasha has the upper hand with the BIG stick. Yolo clings to about one inch of it. I don’t know who found the BIG stick but they really scored. They found a LONG stick too since the BIG stick is a bit heavy to retrieve every time.
Here is the LONG stick. Can you see the way Sasha grabbed the end next to Yolo? That is her strategy for knocking him off the stick so she can get back to shore solely with the stick in her possession.
It is time to throw the BIG stick again. Dropping the BIG stick at one’s feet is how it’s done.
Grabbing the BIG stick without getting your hand stepped on or mauled is a good thing too.
Keeping your eye on the stick while it is being thrown is a good thing if you want to get to it first.
This time Yolo gets a better grip but Maisie is out of the running completely.
“Today is just not my day” says Maise.
Yolo and Sasha make it back to shore AGAIN after I don’t know how may retrieves. “We have to live up to our name mom”.
Meanwhile Mr. Lassen our noncompetitive Sundog strolls on the beach.
And rolls in the course mountain grass scratching his back. Who needs to fight for the stick?
Nevada wants to fight for the BIG stick just once at least.
But Sasha and Yolo joined at the shoulders are not letting anyone else in on their rivalry.
Guess who eventually wins out? Hopefully Sasha retains all her teeth after proudly prancing around on the beach with the BIG stick.
And since 20 retrieves is not enough they have to go for one more plunge.
“Boy that one really got me wet all over. Getting the water out of ones ears is important”.
Last return after at least 21 throws. It’s time to dry off don’t you think?
Sasha says no way. I am in perfect form and peak performance.
I’ll just take this BIG stick into the river on my own.
After a few tries on her own Sasha agrees to do her dry off dance on the beach.
Soon we vanish into the forest and let the warm mountain sun dry wet paws and pants.
The dreaded leashing up for the walk home.
“We get to be leashless while we dry off some more in the sun”. The truck is another favorite place of the Sundogs because it takes them to their favorite places.
Time to close the tailgate for the trip home. Yolo contemplates how far to the ground just in case the need for escape.
Once home the couch rules. Rockin Roy is exhausted from throwing the BIG stick and and Maisie contemplates how to get back her groove as the top retriever. “Boy swimming against the river current really wears me out these days”.
“Life is good though. I can’t complain”.
Adios Amigo’s…stay tuned for the “The Precious” .
This weeks Photo challenge is PATTERNS. Can you see this amazingly natural MOVING pattern? They are mother and daughter Friesians running freely at Book Family Farm in Durham, Ca. The photo was taken at my photography workshop last month. They are at the farm being trained to drive by Nattie Book. Enjoy!
This is what happens when we take THEM to the pier. After the long journey down the very long and historic Tahoe Taverns pier the Sundogs can’t wait to get into the water. This is what happens.
Maisie is my leaper. She does not drift into the water she LEAPS into it. Off the metal stairs that lead to the swimming section off the pier. The roped off swimming area is reserved for humans but unless it is the heart of the summer in prime daylight hours the Sundogs TAKE OVER at the swimming section. Leaping affords Maisie a lot of time to get in front of her brothers hence to get to the object she is after FIRST.
Once Maisie gets what she is looking for of course she is FIRST to the stairs.
Sasha at four months old and her first time at the “stairs” does not want any part of what seems like fun to the big Sundogs. Leaping by herself into the blue-green sea of liquid ice with two or three other giant Sundogs after her does not seem fun.
I’m in the water! Isn’t that enough?
But no matter how hard she tries by putting two feet first in the water Sasha cannot bring herself to plunge in to the sea of liquid ice like her Mom does.
So she plunks down at the top of the stairs where she can watch that is going on.
Mr Lassen is also staying dry for now. He got his feet wet but since he is not too into competition he used the opportunity while everyone else was swimming to check out the good sniffs….. on the end of the pier by the swimming section. 
He could watch the swimming scene with Rockin Roy and that was fine with him.
And RARE undivided attention was to be had.
While Maisie and Yolo had to get the ball FIRST from the stairs. 
Sasha stayed far away from the bottom step when Yolo was there.
And got away quickly when Mom was plunging.
Lassen finally gets in on the action and so now we have three big wet Sundogs crowding the stairs.
When they shake Rockin Roy tries to get away from the shake but not Sasha.
Sasha has to play the “I BITE YOUR LEG” game while they aren’t even finished shaking off yet.
It is time to dry off on the pier now. No more fun “on the stairs”.
Sasha seems a little more at ease now with Mom and Yolo at her side NOT on dry land but at least on the pier. They can all survey the lake and bird situation from here and stop the silly plunging into liquid ice even if there is that retrieving thing going on.
Rockin Roy calls and in no time the Sundogs sprint to the call. It must be time to go home, finish drying off and hit the couches.
Leashing up for the walk down the pier away from the swimming section is OK since we got a bit tired out. 
Even if we don’t want to admit it.
Adios Amigo’s…until next time.
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