October Break: Part 2

This year for October Break we went to Winston, New Mexico to live on a dude ranch for a a few days! It would be an understatement to say it was fun.

Our family went four years ago with the McCleves too!

I took one of my best friends Shiersten Uchytil. She was a natural on a horse!

We rode for about 8 hours straight a day. We only got one break for lunch for about a half hour. The first day during lunch, we explored a cave. It was super cool!

I quickly learned that not wearing sunblock was a bad idea. I got fried! You can barely see my sunburn line on my neck in this picture! I peeled for about 2 1/2 weeks after and I still have a tan from it shaped in a v on my neck (I was wearing a v-neck the day I got the most sun). And, since i peeled, my neck is now just super splotchy.

It was kind of sad when a boy sitting next to me in Spanish says "Look! You're not peeling anymore!" FAIL.

On the second day at work, we went on a cattle round-up. After rounding up about 80 cows in the mountains, we had the privilege (not really) of branding and castrating some calves. Or how my mom puts it, "Making a boy cow into a girl cow!" Now that was something I've never experienced!

Rounding 'em up!

First, we had to tackle the calf. It may sound easy, but they weighed between 100 and 200 pounds!

After getting the calf on the ground, about six of us held it down. Because there was no numbing, the calf would kick super hard when the "procedures" were performed. Everyone got kicked a few times, but we just had to brush it off and just hold on stronger.

This is me and "the family jewels" as we called them!
It was definitely an unforgettable experience!

I loved my horse Dejah and can't wait to go back again!

P.S. This is me almost falling off my horse running at full speed.