The Neilly Boy

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Vegas baby!

What a strange day and what a strange change of places to visit...from meteor crater to the Hoover dam and now Vegas!

Route 66

Was pretty cool, but boring as anything to drive on!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Off the road

Last day on the road today! Vegas, Baby tonight! First hitting up the Meteorite site, then route 66 before Hoover Dam and then Vegas!
Great times!

Monday, September 19, 2011

But...

I'm pretty tired today so think it might be a bit of a struggle!

Longish day...

In the car today, from the ranch by Tucson to Flagstaff via an afternoon in Sedona! Went well though, although Amanda has a we'd headache!
Grand Canyon tomorrow!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

My goodness

It's quarter to nine and I am absolutely shattered!!!!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Friday, September 16, 2011

Lunch

And much needed today too after half day morning ride!

Email home

Begin forwarded message:

From: Neil Robertson <neilly_rob@hotmail.com>
Date: 16 September 2011 11:26:28 PDT
To: Andrew and Kirsty Hodge
Subject: Horseys

Hi Andrew and Kirsty,

We hope you two are doing well and behaving for Mummy and Daddy. We've seen pictures of Kirsty moving around the living room and are sure that Andrew is enjoying tweenies at nursery.

We are having great fun here in America, we're real cowboys! Sorry for the picture quality, but we thought you'd like to see our horseys for the week. Neil is on Dusty...he's a real character, after his own heart, always at the back but very pretty. Amanda is on Derringer (which is a small gun ladies used to keep in their handbag), which is apt as he's really small but very fast (when he gets going!)

It's been 30 degrees plus most days and pretty sunny although we got caught in so much rain twice...it was heaviest rain we've ever experienced!

We're off for a half day ride now so see you later!

Lots of love,

Uncle Neil and Amanda. Xxx

Days 3&4

Both days I've run out of time a bit, for which I'm sorry, but basically they've involved lots if loping and mountains!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Well now, someone became a pro!
Day 2 started early with a 7.30am meet for a slow walk out to the cookout location where breakfast was served. Then a slow walk back followed.
After that it was time for a fast ride, raking a similar route to the morning route, but first loping out in the desert...fantastic!
Then a visit to the pool followed by a jacuzzi, but not for long as it got super hot today, about 95 it topped out at!
Lunch followed then a few games of pool and a chill out back at the room!
Then at 4.30 we had another fast ride which we firstly missed the rain, then close to home we caught the thunderstorm with the lightning and thunder very close together! Carnage for a few seconds, but all fine. It was off horses then a walk back to the ranch in the pouring rain!
Another good days riding, I'm a bit sore but having a great time!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Muscles...ahhh

I can confirm the muscles that ache are not used in football, cricket or golf!
Neil is an old man!

Day 1

Well, what a great first days riding! First up we went on a slow ride to meet and get to know our horses, Dusty was my chap...very friendly and beautiful but a bit of a brat! Slow ride allowed us to take in nice scenery, but was a bit boring!
We then had a lesson, where we learnt how to lope. I was not too bad at the loping style-wise, but Dusty needed a bit of a kick and a smack to get him and keep jimmy going!
After lunch and a snooze, it was time for a talk on natural horsemanship, the new way to break horses in. It was interesting and highlighted other ways to touch a horse and get a connection.
After some uming and ahhing about what to do, Amanda did the fast ride whilst I did the team penning...I'll do another email about team penning in due course! It was great fun, even if my team wasn't the greatest!
All curtailed though by the rain per the previous post!

Rain!

Rain like I have never seen before!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Line Dancing

It's great fun, buy much harder than it looks!
Randomly when you try to look cool doing it, it makes it easier!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

And believe it or not!

We're online here!

It's dark today with the clouds coming in

But wow, what a place this ranch is!

Morning

So bags have arrived, we slept to about 6.30am then at 7.15am we went to the pool, the ambient temperature a mere 25 degrees c at this time!
Wowsers!
Think the heat might take some getting used to!