Peteyfoozer’s Journey (because journaling’s not enough)

[peteyfoozer]

In 2007, we left my home of almost 30 years, along with my training operation (I spent my life as a professional horse trainer) my family and my friends, and took a job on a 250,000 acre cattle ranch in SE Oregon beneath the Steens

We are 2 hours from closest town, which has very little to offer, so all our shopping, errands and Dr appts are in Idaho, 4 hr away. There are no telephone landlines and our cell phones only worked in random places so for 14 years the only contact I had with friends or family was online through satellite dish. Needless to say, I didn’t hear from them often.
Due to our remote location, raising our own food, cooking every meal from scratch, required an insanely fully stocked pantry and of course, livestock

and being out here also means lots of predators so we also needed livestock guardians, so we raised and trained 2 Maremmas

plus milkcows

And chickens…

Don’t forget rabbits…

That was then….

 

[Baymule]

I’m glad you started this. I’ve always enjoyed your posts. Life has changed for you over the years and you have taken long absences from the forum. I’m glad you are back and keeping a chronical of your journey!

 

[peteyfoozer]

Thanks @Baymule, I didn’t think anyone noticed! By the way, I too have a son who is a crane operator

 

[Mini Horses]

What is you life and location like NOW? still out there in the "on your own" lands? It's amazing what such life situations trains you to do -- survival!

 

[peteyfoozer]

Over the years, I had a few setbacks…I broke my collarbone when a horse spooked an ran me down, then I dislocated a shoulder trying to cross a swampy ditch. My horse ( same one, btw) got mired down in the mud and panicked. I knew I was done for if I came off so reached up and took a good hold of his mane right as he broke loose and charged up the steep bank. It yanked my arm out of the socket , tore a piece of the labrum and got it wedged in the socket so my arm couldn’t go back in and of course major tears in my rotator cuff. We weren’t going to town for 3 weeks so I had to wait until I had a rheumatologist appt as regular doctor suspected I had RA. I asked for a recommendation to a good chiropractor, instead they sent me to ortho and I immediately had surgery with a 10 mo recovery. Worse, my gelding injured himself badly enough he had to be put down.
I finally started riding again, helping the cowboss. We went to sort calves and I ponied my crazy mare 3 miles to wear her out. I swapped horses to work calves in the corral among the rocks and frozen ground, which is where she body slammed me after breaking in two…just because.
A few hours later, after traveling 35 miles down a bumpy gravel road and 1 hr 45 min drive into Burns I went i to shock with 11 broken ribs and a punctured lung. After a week in Burns’ smalltown hospital, I was sent home, on oxygen. Every week for 3 weeks I saw Dr who had xrays done and each time he said “nope, no change, come back next week”. The third week the xray tech said “ you’re not going home” and I told her I was, as Dr said he was going home and would call with results. She said “NO. YOu are NOT going home!”
She had us wait while she sent the xrays to a specialist in Bend. Next thing I knew I was in emergency surgery where they RE-BROKE my ribs to remove 2 liters of coagulated blood out of my lung. . We no longer use Burns hospital, but x ray tech probably saved my life.

A year of recovery, again. Followed by my Rknee replacement. Back to working cows and feeding leppie calves

Milking and making cheese, sour cream, cream cheese etc all our dairy products, growing the garden, making soaps, baking bread

making vinegar, jams, etc from the bounty of the orchard (we have the BEST peach tree EVER!
I had another wreck, tore up my other shoulder and had yet another surgery and recovery to go through. Then my other knee was replaced, after I healed up and haired over from all that, I went back to work helping cowboss. RA was confirmed by this time and progressive. After riding only 6 hr I was in so much pain, I passed out and came off my horse again. Hallelujah! No injuries. Next morning I went to saddle up and as I lifted my saddle, as I have thousands of times, I tore my bicep tendon completely off my shoulder.
Another very painful surgery and warning to never lift with that arm again because there just isn’t anything left to reattach to.

During this time, I had to sell my sheep and cows, both my LGD’s have passed away and less than a week after Bruno died, the coyotes were close every single night. 12 years of never hearing one, it was pretty crazy how effective those dogs are. The minute the predators figured out they were gone, they moved in and slaughtered all my chickens and ducks in one night.

My Service Dog died suddenly in early March from a deadly canine cancer which just gutted me. I had just had my hip replaced and was excited we could go back to riding again. Nope.

My Paint gelding is 29 this year. I am afraid he will die of old age before I get him saddled, though he looks and feels good for his age

But a friend and a breeder made me a great deal on a Service Dog prospect puppy, “Fen”

I am picking up rabbits in a couple weeks, chicks will be delivered in August, I’m looking for some lambs I can afford ad a friend is gifting me a rare breed LGD.
My husband is finally starting to help me in the backyard so I can get garden in.

Things are most definitely looking up!

 

[Baymule]

You might as well be a rodeo bull rider with all those injuries. Dang girl, you are a better woman than I am!

Your paint gelding is a beauty, 29 ain’t so old, he will probably give you some more rides. Try not to ride off a cliff, it seems that’s the only thing you haven’t done.

Both knees replaced, hip replacement, multiple surgeries on both shoulders, ribs, collarbone, gheesh.

I HAVE to ask……. while you were beating the sh!t out of yourself, how many injuries has your husband had?

 

[Mini Horses]

I think he was watching, head shaking, not even thinking to follow her lead!

Beautiful horse!

 

[murphysranch]

Oh Dear. Its amazing that you are still alive and upright! Glad you're here tho!

 

[peteyfoozer]

You might as well be a rodeo bull rider with all those injuries. Dang girl, you are a better woman than I am!

Your paint gelding is a beauty, 29 ain’t so old, he will probably give you some more rides. Try not to ride off a cliff, it seems that’s the only thing you haven’t done.

Both knees replaced, hip replacement, multiple surgeries on both shoulders, ribs, collarbone, gheesh.

I HAVE to ask……. while you were beating the sh!t out of yourself, how many injuries has your husband had?

None!! He’s a mechanic!

 

[Baymule]

Wrenches are safer than horses!