OPINION: I'd be pleased to show off my new horse

The sorrel horse was delivered yesterday and I am pretty sure this is only 10 feet from heaven! I feel like a kid that got the BB gun for Christmas!

Jack is his name and he is even more than I expected from the pictures. Gentle as a lamb after the long haul from Texas and easy to introduce to the place. I rode for four hours and the rocking chair description fit perfectly. I didn't think I'd ever have a horse that neck reined as good as Snip but Jack is a dream.

I sure am thankful for almost decent weather and checked cattle horseback this morning. It sprinkled some but I had a slicker with me and never had to use it. I was late for lunch and the offspring were out looking for me. I don't know if I was glad they cared or aggravated at them for not giving me credit for riding my new mount. Anyway, my close relative was sort of put out that we were all holding up her day, so we ate pretty fast and all of us helped clean up the table.

The cattle are doing well and the calves are growing. We weighed and sorted the bulls we kept from spring last year and I put seven of them in the bullpen. We penned the other 25 head in the corner pasture so we could show them if someone was interested. I like all of them this year but five is the ideal number to feed and maybe use here at home and seven gives me a couple to cull if their disposition is unruly. I would rather not sell yearling bulls, more sure of their quality when they are closer to eighteen months old, but will if someone wants to chance it.

One of the spring heifer calves looks like she might be sore-footed on the left. I watched for a while and we will have to get her up if it isn't well tomorrow -- a good-looking calf and worth the effort to keep healthy.

The thistles did not freeze out when it was minus 20 degrees this past winter. I saw some big ones begging for herbicide or the shovel as I rode around the pastures. My close relative's English Ivy looks dead from the freeze, but not the weeds! I know Satan sows seeds and laughs at us trying to clean them out! Hemlock is just doing dandy!

I have a meeting to attend tonight and we still have to wear our masks to this type of function. We are in need of supporting the fire department in our community and making some money to replace worn equipment. We all want to keep the department well-armed with good tools but it does cost.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, I'd be pleased to show off Jack, talk about his bloodlines, let you pet him and tell me how great he is. Don't come here to compare him to your neighbor's fine stud-horse and find fault with him! My feelings would sure be hurt and I might get tacky!

Remember to be friendly, help those who need help, clean your arsenal and replace used ammo. Remember the Alamo!

Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.