The smallest thing will set off your "rememberers"

[Kathie in Thorp]

So, today, lots going on in my head. Sometimes just someone w/ a similar name to a loved-one sets you off. I visited with an "Ernie." I was privileged, at about age 30, to ride Nat'l Bison Range in MT w/ Uncle Ern, after he retired from Fed. service there, and before they quit letting the retirees ride out there. He bought/trained horses for the feds and rode that ground for 30 years and wrote a book about it. I had grown up with stories about the "buffalo horses." It was the BEST! I will never forget it as long as I live. We had no run-ins on the ride with the buffalo. But that horse . . . . quiet, smooth, but quick as a dime! They don't bring in horses that are cow-horse trained. They can't work w/ buffalo; they don't have the mind-think for them. Also went to a couple of the Oct. roundups at Moise, but had no inclination to ask to get on a horse for that. Uncle Ernie died a few months ago; and a month before him, Uncle Walt, Ernie's brother (both my Dad's brothers) who was the sweetest man! He loved to work with wood and fish for walleyes. Walt made urn boxes for his family members. When I die, I'll be in one of them. I'm the only niece that has one.

I also went through about 120 pgs. of police reports about my Idaho friend's Dec. "suicide" in the last 24 hrs. There are a few huge questions for me. Will dig some more. Like: Bad-guy step son went to 7-11 for smokes about the time the fire would have started, but no in-store images he was there. No explanation in materials I rec'd. And he also tested positive for gun powder residue on his hands the next day, but no explanation given in what I got.

 

[Hook]

Kathie sometimes you just have to have faith that even if the systems fail you, god will make it right when he decides the time is right.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Sounds like you are deep in thought Kathie. Some good memories, and some sad and perplexing........We don't always have the answers, but hopefully you have peace.

 

[Ryder]

" I was privileged, at about age 30, to ride Nat'l Bison Range in MT w/ Uncle Ern, after he retired from Fed. service there, and before they quit letting the retirees ride out there."

Kathie, what do you mean? Do they just prohibit retired people?

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

" I was privileged, at about age 30, to ride Nat'l Bison Range in MT w/ Uncle Ern, after he retired from Fed. service there, and before they quit letting the retirees ride out there."

Kathie, what do you mean? Do they just prohibit retired people?

Ryder, after my ride time there, and I'm not sure what year it was (many, and Ern was already retired, but rode a young mare that was given to him as a 2-yr. old by the Range employees at his retirement), the Range did not allow anyone riding out there on Range horses or your own horse, because of "liability issues." The only exception, I believe, is that once a year they allow a group to come in. If they still even do that. It's a PR thing, and those riders never get close to buff on the hoof. Really, the opp to ride one of the Range horses was something I never dreamed could really happen. I'd heard so many stories over the years . . . . So, jumping forward to today . . . one of the tribes is now actively involved w/ management at Nat'l Bison Range, and most stuff is done with Jeeps and 4-wheelers, because staff are not horse-saavy, which totally doesn't work as well as horseback. Ern fought against that change in management policy after his retirement, as did other retirees. Another one of those things where politicos in DC think they know what's best thousands of miles away and without a clue.

Ernie rode at round-up every fall on that gifted mare for several years after retirement. When he was no longer able to ride, he helped run the pens. Finally, he just said, "THIS IS CRAP!" and dropped out. I think that was a huge heart-break for him.

 

[peg4x4]

Is the book still for sale? What was the name of it.
Sounds like something I'd love to read.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Is the book still for sale? What was the name of it.
Sounds like something I'd love to read.

Peg, via Amazon. The editor did a horrible job of fixing spellings and grammer, but you'll get the gist of it. http://www.amazon.com/Untold-Tales-Biso ... 1931291527