"Luck to me is lots of determination, hard work, faith in myself and in God"- Lane Frost Rodeo Ready?Growing up in a family where multiple people are headed to a rodeo of some sort can be kind of hectic. What's even more crazy is when your siblings all age out and you are left to your first rodeo season alone! This year, Marjorie found herself attending Jr High rodeos alone, since her older brother moved on. Marjorie has had a lot of changes happen this last year. In the early fall her trusted barrel and pole horse, "Dunit", pulled a muscle and needed to be layed off for a couple of months. Thankfully, Liza, allowed her to borrow her horse "Sophera", as she was focusing more on her up and coming horse "Jetta". Marjorie was hesitant at first but has since clicked well with "Sophera" and won the Diamond Fork Winter Series Rodeo, taking first place in intermediate barrels. Being the only one competing means it is up to you to make sure the trailer is packed with all your gear, food, extra clothes and any equipment you might need. Once at the rodeo there is a lot to be done to make sure you are rodeo ready. This weekend as Marjorie was getting everything ready to compete she walked us through her event ready checklist at her Jr High Rodeo in Hurricane, Utah. Brush HorsesBefore anything else it is important to make sure you have brushed off your horses. Brushing off your horses prevents sticker weeds, hay or dirt from rubbing on the saddle pad and creating annoyance. Imagine if you never brushed through your hair, the dirt would probably rub and cause you to itch. Grooming your horse is a curtesy. Pick out Your Horses HoovesJust like grooming/brushing your horse prevents itching and horses, so does checking their feet. A horses hooves are their lifeline, because they literally can't function without them. Especially when you're getting ready to compete you want to make sure your horses feet are clean of rocks and hard packed dirt so there isn't any discomfort. This is very important for rodeos as you want your horse to do their best and avoid discomfort. If you've never picked out a horses foot before, here is a great place to learn how. Saddle UpAfter we have inspected the horse and gotten them groomed. It's time for the blanket and saddle. We use a separate blanket/pad when competing that is only for rodeos so it stays nice and clean. Briddle and Boot UpAfter we have the saddle on and ready to go, it's time to get the headstall and boots on. We ride "Sophera" in a Myler bit to stiffen her up just a little because she is super bendy, but we also like to use a Sherri Cervi bit. Due to the fact that the horse is going to be performing, proper protection for their legs is needed. We use the professional choice boots for all of our barrel and pole horses. Warm Up and Double CheckOur horses are athletes, you wouldn't go sprint 400 meters with no warm up and expect to not pull a muscle, so we don't ask that of our horses either. We take the time to warm them up, so that when it comes time to run, they are ready. During warm up is also a good time to check your tack and make sure it is tight. Team MeetingAs we were talking with Marjorie, she reminded us of one of our favorite family and ranch traditions, team meetings. When you go in that arena to compete it isn't solely on you. You are a team with your horse, and God. It is important to take a minute before you run to say a quick prayer for your horse, your competitors and you. No rodeo is ever complete without some praise towards heaven. Time to RideAfter you've had your team meeting with God and your horse it is time to put your worries, fears and nerves behind you. Run your race, leave it all in the arena. Marjorie has placed in the top 3 in the 1D in every jackpot she and "Sophera" have entered in, since December. We look forward to seeing what all this team can accomplish. We are on a journey to bridge the gap between producer and consumer by sharing our dream, knowledge and experience with the world. Hold on tight the ride is only 8 seconds long.
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"Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals & happiness." - Thomas Jefferson Starts as a DreamWhat is your life-long dream? Do you dream of wide open spaces, cattle grazing and checking fence lines on horse-back? Do you dream of the sun beating down on your back or the sweat drizzling down your brow as you look over the fields? Or do you dream of closing your eyes at night and thanking the Lord for just one more day of doing it all again? Dreams fuel life. Hard work gives the mind and body satisfaction, especially when you're working on something you love. Nothing accomplishes both of these the way our little ranch does for the 10-Bar-Y Family. Our hobby ranch gives us the thrill of seeing our hard work produce something that blesses everyone's lives; it's a fulfillment of a dream. In the last couple of years more and more people have joined the trend of hobby farming and ranching. So what is a hobby farm? What is a "Hobby" Farm/Ranch?A hobby farm or ranch is a plot of land or an operation that is typically run for pleasure not for a substantial income. Hobby farms and ranches are passion projects rather than a full business endeavor and have increased in popularity within the United States in recent years. In an article published in May 2020, the reasons for this increase can be boiled down into three main points. The first being that a small hobby farm can generate a small amount of income and supplement what is already being made. Second, it provides an opportunity for you to grow your own food, which is seen as a health benefit. Lastly by having your own hobby farm, it can help you decrease your ecological footprint. For some people one of these reasons may be more important than the others. Knowing what your reason for wanting a hobby farm makes it possible to have one no matter where you start. The BeginningOne of the best ways to get started on your dream is to let others know what it is. Before starting 10-Bar-Y, we let others know that we wanted to have a Ranch. Through talking about our dreams with others we were able to find and make opportunities for ourselves. We got started in the dog business because we told our family friends about our dreams. They helped us get started in the breeding business and were our mentors as we were new to the dog breeding field. We were able to lease more ground for our cattle because we told our neighbors we were looking for a place. Often people are afraid to talk about their goals and what they want to accomplish; however, when you take that leap of faith it doesn’t matter how close you are to achievement you automatically get closer. You can start your hobby farm or ranch today. You don’t need the fanciest tools, all the frills or even 20 acres. All you need to start are some goals, a plan and a budget. Lauren Arcuri published an article in 2020 with Treehugger.com called “How to Start a Hobby Farm.” In this article she outlines how having goals, a plan and a budget can get you started on your dream. Some Tips for Success1: Seek Advice From Experienced Farmers and RanchersWhen talking with others about your dreams, be selective about who you take advice from. People are always willing to give advice but seeking advice from experienced farmers and ranchers is always beneficial. You need to figure out what is going to be best for you and your goals and how to implement new practices. Don’t get discouraged, instead keep your head up and remember that hard work is the key. When we were starting out, and even now, we seek advice from those who have been farming and ranching for a long time. Some of what we learned we implemented in our own operation and it helped us improve what we had. Other things didn’t apply to us but helped us grow in our appreciation for the industry. 2: Don't be Afraid of SacrificeOne of the challenges with having animals and farm responsibilities is the work never stops. With hobby operations you can occasionally get away for a vacation or two but having someone watch over and take on your responsibilities can be a hassle. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the things you want to do, for the things you need to do. Even though by definition "hobby" operations are not the main source of income for most people, they do help supplement income. Don't be afraid to say no to luxury items or unnecessary things that are not needs. 3: Enjoy Every MinuteA hobby by definition is something done regularly in one's free time for the purpose of pleasure. Having a hobby farm or ranch is a great job especially if it's your dream. It is not going to always be easy; in fact sometimes it will be downright hard! By having your dream come to life and working to achieve them, it will be one of the best things you’ll ever do. Enjoy each moment with your family. Enjoy the work, the blood, sweat and tears and make it happen. Keep DreamingDreams fuel the human life and help give us purpose. In 2016, Beef Magazine did an article with 8 tips for an old time rancher on his success. In this article the rancher, called Nelo Mori, at the age of 91 had a plethora of good advice stated the following... “If you don't have nothing else but ranching, you better get with it and sacrifice and change your lifestyle." Mori's advice goes for all dreams, if your dream is all you have, then make the changes needed to make it a realtiy, not just a dream. Don't be afraid to go all in, even if it starts as a small little hobby ranch, it can change your world for the better. We are on a journey to bridge the gap between producer and consumer by sharing our dream, knowledge and experience with the world. Hold on tight the ride is only 8 seconds long.
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