MY RODEO STORY

HI MY NAME IS LAKEN ELIZABETH CAULEY AND THIS IS MY RODEO STORY.

My name is Thunder. My owner's name is Laken. She feeds and takes care of me. Sometimes she rides me. We even rode in the grand entry at the Foreman rodeo. Friday night was fine, but Saturday wasn't very good.

I didn't want to mind, and Laken's cousin, Cara, was on the back of the saddle. I got spooked by the speakers and took off running down through the arena when we were supposed to go out. Then Cara was sliding off the back end, she accidentally put her foot in my flank. I started bucking and running, throwing off my riders. Cara fell off first, doing flips and turns, landing face-first in the dirt.

Laken fell off next. She couldn't get me to stop and didn't want to land in a worse spot than on the ground [which happens to be under my hoofs]. She dropped the reigns and let go of the saddle horn. She fell off with a groan and I had the whole set of stands entertained! (Which my riders think was my goal in the first place.) Landon, who was riding Lilly, saw the reigns dragging and neither rider on. He jumped off and went to check on Laken.

Cara, very much helping my plan, made the whole scene look dramatic. Sort of. She called Laken over and grabbed my reigns. She got a hold of Landon's arm as he went by. She gave him the reigns to Lilly, my best friend, and walked by the rodeo clown who was leading me. It wasn't by choice, I was excited and dancing around, so he took my reigns from her. I was huffing and puffing with anticipation.

I love rodeo's, Laken [my owner], Cara [one of my friends], Lilly [my BEST friend], Landon [a crazy guy], and the whole sport of being a horse.

A Cowgirl Hat

Hat's are good things, sometimes. But they can sometimes get in the way. Sometimes I wish I could not wear mine in the rodeo, but I do anyways. A hat is protection. Protection from the sun, rain, and things like that. So I wear my hat for protection and style.
Love,
Laken E. Cauley

Gib Rides Home

This story starts out with Gibson Whittaker being welcomed back at the orphanage, strictly against the rules.

Gibson Whittaker was an orphaned child when both of his parents died when he was six years old. He lived at Lovell House Home for Orphaned and Abandoned Boys for almost five years when he was finally adopted by a family he knew way back when.
He wonders if he is being farmed out or really adopted. And if he is being farmed out, why do the Thornton's treat him like family, even though he lives with the last ranch hand they have. He has to do barn chores like milking cows, feeding horses, mucking out stalls, gathering eggs and even some work in the garden.

After Mr. Thornton comes home from his job at the bank, sick, his heart and health keep failing.

The Thornton's daughter had been watching Gib ride and saddle up, and figured out how to do it. She saddles up a horse that is really strong, too strong for her to handle, and comes thundering out of the barn. When they finally catch her, they load up Gib and a saddle and they head over to the orphanage.

After he gets there, Gib has to explain to his friends about what happened. He stayed for a few months. And then Mr. Thornton dies and he adopted back into the family, as part of the family this time.
Love,
Cara L. Hicks

Horses Are The Best

Besides any other animal, horses rule. I'm a cowgirl and I know all about horses. I can ride a big horse, and most the time stay on, even when they buck.
Here are some tips on getting started.
Right after you catch the horse, you brush them down. Then you a saddle blanket on. Put on a saddle and do up the girth. Then you put on a bridle and find a way up.

That's how you get started on saddling up.
That's all I have to say!
See ya next time,
Love,
Grace Ella Hicks

Christian

God answers prayers.
We love Him because He first loved us.
He makes light in the day time.
He makes people.
He died on the cross for us.
He loves us.
My daddy is a preacher.

By,
Grace Ella Hicks