Everyone has their favourite Christmas traditions: baking treats, singing carols, gathering for family supper, opening Christmas Eve presents and the list goes on. What is important with any tradition is the memories you make with the people you love.
We love Christmas at The Sutherland Ranch. Decorating starts mid-November, shopping occurs all year long at the unique shops on the wagon trail and on Christmas Eve everyone gets to open one present, which is typically a new pair of pajamas (Mark got a chocolate orange this year because he said he had enough pj’s).
When you operate a 50-head horse ranch it goes without saying that there would be a Christmas tradition with horses. Each year at Christmas time the equine athletes of the Sutherland Ranch get some extra special attention. Whether it is -40 degrees Celsius or plus five we often go for a stroll in the pasture and check on the team, where there is usually a bag of carrots involved.
This time of year, the horses are enjoying the off season. They are a little bit fat and a whole lot sassy. They feel good and love the time they get to hang out with their buddies, eat all of the hay and oats they want and run and play when it suits them. It won’t be long and they will be in training. In fact, if the weather cooperates training will commence in approximately 60 days.
Mark is counting down the days to the warmer weather and the first few weeks of training when he gets to know the new members of the team that were purchased in the fall.