Mongolian Adventure with a BIG Horse!

From whatever angle you look at it Elko's
Cowboy Poetry Gathering is a spectacular success.


Last year featured guests were from Mongolia!
My husband John takes people on tours to local
ranches. Last year he took those Mongolians,
and it was an adventure!

The interpreter was a young woman, "Bobo,"
from the University in the capitol, UlanBator.

Early one fresh-air morning we were at Chauch Evans'
Belgian ranch. It was cold and silent--nothing
new for Mongolians--and white everywhere. Blue-white
mountains against an alabaster sky; open, snowy fields,
frosty horses in the pasture waiting to be fed.

Troy took us into the barn, where we lined up
as Tseye came in to look at the horses. Tseye lives
in a ger on the Mongolian steppe. His horses are
small, maybe up to Tseye's shoulder. Belgians,
on the other hand are TALL, MONSTROUS!

Tseye rounded the corner of the barn, glanced at
the horse, looked again, and turned to us, eyes
big as saucers, arms gesturing wildly. Troy lifted
the horses foot. Tseye put his hand over the shoe.
Big foot, BIG HORSE!

We all laughed. An excting moment that forged a
bond with these wonderful people from the other side
of the world. We hopped on the flat bed loaded
with hay bales, and Troy drove the Belgian team
across the snowy field to feed horses. Then Tseye
drove the team! Was he proud! We were, too.

Cowboy Poetry is almost here--end of January.
Wonder who will fit into our adventure this year?