Updates On Buck and Dub

Kimberly Critz is the daughter of Ward and Sue Critz, the new owners of Buck and Dub, the horses Di and I previously owned. She sent along some more photos of the boys in their new home, and all photos were taken over Easter weekend.

Here's a photo of Buck (on the right) and his new herdmate Peso, a beautiful young Palomino. Buck looks so regal in this photo; he has a classic "Arabian look" to him:


Another herdmate of Buck's is Henry, an older horse in his twenties. In the photo below, Buck strikes a noble pose while Henry lurks in the background:


Dub gave a 17-year old girl named Kelsey her first horse ride, and, according to Kimberly, took her on a gentle ride around the pasture. The saddle and riding tack shown below are my old saddle and tack, and I'm glad it's still being used:


The last photo shows Kimberly's niece, Caroline, getting to know Dub. This photo captures what I loved so much about Dub: a gentle, loving heart inside a large, powerful body. I still remember how Dub would spot me when I entered the horse pasture, how he would give a little "whinny!" and start galloping toward me at full speed. I would stand my ground as Dub charged. At about 15 feet away, he would start to put on the brakes. At about five feet away, he would seem to glide to a stop. He would then creep slowly forward until he about a foot away; his head would lower, he would sigh, and I would gently stroke his head with my hands. Our eyes would meet, and we would be connected in a way that is beyond words or logic:


Knowing that Buck and Dub are in such a loving, supportive home takes a load off my mind. I am grateful to Ward and Sue Critz for taking in "our boys," and I thank Kimberly Critz for sharing these photos.

Dub Makes A New Friend

Above is Dubya, my horse from 2005 until this past May when we sold him (along with Buck) to Ward and Sue Critz as part of our move to Corpus Christi. The photo above was taken last weekend, and shows Kimberly Critz, daughter of Ward and Sue, and her young niece Caroline atop Dub. It was Caroline's first horse ride, and she seems to be enjoying it. And I imagine that in another decade Caroline will always want to ride The Dubster whenever she visits her grandparents.

I really miss Dubya. It always amazed me that such a large, powerful animal could have such a gentle heart. I miss walking outside and hearing Dub "whiny" when he saw me and then galloping toward me. It's a relief to know he and Buck are in a good home with loving, caring people to look after them-----and that he will probably be the horse a young girl falls in love with.

More Photos Of Dub And Buck In Their New Homes

Kimberly Critz, the daughter of Sue and Ward Critiz-----the new owners of Dub and Buck-----sent along some photos of the boys she took over the July 4 weekend.

Here's a photo of Kimberly atop Dub as he strikes a classic "Dub pose"------what a great look on his face! Note that Dub is being ridden with a hackamore and not a bit; that's good clue as to how "dead broke" he was. And the saddle and riding tack Dub is wearing is my old saddle and tack (yep, we threw it in with the horses since they were accustomed to those saddles and tack):


Here's another photo of Kimberly atop "the Dubster." He is such a beautiful horse; this photo reminds me of why I decided I wanted to buy him as soon as I saw him!


One of the fascinating quirks in the relationship between Dub and Buck was how they were rivals in so many ways-----for food, for attention, for whatever------yet either would go nuts if the other was ridden out of sight. We noticed this whenever we would ride one horse around the Bar Nothing Ranch while the other was in the inner pasture or stalled in the barn; we could hear the "whinnying" of the other loud and clear! The photo below cracks me up; it's Buck calling out for Dub, and I can hear his plaintive "whinny!!" as I look at the picture!


In her e-mail, Kimberly told how they are up to their old antics in their new home, such as racing around the pasture in the evenings after it cools off. (Just wait until you see them on winter days when the high temperature is in the 60s!) All in all, it's reassuring to see how well the boys have adjusted to their new home and how well they are being cared for. They are really missed, but I'm glad they are happy with their new loving owners!

"The Boys" In Their New Home

Dub and Buck seem to be adjusting well to their new home! Kimberly Critz, the daughter of Ward and Sue Critz, sent the photos below of the boys (Kimberly is in some of the photos with them).

Di and I are so, so grateful Dub and Buck have a good home. They will always be "our boys"! In the photo below, that's Buck in the foreground while Dub lingers in the background:


Here's Kimberly with Buck. Buck was always more at ease around women than men, and I guess that pattern is continuing:



Dub is striking a classic "Dub pose" in the photo below. His face is friendly, curious, and peaceful; there is a beautiful, gentle soul inside that horse!


Buck is exploring his new pasture below. I can't find the words to express what a relief it is that they are together in such a wonderful home!

Dub And Buck

The hardest thing about leaving the Bar Nothing Ranch was having to say goodbye to our horses Buck and Dubya. Below is a photo of them in our pasture; Dubya is looking at the camera while Buck is staring off into the distance:


Dubya is a registered quarter horse (registered name "Nick's Whiz") while Buck was an Arabian (registered name "Double 00 Buckshot'). Buck was Di's horse while Dub was mine, but both really belonged to each other. They were a herd of two, and were like a couple of six year old brothers, always picking on each other and playing together. Seeing how closely they were bonded caused us a lot of anxiety when we were planning our move. We couldn't bear to separate them, but not too many people want two horses at once or have the commitment to keep a bonded pair together.

We got lucky. Through Craigslist-Austin, we were able to locate three solid candidates interested in buying them as a pair. We invited all three out to the ranch for interviews------yep, just like an adoption!-----and to see how they interacted with both horses. All three would've been great owners, but one couple stood out: Sue and Ward Critz of Giddings, TX. As soon as we met them, we knew, absolutely knew, they were the ones.

The Critzes have 120 acres, and Dub and Buck will be ridden on a regular basis to help herd cattle. They also have two other horses, and the Critzes were looking to replace two other horses, one aged 33 years and the other 35 years, they lost in 2007. The clincher was that one of the horses the Critzes lost last year, a mare named Sugar, and Dubya shared a common ancestor, a well known quarter horse named Sugar Bars. Sugar Bars was Sugar's grandfather and Dub's great grandfather; that told us the placement with the Critzes was meant to be!

It was very emotional when the Critzes came to take away Dub and Buck, and I don't mind admitting I cried as I watched the trailer carrying them drive away. If you have to say goodbye to someone or something, and if there isn't a scream of pain within you as you see them leave, then you didn't really love that someone or something. And Di and I both really loved those two horses. I am grateful for the time they were in our lives and for the opportunity to have loved and cared for both of them.

The Critzes have taken some pictures of them in their new home and have sent them to us, and Di and I have a standing invitation to visit both of them. We will definitely take advantage of that offer. Until then, Di and I will remember scenes like the one below at the Bar Nothing Ranch. Dub and Buck gave us many happy memories and good times, and Di and I will always love them!

Our Horses

A lot of my relatives back in the Carolina woods are curious about my involvement with horses, so here goes. . . . . . .

I can understand their puzzlement. I had never been that interested in horses before; I had nothing against them, but I never had any desire to go horseback riding or own a horse. But that was before I married Di and moved to Texas. Di was very much into horses, and in fact made it very clear that one of the first things she wanted to buy after moving to Texas was a horse. And I found myself getting involved in horses as a result. While I'm not into horses like she is-----and never will be----I have come to develop a real affection for those animals, especially the two we own and keep here at the Bar Nothing Ranch.

The first horse we acquired was "Buck" (registered name "Double 00 Buckshot"), an Arabian gelding. He is a beautiful horse, very intelligent and playful, but too skittish and high strung for me to feel comfortable atop him. I've mounted him a couple of times and looked forward to the dismount! However, he is smitten with Di and is very much "her" horse; as you can see from the photo above, they make a great pair. He is also very vocal, giving me a loud "whinny" each morning when I go out to feed our horses.

Horses are herd animals and are happiest when they have at least one companion. I also wanted a horse that I could learn to ride and feel comfortable aboard. It was at a horse sale near Seguin, TX, that I mounted a registered quarter horse gelding, rode him briefly, and immediately knew-----this is my horse. I had never felt so comfortable atop a horse; his legs were like extensions of my own legs. He had been trained for barrel racing, but lacked the speed to compete, so his owners had him up for sale. As a result, he was very well trained and responsive. Buying him was a no brainer.

He needed an appropriate name, so I borrowed one from a glorious hero of the Lone Star State----I named him "Dubya."















Dubya is a very sweet boy, as you can see from his face. He is very even tempered and hard to spook-----you could throw a cherry bomb under him and I don't think he'd blink-----and he is very eager to please. He is "neck reined," meaning you just have to lay the reins on the desired side of his neck and he will turn in that direction. He backs up easily, does perfect 360 degree turns, and loves to weave in and out between trees, reflecting his training for barrel racing.

Horses are like dogs in that they are very sensitive to how humans are feeling. I don't mean that horses are psychic or gifted with paranormal abilities, but they are sensitive to tone of voice, body language, touch, etc. This was driven home to me earlier this year when I first tried to ride again after healing from my December surgery for my first liver tumor. While a sweet boy, Dubya was playful; he would sometimes start to move as you mounted him and would often challenge you in multiple little ways (like refusing to stand still until you pulled hard on his reins) early in a ride. Thus, I was more than a little apprehensive about riding him again. But it was if Dubya knew something was wrong with me. He stood perfectly still as I mounted him, not even moving as I struggled to get my boots in the saddle stirrups. When I gave him the go-ahead to move, he did so slowly and did something he had never done before my operation: he frequently looked back at me, almost as if he was wondering if I was okay. And when it was time for me to dismount, he again was perfectly still and allowed me to get down without incident.

Again, there was nothing supernatural about this; Dubya was merely responding to the various verbal and physical cues I was sending. But I am convinced that he knew I was impaired in some way and that he had to be gentle with me and not play around.


















Owning a pair of horses is like owning a pair of 1300 pound Irish Setters. At times they are exasperating, but you can't help but fall in love with them and all their quirks. The photo above was taken in the fall of 2005, and shows me riding Dubya bareback around the pasture of the Bar Nothing Ranch. Now that my chemo is over and I'm feeling gradually better as those toxins leave my body, I'm looking forward to many autumn afternoons this year atop my boy. He's a noble, loving animal, and I'm glad he's mine. And I'm glad Di has Buck!