Big Rosie and Little Oakley
Rosie is a type of draft horse called a Clydesdale. Clydesdales are one of the largest horse breeds in the world and are best known as the “Budweiser Clydesdales.” They usually pull wagons or carts and are famous for their strength and gentle nature.
Rosie was born in Yukon, Oklahoma, at Big Shoe Stables. Oakley’s dad, Ty, wanted to find a gentle horse for me and our kids to ride. He also wanted to experiment and see if he could turn a plow horse into a cow horse! We bought Rosie when she was four years old, and Ty trained her to be a ranch horse. At first, she was unsure of the cows, but she’s very smart. After just 30 days of training, Ty took her to her first branding, where she helped work the cows and calves!
She’s slow, sweet, gentle, reliable, and dependable — the perfect horse to keep the kids and me safe. Rosie doesn’t like to go fast; she prefers to stand still, walk, or trot.
Oakley is our daughter — spirited, funny, smart, determined, strong-willed, capable, fearless, loving — and the best thing that ever happened to us!
Thumbs the Grouchy Cat
Thumbs is a rescue cat our ranch manager’s wife brought over one day. He’s seven years old and has always been a tough ranch cat who thinks he’s the boss of all the animals.
He makes us laugh with his grouchiness. Thumbs hisses, swats, and chases off the other animals—and always stands his ground. He refuses to share his food bowl and won’t snuggle with the other cats or animals, even on the coldest winter nights.
He has three extra toes on each paw, which is how he got his name, “Thumbs.” He also has a little nub for a tail. His tail once got caught in a fan belt under the truck, and we had to have it amputated. Thumbs loves attention, but only on his terms—he’ll meow for pets, and after a few seconds, he’ll try to bite you!
We love him just the same, though, and the ranch wouldn’t be the same without his grouchy self.
Pete the Protector
Pete is the best dog I’ve ever had—or even been around. He showed up at the ranch two years ago on a cold March night. Our other two dogs started barking and woke us up. Ty went out to see what the commotion was about and found a big, stray dog. Worried he might hurt our other animals, Ty tried to run him off, telling him, “Get out of here.” But as Ty walked back toward the house, the dog tucked his tail, lowered his head, and quietly followed him home. We felt sorry for him, so we set him up in a pen with a bed, food, and water.
The next morning, Oakley and I went to check on him. He didn’t look scary—just sad and sweet. I decided to let him out, but I told myself if he chased any of our cats or chickens, or showed aggression, we’d find him another home or take him to the shelter. I let him out, and he didn’t bother a single animal. We took him on a walk, and Oakley named him Pete. She told her daddy, “Now we have three dogs!”
His paw pads were rubbed raw, and he was so skinny. No one ever claimed him, and he didn’t have a microchip, so he became part of our family. We’re not sure how old he is.
At first, Ty said, “No dogs in the house.” But Oakley slowly worked on him. Then he said, “No dogs in the bed,” so Oakley made Pete a pallet on the floor—and now he snuggles right up in bed with her.
Pete is a Black Mouth Cur, the same breed as Ol’ Yeller, and their stories are strikingly similar. He’s sensitive yet ferocious, loyal and brave. He never quits, won’t back down from a fight, and somehow always seems in tune with our emotions. He’s gentle with kids, fiercely protective of our family, and truly one of a kind.
Lola the Guard Donkey
Lola is one of our three donkeys—and the youngest of the bunch. Ranchers keep donkeys with their cattle to protect the calves from predators like coyotes. Donkeys are very territorial and brave; they’ll chase off or even fight a coyote to keep their herd safe. They’re also incredibly smart and strong!
Henry the Smallest Calf
Henry is our Charolais/Angus cross calf. He was born breech (backwards) and had to be pulled from his mama during delivery. Unfortunately, his leg broke in the process, and his mama walked off, leaving him lying in the pasture. Ty brought him up to the house, where we bottle-fed him and cared for him. Pete took it upon himself to clean and guard Henry, and even Lola wanted to help protect him!
