Cowboy Action Shooting - Join The Fun!

My father-in-law's Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) alias is Nickel Jim.

The first time that I went to a Cowboy Action Shooting match to check it out, he went with me. 

While I shot that day, he didn't. 

While I shot my first match, with one borrowed pistol from the president of that club, he talked with a few of the shooters and took in how everything was setup for the match.

Since he was a Range Master for many many years, he liked the way they setup each stage and the different kinds of targets they used. 

They use all steel targets. Some are pop ups, some knock downs, buffalo and pig and cowboy silhouettes, grave markers, and other targets like hearts, clubs, spades, and diamonds for the 4 suits of cards. Heck, Cowboy Town even has a Mission bell there to ding away at.

Like me, he appreciated the focus on safety, the type of shooting, and the challenge of not just having to shoot paper targets. And of course, we both found out that we would have to shoot the targets in a specific order or sweep sequence.

A monthly match usually consists of 5 to 6 stages.  Usually a stage is setup to shoot two pistols with 5 rounds each, 10 rounds in your rifle, and 2 to 4 shotgun targets.  Although on Saturday, two stages had 8 shotgun targets.  And friends, that didn't bother me because I like using my sawed off.

The way it works is that we all have to engage the targets and shoot them in assigned sequences called sweeps for that particular stage.  And besides the sweep, you shoot on the clock. Shooting with a timer was new for me. 

I had shot competition pistol shooting about 35 years ago in the Marine Corps at my Battalion, but it was never for time.  For me, this was a different sort of game.

At first, I have to admit that it was a bit frustrating.  Competing against others was one thing, but by time was a whole nother deal than I'd ever done.  And yes, watching some of those shooters was a little bit of a wake up call.

Some of the shooters have shot Cowboy Action Shooting for many years, shoot almost every weekend, and are fast good shooters.  If not considered fast by overall SASS standings, they are certainly fast by local standards. They were for certain faster than I was, or ever wanted to be.

Since I didn't know how things were run, I didn't know if I really wanted to try to "compete" against guys that had years more experience than I did.  Besides, it isn't as if I'm 18, with great eyes, quick faster reflexes, and no arthritis in my hands.

I remember thinking to myself after the match how frustrating it was to try to remember the sweep sequences as I shot.  It was also a little frustrating to learn how dog gone slow I was compared to others out there.  It was a little disheartening.

Looking back on it, in reality what convinced me to join SASS and subsequently keep shooting this sport took place after the match. It was after the match that a few of the folks wanted to go grab some lunch together. They asked me and my father-in-law to join them, and it was during that lunch that I realized what Cowboy Action Shooting is all about.
During lunch, I talked with the president of that club who was nice enough to had lent me one of his new Ruger Vaqueros.  His alias is Jackalope Jasper. 

When he asked me how I liked it, I told him what my first impressions were.  I remember him telling me to just come out more, just have fun shooting, and to just forget that there is a competition.

I like the idea. I guess my father-in-law liked it even better, since by the end of that week he phoned me to let me know that he was going to join SASS and that he had a line on a pair of six-shooters. Heck, up until his phone call, I didn't even know he was even interested in shooting a Cowboy shooting sport.

Well by the next month, he was still getting outfitted when I returned with the thought in mind that I don't need to "compete" against anyone but instead I'm simply there to have fun.  My friends, thanks to Jackalope it was great fun. 

And ever since then, well let's just say that my only competition is me.  Every time I go to a match, I do try to better my time and score. But I know full well, that I will never be a fast shooter. 

As for what others think about me just coming out to shoot and have fun, well let's just say that everyone who shoots with me knows that I have fun - and I've never heard anyone complain about it.

This last Saturday, Nickel Jim and I went down to Cowboy Town which is located in the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center in Ione.  We decided to shoot with the California Rangers. 

On the way down there, my day started out great as I watched the temperature gauge located on my rear view mirror change from 22 degrees here in Glencoe to a warm front of 42 degrees in Ione.

It was a big deal to see nice shooting weather when our weather up here has been so lousy lately. Our home club, the High Sierra Drifters, shoots in Railroad Flats which is about 2800 foot elevation.

It's not so much the cold and the wind chill that I don't like so much. It is the mud and snow at the range that is the pain in the backside.

If we can get in at all, then it's tough on our gun-carts to get around. Of course there is also the fact that you have to set up the steel targets, and doing it in the mud can be a real bear for the guys getting the stages ready.

Down there in Cowboy Town, the clubs that use that range have worked to put together an Old West Town that is absolutely beautiful.  They have a Jail, a Livery, a Hotel, a Bank, a Cantina, and General Store to shoot from. Each building has a boardwalk and overhangs to shoot under. 

I remember going down there a couple of years ago to help out with a work party after a bad storm wrecked havoc on the range, but it has certainly come a long way since then. It is downright beautiful!

On Saturday, the California Rangers broke into two posses. Nickel Jim and I know a few of the folks there so it was great to see some folks who we haven't shot with in a while. And since I'm as slow as molasses and have a tendency to screw around and joke a little too much,  I requested that we be put with the posse that let's say weren't as serious as the other.

And thank goodness we did! On the very first stage, I had a round with a primer problem and then after I took one shot with one pistol a piece of my pistol falls off.  It  looked to be the start of one bad day, but I said "screw it" and wasn't going to let it ruin my day.  The result was that the rest of the stages were great!

I shot respectable for me, especially since this was the first match that I shot in a few months because of the weather.  My father-in-law Nickel Jim fared a lot better. He is a pretty competitive sort of guy, so it means a lot for him to do well.  And yes, I'm glad he did that day.

Of course, there is the fact that some of our friends think that we are both about a half a bubble off plumb. 

And honestly, among the things that I hope I never forget is what a kick in the pants it was to watch him shoot the buffalo silhouette on the last stage.

I shot just before Nickel Jim, so I was at the unloading table when he got up to shoot.

As I turned to see how he was doing, he took his first two shots. They struck the steel buffalo right in the rump and old paint exploded off the steel.  It was funny because it would be him to shoot the buffalo in rump and have all of the pant disappear with his first two shots. 

It was sort of funny listening to people talk about how he "shot the ass of that buffalo."

Cowboy Action Shooting is fun for so many reasons. And yes, it is different for so many of the shooters.  For me, it's two of my favorite past times rolled into one. I get to socialize and shoot.

Over the last 4 years or so, I've found that it's not the competition that draws me to a match. It is the laughing and having fun.  It is the people. They are,  for the most part, a really great group of folks.

It took me forever to join Cowboy Action Shooting. I remember putting it off for one reason or another for a real long time. And now looking back on it, I really shouldn't have waited.

If you're thinking about it, maybe you should think of heading out to a range and checking out the fun!

Tom Correa

Pig Conformation: It's Not Rosie O'Donnell vs Angelina Jolie

Selecting a pig depends on its conformation. And friends, at times it's not easy to determine. It's certainly not always as easy as say looking at Rosie O'Donnell verses Angelina Jolie.

Since I've had a few people write and ask me advice about selecting a good pig, I decided to write what I know about selecting a pig.

As I said before, first thing is conformation. Conformation essentially means how well an animal is put together. An animal's conformation is the blending of the various body parts. It's all about how well they fit together visually and physically.

In pigs, each breed and line of pig has its own characteristics. However, a generalization can be reached regarding selecting breeding stock. And yes, this same criteria applies to both boar and gilt selection.

The ideal pig provides good cushioning and flexion to all of its joints. Pigs that demonstrate good cushioning and flexion will have an easier time getting up and down. They are less likely to suffer from leg injuries and complaints. This means that they are more likely to be retained in the herd for breeding.

The toes of a pig should be big, even, and well spaced to take the weight of the animal.  You should reject an adult pig whose toes are different by 1cm or more. And don't forget that the condition of the toes is important also.  The toes should have no visible cracks, swellings or injuries. This needs to include the underneath surface.

The front leg position and angle of the dew claws indicates the strength of the pasterns. Ideally the dew claws should only just contact the floor. Looking at a pig from the front, the toes should face forward for good conformation.

The hind leg position and angle of the dew claws indicates the strength of the pasterns just like the front. And yes, again ideally the dew claws should be just off the floor. Also like the front legs, the toes should face forward.

 

Avoid pigs with abnormalities, particularly heritable and congenital abnormalities.  Avoid any pig with a visible defect. The last thing you want is to select a pig capable of passing those abnormalities and/or defects down from one generation to the next.

Remember that pigs are cute and very nice to raise.

But to help visualize what a pig should look like, take a look at Grand Champion pigs.

Get to know what judges are looking for both good and bad. Doing this will help hone your eye to distinguish good verses great conformation.

Remember that determining Champion conformation is not easy. It's not as easy as say looking at an obese person and comparing his or her appearance to a slim, toned, athletically built person.

It's not like say comparing Oprah to Sandra Bullock, or say comparing Rosie O'Donnell to Angelina Jolie, or say a Micheal Moore to a Brad Pitt.

If that were so, well then almost immediately you would be able to recognize that one is more like a pig than the other. Their conformation differences would be easy to judge. One would look like he or she has more of the conformation that you want in a big well fed pig, while the other doesn't resemble a pig at all.

But like I said before, it's not that easy. In contrast, judging pigs takes time and experience. After a while you will able to look at two pigs that have very similar conformation and see the small differences. 

What this means is that even though a pig might look like a good pig, your experience will help you see that even a pig that looks good superficially can also have conformation that is just not right.

I hope this helps.

Sandra Bullock




Oprah





Rosie O'Donnell



 

Rosie O'Donnell




 

Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft





Michael Moore





Brad Pitt




Story by Tom Correa

RANT: Who's Obama Working For?

So I don't get it! Maybe someone can explain it to me!

There are those who grow and sell the food, and there are those who buy and consume the food. Why wouldn't anyone want to be the person doing the selling instead of that person doing the buying?

If you had the ability to drill for oil, pump, store, refine, and maintain oil facilities, verses someone who is completely dependant on you for any oil, then why wouldn't anyone want to be the person selling the oil instead of the one who is dependant?

These days, what's up is down and what's down is up side down. Everything is bass ackwords. It is all turned around and the President is not working for you and me.

Proof you ask?

Well, how about the President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, going to Brazil and giving them 10 Billion Dollars to finance them so that they can drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

Is that proof enough, you want more?  Well then, how about him adding insult to injury when he tells them that along with giving them the $10 Billion that once they start producing oil that "We want to be your best customers!"

The problem here has nothing to do with Brazil or it's great people.  It has to do with our representatives, and specifically it has to do with our Chief Representative Obama.

Why can't anyone tell him that it isn't wrong to be self-sufficient as a Nation? Why hasn't anyone told him that we as a Nation should not have to depend on another nation for anything to keep us alive? Someone should explain to him, that as a Nation, we should not be on constant life-support completely dependant on other countries.

Yes, America is more and more on life-support.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced on March 11th of this year that there was a total January exports of $167.7 billion and imports of $214.1 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $46.3 billion, up from $40.3 billion in December.

And hey, it's getting worse!

Our goods and services deficit increased $11.7 billion from January of 2010 to January of this year. And since January of 2009, when Obama took over, his policies have had horrible consequences on our having to increase imported goods.

In January, imports of foods, feeds, and beverages were the highest on record.  In January, imports of goods, of industrial supplies, of automotive vehicles were the highest since October of 2008.

In January, petroleum and non-petroleum imports were the highest since July of 2008.

The January deficit with OPEC was the highest since October 2008. The January imports from OPEC were the highest since October 2008.

In January the average price per barrel of crude oil was $84.34. That was the highest since October 2008 when it was $91.73 a barrel. Crude oil is right now at $104.27 a barrel.


And what is the conclusion?

We NEED the countries in the Middle East to provide us oil. We NEED China for financial stability and most of our manufactured goods. We NEED Japan for our cars, Europe for our steel and other goods, South America for more and more food, and so on and so on! 

We seems that we have become a Nation in need. How can I say that? It's because I believe that we have Federal and States governments who are bent on making our people more and more dependant on others.

Where do I get this from? From a Federal government who is more and more willing to turn over our sovereignty to the over-reaching influences of the U.N.. From the reality that the laws of our land can be held as second to Muslim Sharia Law in our courts just like they were recently in a Florida court. From the whole notion that we as a free people cannot drill in our own country to provide for America First. That's where I get this from.

It is insane! It is surreal! It is bizarre!

The Democrats, the Liberal Left, the Marxist Environmentalist, say that drilling in America would hurt the land and the animals and the plants and the air and and and ....

They tell us that they are concerned with the land, the air, the water, and the people. But their concern is limited to only the land, the air, and the water, and not the American people.

And how do they do this? By limiting America's ability to live to it's fullest capabilities. They limit America's ability to provide for itself. They limit us in the same exact way that other Despots like Gaddafi and Chavez deny their subjects the right to basic freedoms. They attempt to enslave Americans through ensuring our dependence on other countries.

And what do we have working for us? We have a President who works as an agent for other Nations so that Americans can be their "best customers" in the future.

Story by Tom Correa

Horses: How Not To Name Them

When picking a name for a horse, I was brought up to look at the whole horse. In that, I'd take into consideration what the horse looks like, its habits, its temperament, its basic behavior, or even where it's from.

For example, when I was growing up in Hawaii, we had a Quarter Horse named "Molokai" because it was brought over to Oahu from Molokai as a yearling. He was a great horse, sweet, calm, and bombproof. He was great for us kids to learn on.

We also had an Appaloosa that my grandfather called "White Ass." Which, of course, was an obvious reference to its Appy markings. And yes, I know, we really weren't very creative, were we?

I knew someone who named his horse "Anytime." It was named that because anytime that horse wanted to throw a fit, it would do so instantly. And of course, there was my grandfather's mule, which he named "Jackass Ginger." He chose "Ginger" because she was very sweet, and she reminded him of a bartender that he knew.

And no, I have no idea if the bartendress ever knew that that mule was named after her as sort of a tribute to her. In fact, come to think about it, I never asked if it was a reflection of her personality or not. Naming a mule after a bartendress can be taken either way. She was either very nice or a jackass.

But after considering what the horse looks like, its habits, its temperament, its behavior, or even where it's from, then one should keep in mind that that name is what other folks will call the horse. I mean, you wouldn't want people to have to call out to "Mammoth Hay Burner Who Throws People For Fun." So, instead, names like "Mac" are used. It helps when a rider says, "Whoa, Mac!" or "Come here, Mac!"

Of course, I always try to keep in mind that the name I pick will be the name the horse will be stuck with. That is, of course, unless you sell the horse and the new owner wants to change the name to what they want.

I was told that it was not good to change a horse's name. First, it is not good because it confuses those working with the horse. And second, it confuses the horse.

All in all, that's true unless, of course, the horse has a name like "Jerome," or "Julius," or "Othelia," or "Woodwind," or "Lacy," or say "Marcel." In that case, I'm sure even the horse can't stand its name.

My horse Murphy is a gelding, and the lady who owned him before me called him "Lacy".  I'm sorry, but I just had a hard time telling folks that I was going to ride my boy Lacy! After all, he wasn't a San Francisco horse. And besides, Lacy didn't fit him. You see, after I bought him, there was one problem after another for a while there, so I thought about one of Murphy's Laws. The law that says "whatever can go wrong will go wrong." So I named him Murphy. 

Yup, he became "Murphy!" And he's been Murphy ever since.

This all reminds me of something that happened about 8 years ago, when a good friend asked me to help him take his Arab mare to the Turlock Horse Auction.

He was my shoer and good friend, and he wasn't happy with his Arab mare. But for me, I couldn't understand it since she wasn't a bad horse. Besides, she had papers and a bloodline that wouldn't quit. To me, other than being in heat every day, a real squirter, no matter what, she was a sweet little horse. Typical Arab small pretty face, about 14 and a half hands, grey, and really not as high-strung as some Arab mares. And really. I looked at it this way: when it comes to Arabs, even if she was a little flaky now and then, if she did have the bloodlines that my friend said she did, then why not breed her out? 

I had no idea why he didn't want to breed her to someone who'd like to extend their bloodline. For whatever reason, it seemed a mystery why, after a few years of owning her, he finally wanted to take her to the Turlock Horse Auction. With her outstanding conformation, it made me wonder why he wanted to dump her at the Turlock Auction.

Some refer to the Horse Auction in Turlock, California, as a "Killers Auction" because a lot of the regular buyers there are looking for horses to turn into dog food. "Killer horse auctions" are horse auctions where "kill buyers" purchase horses for slaughter. The kill buyers go looking for cheap horses sold at auction, and buy them to sell the horses for meat. I know I said it three times. I also know that I have zero respect for kill buyers. 

While some horses are purchased for riding, kill buyers hang around auctions, wanting to buy cheap horses. Sometimes, they'll buy healthy, good riding horses, in many cases horses that were being dumped there by horse owners who can't afford their feed bills. The horses are shipped to slaughterhouses, primarily in Mexico and Canada. A lot of horse auctions have kill buyers. A lot of horse auctions have kill buyers who try to get horses for nothing by keeping down the bidding. I've been to a lot of horse auctions over the years, and some are as disreputable as the day is long. I've known of some horse auctions that get a cut from the kill buyers. 

And no, my opinion of the places hasn't changed over the years. As far as I've always been concerned, it's always a case of "Buyer Beware" at most auctions. And here's this, they will tell you that all sales are based on the idea that the buyer is buying a horse "as is." That's a scam. In reality, most state laws say that buyers are buying horses "as represented." That's a big difference since horse auctions are notorious for selling "drugged horses," which are horses that are drugged to appear calmer than they really are. 

Drugged horses are falsely represented as calm, rideable horses when, in fact, those horses have been known to get people seriously hurt after they're sold and the horses' drugs wear off. 

So, along with me, my friend who needed my trailer to get his mare down there, my kid brother from Hawaii, also went with us. My brother was in California visiting, he ropes and bull rides, and does a lot of Rodeo. He knows stock and cowboying pretty good. So yes, it was great to have him along. And like he said, "You never know what you'll find that someone is selling. There are prizes and surprises. Hopefully, you buy a prize and not a surprise."

When we got to the auction, my friend went over and took care of business while my brother and I decided to check out the local horse flesh up for sale. I was not there to buy a horse. I was just the driver delivering one. But as everyone knows, cowboys at a Horse Auction have to see what's being sold. It's sort of like taking your wife shopping; there's no guarantee she'll just look at the things she doesn't have on her shopping list. There is just too much temptation.

My shoer pulled me over to where he was standing just so that I would take a look at the horse, and even my brother, who was standing there, said, "Tom, that's the horse for you!"

I said, "I saw another horse over there ...," but they wouldn't hear it! They were convinced that this was the best horse at the sale. This was the horse that I was looking for to give my horse Murphy a break.

And yes, there at the Turlock, California, Horse Auction, I found a horse I liked. He was a stocky, short-backed, straight-legged horse in the small show coral. And though he didn't have a BLM freeze brand, he was built more like a Mustang Cross than a Quarter Horse. But if he were a Quarter, then that was fine with me because I like Quarter Horses.

He was about 15.2 hands, and he was being ridden by a 13-year-old girl without a problem like there was no tomorrow. And looking at the horse, I have to say that I couldn't help but agree with my friend and my brother. He was built like a tank.

So even though I really wasn't in the market for another horse, once the Auction started, I wanted that horse! Well, I got him. And once the paperwork was done, I went outside to load him. And yes, he loaded great. In fact, he trailered great and rode quiet all the way back from Turlock, which was about 3 3-hour drive.

Once I got him home, he handled like a charm. Talk about proud cowboys, I think our hats were way too small for our heads. I can say with certainty that at that precise moment that there was no better Horse Traders in the entire U.S. of A. And yes, all the way home, I heard nothing but how good they both did picking out this horse.

The next day, I put my saddle on him and we went out for a short ride in the nearby BLM land. It was a nice, easy ride. Nothing hard to handle, especially for a horse built like this guy.

During our ride, he was a little blowy. But other than that, he worked fine. After we got back, I put him up. And since I was busy that day with other things to do, I didn't work him anymore that day other than feeding him when I fed everyone else.

Since the horse had no name. I figured that I really should find a nice name for this great-looking light red roan. Beings that he has some red spots on his rump, almost an Appy sort of markings that looked like a shotgun spray pattern, I thought I'd name him "Buckshot."

Great huh? I thought so at the moment. When I was a kid, there was a horse that was named "Buckshot" that was a real nice horse. It was a horse on TV in one of the many Westerns that used to be all over the tube back then. Of course, since I was also into Cowboy Action Shooting, I figured Buckshot would be a good link to that as well.

The next day, my shoer buddy came back out to shoe Murphy. While we drank coffee with my brother, my friend went on and on about the horse that he picked out for me. My brother, not wanting to be cut out of the "at-a-boys" wanted his share of the credit for my purchase. I just grinned and laughed. Told them about taking him out yesterday and how it was. The coffee was good and I loved it all.

I loved it all, that is, until we walked over to where I had "Buckshot" tied and found him breathing fire as I tried to reach to untie his lead rope. He reared back and became wild-eyed and crazy. He spun away each time I reached for him. He tried all he could to pull free. He even tried to rear up and strike me.

My shoer buddy, who not so secretly always wanted to be a Trainer, said, "I'll sack'em out!" But the horse was crazed! Turning, Buckshot fired kick after kick at me and my friend until my friend gave up out of fear.

My brother said, "Oh man, Tommy, you've been taken! Look what you bought! He was drugged! He was aced!"

My shoer looked at me and laughed, "Wow! You picked a rank horse, Pard!"

After a few minutes in disbelief, my brother had to leave for an appointment in town. My shoer-buddy left soon after my brother -- laughing as he drove off. Personally, I didn't see the joke. I didn't think it was funny. While Buckshot was a nice horse, it seemed he was certainly "aced" for the sale. After all, he wasn't the same horse that I bid on at the horse auction. It was obvious that they had "aced" him to appear calm and rideable to scam someone. In this case, I was scammed.

Horses being "aced" usually refers to them being given the tranquilizer Acepromazine, or "ace". Acepromazine is a medication often used to calm or sedate horses for various reasons, such as veterinary procedures that require a horse to be still, to manage anxious horses to help a horse handle stressful situations like trailering or unfamiliar environments, for post-injury management to hand walk or turnout a horse that's been on stall rest, and some horse trainerrs have been known to "ace" a difficult horse to make it more manageable during schooling or handling.

For me, I've learned not to trust some dog trainers as well as some horse trainers. Some of them are not exactly the most reputable people to deal with. And frankly speaking, while I won't have anything to do with either dog or horse trainers who purposely mistreat animals, I won't have anything to do with horse trainers who'll "ace" a horse to show how well their training is coming along. Sadly, it's a scam that some trainers try to get away with.

Drugging a horse is not what's needed to train a horse. Drugging a horse should never be a substitute for proper training. And really, it's important to use a lot of caution around horses that have been drugged -- especially as the drugs are wearing off. Some aren't safe to be around as the drugs are wearing off. You can get hurt if you don't use caution around them.

As for me, because I rode him the day before, I was having a hard time believing it was true. Of course, seeing him act like a maniac made me realize that Buckshot was definitely "aced" for the sale. So what convinced me? Well, I had a hard time accepting that this horse was the same horse that I rode. So, I decided that I had to ride him out. To do that, I went into my tack room and got my saddle off its rack and headed for Buckshot.

It took me a while of fighting with him, but after a while, I did get him saddled. Then I decided to take this real slow so that I wouldn't get hurt in the process, and I led him out into an open area in front of my barn. He seemed to lead okay at first, unless, of course, I turned to face him. I found that if I did face him, he'd get wide-eyed and pull back and try to rear up.

Once in what I thought was an open space away from trees and anything else, I put my left foot in the stirrup and then just as I was throwing my right leg over the saddle ... he blew!

Now, if you've been to Rodeos, then you know what a Bronc coming out of the chute looks like. Well, without a bucking-strap, he went straight up into the air and into the air and into the air, bucking over and over and over again. No, it wasn't just really bad crow-hopping. He was bucking like nothing I'd ever seen in or out of a Rodeo.

He came down so hard once that he lost his footing, crashed right into the picket fence that was in front of my home. He tore up a few sections of picket fence before moving on and away from the house.  

Just before he got up, my thinking was that he may have been done, but then he started up again as I went towards him. Again up and in the air again and again until he went head first into a tree. That knocked him silly and down onto the ground, and again I thought that that was the end of it - and again I was wrong.

This time he bucked over to some water-pipes, and stomped them good before heading for my lower well pump house. Yes, I really thought he was going to take out my pump shack. But instead, he headed toward my creek. And yes, in the blackberry bushes, he slowly calmed down. Then, finally, he just stood there, nostrils flared and breathing heavily. I slowly walked over to him and reached for his lead rope, then took it and led him over to his pen.

Later, a friend of mine shook his head and laughed a little when he heard about Buckshot going berserk, saying, "Look on the bright side. Naming him Buckshot was fairly accurate. He is explosive!"

I replied that I now understood why the people who sold me the horse didn't name him. After all, there is the possibility that they didn't want to name something that they might feel like shooting later!  

Do I regret calling him Buckshot?  Well, let's just say that after seeing him buck the way he did, I started to think that maybe I should've named him "Peaceful!"

Story by Tom Correa