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Everyday tips & see what we’re up to today on the blog…

  • A little experiment and a possible solution to a common barn issue

    I think a lot of folks, like us, might have that *one horse* who – no matter how much acreage…

  • A nice springtime rainstorm and a recipe

    This is Texas and we don’t usually get “nice” springtime rainstorms, so this one is worth a mention! If you…

  • Dragging the pasture

    If someone would’ve looked into the future of my 16 year old, thoroughly North Dallas suburban self, and predicted I…

  • Herdbound/Buddy Sour/Separation Anxiety – here’s what’s worked best for us

    If you have a horse that gets anxious or even panicked when taken from his best pasture buddy, barn or…

  • Progress on the parents’ house and Springtime in the barn

    The family is actually building the grandparents’ house over here at the 4J and it is coming along so nicely…

  • Cooling Pad for Barn Cats

    The kittens are getting bigger, nearing 9 months of age now, but one in particular is still quite petite and…

  • Back to workouts

    Spring’s coming and although there’s always plenty of physical stuff to do between house, yard and barn, actual workouts (including…

  • Florida 2026 Arctic Air Blast Tour

    The first week of February, our good friends were planning on getting married in Key West (as we did, nearly…

  • Winter Storm February 2026 Prep

    Ronnie and our youngest son are in the middle of framing up the grandparents’ house and in their spare time,…

  • New Year’s Day Reset

    We’ve had a great ideal holiday season – spending time with family, multiple Christmas celebrations, last night’s New Year’s Eve…

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Go to the blog for tips & what we’re up to
4J Ranch Rainbow

Everyday is something new.

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  • A little experiment and a possible solution to a common barn issue

    I think a lot of folks, like us, might have that *one horse* who – no matter how much acreage he has to roam around on all day long, will just unleash his bladder when he comes into his stall. I’ve discovered the best way to help manage the wet bedding in his stall (in…

  • A nice springtime rainstorm and a recipe

    This is Texas and we don’t usually get “nice” springtime rainstorms, so this one is worth a mention! If you are wondering why our horses aren’t holed up in the barn, well – they are probably enjoying the good soak! With the warm, humid scourge of flies being out now, we fly spray them (and…

  • Dragging the pasture

    If someone would’ve looked into the future of my 16 year old, thoroughly North Dallas suburban self, and predicted I would have enjoyed driving a farm vehicle for the purpose of spreading cow and horse manure around my yard when I was a middle ager, I’d have rolled my heavily lined, twitty 80’s eyeballs so…

  • Herdbound/Buddy Sour/Separation Anxiety – here’s what’s worked best for us

    If you have a horse that gets anxious or even panicked when taken from his best pasture buddy, barn or “happy place” with his fav friends, you know what I’m talking about…it’s hard to diminish for good, dangerous for you and the horse on occasion, and just makes riding way less fun. All of ours…

  • Progress on the parents’ house and Springtime in the barn

    The family is actually building the grandparents’ house over here at the 4J and it is coming along so nicely – what a great house, I just love it so much more in life than on paper – and can’t wait to see it’s completion! It has also been neat to see brothers and cousins…

  • Cooling Pad for Barn Cats

    The kittens are getting bigger, nearing 9 months of age now, but one in particular is still quite petite and both have likely not seen enough of nighttime rural foes to be proficient against a wandering or flying nighttime predator like raccoons, coyotes or owls – so they still spend the nights secured inside their…

  • Back to workouts

    Spring’s coming and although there’s always plenty of physical stuff to do between house, yard and barn, actual workouts (including weights, cardio and stretching) seem to benefit my mind and body the most. Ronnie prefers getting his in at our local gym with his gym buddy, while I prefer outdoors on my back porch (and…

  • Florida 2026 Arctic Air Blast Tour

    The first week of February, our good friends were planning on getting married in Key West (as we did, nearly 30 years ago) and we were invited to join them, so after rounding up our usual awesome “animal care team” (my mom and brother and a great friend and neighbor – a former vet tech…

  • Winter Storm February 2026 Prep

    Ronnie and our youngest son are in the middle of framing up the grandparents’ house and in their spare time, we’re prepping for the most significant winter storm to hit North Texas since February of 2021! Its been busy and we’re ready to just enjoy a nice snow fall so we can rest by the…

  • New Year’s Day Reset

    We’ve had a great ideal holiday season – spending time with family, multiple Christmas celebrations, last night’s New Year’s Eve was a blast partying with good friends and neighbors – but like everyone else’s, its been busy and hectic. I was happy for today to roll around – no commitments (but trying to get through…

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