For Our Entertainment

A couple of months ago our friends, the Mabbott family of ICE Quarter Horses in Halkirk, Alberta, came to see us. Clay and I were super excited – we always enjoy having compadres come to visit.

This is Darcy Mabbott.

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This is Elliott, Darcy’s son.

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This the Mabbott family, watching one of their horses in AQHA roping competition.

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The Mabbotts are accomplished horse folk. Altogether, they have a herd of over 80 animals. Eldest daughter, Brittany, made the 2009 Canadian College Rodeo Finals in goat tying.

Youngest daughter, Tessa, made the 2009 Alberta highschool rodeo finals in pole bending.

And Elliott won the Central Alberta 4H Rodeo Hi-Point award in both 2008 and 2009.

They are an extremely sweet family – the kind of people you wish there were more of in this world. Various members of the Mabbott family come to visit us every once in a while, to check out the latest horsemanship wisdom in Clay’s noggin.

These are some of the sweethearts the Mabbotts brought along with them today.

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But today, Elliott decides it’s time to teach Clay something. He pulls out his bullwhip. He proceeds to snap it.

My mare pulls back at the tie rail, where she is currently secured, (making the slip release knot of her lead rope extremely hard to undo). And once the commotion at the rail dies out, Elliott asks us if we have any spaghetti.

Um, sure…? Cooked or raw?

Raw. Very raw.

Okay Dad, don’t move…

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Darcy! Don’t do it…!

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Once Elliott has hit the spaghetti noodle the first time, he actually convinces his father to keep holding it out there – so he can try again with a smaller target!

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