A Weekend at 'The Ranch'

Over Thanksgiving weekend every year since I can remember, the entire 'Larson' family gathers at my grandparents' home in Joplin, Missouri. This is basically the only time of year I see my dad's 5 brothers, their wives, and my abundance of cousins, so it's always a really special and overwhelming weekend for everyone. In addition to catching up with the wonderfully exuberant Larson family, I always make sure to get out to "The Ranch" in Wyandotte, Oklahoma. This is the huge (5,500 acre) ranch my grandpa Claire has owned for years. I've often described it as my favorite place in the whole world, and on some perfectly sunny summer days, it still is. With cows, vast pasture land, forests of big trees, rolling hills, ponds, wildlife, and most importantly--Arabian horses for days, the Ranch is everything I need for a relaxing day. And although I didn't get to see it on a prime summer day this year, this fall escapade did just fine to fill my Ranch quota for the year. Here are some photos from the day trip I took with my Grandpa.

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Horse Quotes

"To know the Arabian Horse is to love him."

"The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man."

                    -Winston Churchill

“A horse gallops with his lungs, perseveres with his heart, and wins with his character."

                 -Frederico Tesio

“Whoever said a horse was dumb, was dumb.”-Will Rogers “In riding a horse, we borrow freedom.”          - Helen Thompson “We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another, and far more feeble, animal to ride upon its back.”-Peter Gray                                                        "He has galloped through young girl's dreams, added richness to grown women's lives, and served men in war and strife."          - Toni Robinson http://ahtimes.com/

Buddy, Buddy

There's something really special about a pair of ponies that are simply the best of friends. Whether they share a pasture together or have a stall-to-stall relationship, it's always fun to see. I mean who can resist that moment when you look out into the pasture and you see them scratching the backs of one another or playfully romping around in the grass?

Below are some cool photos of horse buddies showing the love. Enjoy!

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