The
Flying Heart Ranch

Frank led me into the bunkhouse on a rainy night to show me around. I had all my gear with me and I asked him where a good place would be to hang my hat and Frank said "on your head". Always quiet, never rude and when he spoke one would be wise to listen.

I would visit Frank and Maxie often throughout the years (never often enough) and when I arrived at The Flying Heart I would seek out Frank who always had some sort of project going on. When I found him, there appeared to be no acknowledgment between us, he simply directed me to where I should be in the project and what I should be working on. We would go all day and then some and when we were done he would ask me to the house where we would shake hands and he would ask "how in the hell have you been". It was always as though I had never left.

On the Flying Heart Ranch at home on horseback

Frank Davies ~1938 ~
Trying to educate or being educated

Maxie was, is and always will be a teacher. Patience just seems to be a way with her when one wanted to learn, human or horse. Maxie, Frank and I would
ride out into the mountains and simply enjoy the day. I was on a gelding who broke in two with me bucking and running as hard as he could (I thought so anyway). He finally quit and settled and I got back on track. Frank rode on and Maxie said "you stayed with him all right, good!". Maxie was never arrogant, always reassuring, instilling confidence. Maxie also told me that it was work but that it should be fun as well or I should not be there.

Thanks, Maxie.

Frank at age 91

Cowboy Wisdom

I recall a man coming to Frank and telling him of his problem horse and he asked Frank if he was a horse trainer. Frank said "I ride 'em". The man persisted in wanting to know if Frank was indeed as talented a horse trainer as he had heard. Frank finally told the man, definitively,that "he rides horses and then he rides them some more until they get the idea". Some of the best horse stock comes from ranches where the horses are ridden daily by cowboys and those very same cowboys do not call themselves trainers nor anything else but call themselves cowboys/horsemen and they are damn proud of it and rightfully so.

Thanks, Frank.

Maxie schooling a horse

Maxie at home on the Flying Heart Ranch

Frank where he always wants to be,
on horseback on the Flying Heart Ranch

"May your horse never stumble, may your cinch never break,
may your belly never grumble, may your heart never break"

Frank told me that he read this above a bunkhouse door and passed it on to me.