Cowboys and horse persons!!

You know, I'm pleasantly surprised by how many true grit rancher and horse people are here on ATS! It's not easy, and we all work hard. It's refreshing to see some others here. It's not just a casual interest...it's a lifestyle. Not for the faint of heart, day in and day out; the animals always require our care and understanding. You either love it, or you hate it and quit.

We raise cattle, cattle ranchers I guess, I grew up in Wyoming, and have a great love of the Old West. Our jobs may take us far (never too far), but "home" is where the rubber meets the road and the animals we put so much stock in.

We spend half our life in the dark, before the sun and after. Fixing fences, calving, and all that goes with it. Again, you either love it, or you hate it. I just don't know any different, and my life just wouldn't be complete without it.

"Easy" isn't a word, at least not to me. What needs to get done, needs to get done. You do it, or it adds up on you. There's never an "easy" day, there are some with less work than others (but those are just "lucky").

When you get up in the morning you know you did a good deed the night before, and tomorrow is just another day. Today is what counts...and you do what it takes...rain, snow, sideways sleet, mud, monster snow drifts, blazing sun, day or night, no matter what, you just go...it's what you do. There's never a break! (I think I'd think something was seriously wrong if there ever was!!)

It makes you feel ALIVE and in tune with the rhythm of the world. It makes you stronger, more alive and real.

Frankly, to steal a mantra from the US Navy SEALs, the only easy day was yesterday.

Horses are my life right now. Feed, muck, throw hay, feed, muck, scrub water bin, sleep, wake up and repeat. I love it! LoL

Now, if only I can get my family to stop planning all the get togethers at feed time....


My baby girl with her show horse.

That's a BEAUTIFUL mount!!!

WOW!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Excellent Thread.

I will never forget carrying a newborn calf
up the steep banks of an iced over stream
that it had fallen into.

It was dawn, and I bumped into the electric fence.
Needless to say, we were both "wet" behind the ears.
HooHaa
S&F

a reply to: Doodle19815

Now that is a fine Hayburner.
Don't get bit.

a reply to: Wildmanimal

And those little buggers are HEAVY too, aren't they???!!!

I carried a calf about a half mile, in a blizzard once. Momma left him, he got under the fence wire and couldn't get back. He was near dead. He was about an 80 pounder. I don't think I ever worked so hard in my life getting that calf back. It was everything I could do, every muscle in my body; by the time I got him back he was squirming (making it even harder), momma was pissed and wanting to stomp me and I was freezing my ass off. That's always how it is; the worst time, the worst weather, the most inconvenient moment...HEY...new calf in trouble!! Oh, in the furthest pasture and the most difficult ditch/gulch to get them out of too. (most people have NO understanding of the true meaning of Murphy's law until you raise cows). Just getting that calf up off the ground (out from under the fence) wore my ass out...and there was still a half mile to go to get him back to the barn, get her momma inside and get him nursing (or else he'd have been a bottle calf (i.e. BAD))

Yeah, I understand.

P.S. He turned out to be an incredible Bull, and we made lots of money on him and the reports are he's a great stud bull too!!

Thanks guys! We are pretty proud of her, and the horse too.

I thought my daughter would grow out of the I want a pony phase, (I never did), and now she wants the whole damn farm. I've never seen a little girl so excited to just go sit and talk to the her horse.

I respect cow people though. Those animals are crazy! You can look them in the eye and it feels like they see through to your soul. You just feel how wise they are. Then they turn around and do the stupidest things.

Horse person here. I think I always wanted to raise cattle when I was young. From the age of two, I used to escape the house at night to be found in the early hours of the morning standing naked knee deep in mud in the midst of the nearest dairy cows. Then I grew up hanging around the nearest stables all the time being a barn slave, in exchange for a lesson here and there.

Wasn't able to get serious about riding and actually owning until I was an adult though. I was obsessed for many years, taking lessons, clinics, local competitions.... slowly got more and more jobs working with others' horses and riders. Kept my horse at a ranch for a while, where I could help with the cattle, and they taught me a bit about roping. Was able to take part in a Extreme Cowboy Race and place!

But then I got caught up in work, started riding less, started turning down training jobs, lost the passion, I guess.
I started so late in life, I realized I would never be very good. I simply didn't have the time, nor the money. I had gotten a job to pay for my equestrian pursuits, but then didn't have time or energy to invest in them anymore.

So now I just have my last mare, and we're something like an older married couple. I don't feel the urge to ride lots of horses anymore. I like the familiarity, the trust, that connection we have. Sometimes my neighbor who raises cattle calls me up to help them with the transhumance, and my mare and I enjoy that. We're planning out a trip to the Camargue in a couple of weeks, in which I'll bring my horse and my husband will rent one, and we can ride along the beaches.

I never did get to become a cowgirl like I dreamed of, but that's okay. I am quite jealous of those who were born into the life.
I was born into Los Angeles, and have always hated concrete.

a reply to: Bluesma

Your mare is gorgeous! There is something about finding that one horse that is your companion. I love how you describe it like a married couple.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It's not just a casual interest...it's a lifestyle. Not for the faint of heart, day in and day out; the animals always require our care and understanding.

Exactly.
But, like becoming a parent, you can't explain it to people who don't have that passion.

The grey here is one of my two; his sire was a Grand Champion Arab, and his dam was a Quarab.



My other is a chestnut Morab mare (not pictured). I was there to assist when both were foaled. I cared for their dams during the pregnancies. Then I imprinted, raised, and trained them both to be trail horses. It broke my heart to have to rehome them, but circumstances demanded it. I gave them to a 12-year-old girl whose parents had a farm up near Atchison, who had the same style of understanding and gentle handling, training that I did.

God bless them both. Of all the horses I've loved and lived beside (starting 45 years ago!), those two were my babies, for sure. We also had a gorgeous 17 hands bay Shire mare, a gentle giant to be sure. She was rehomed to a wonderful lady who was going to start a sleigh-ride/hay-ride business. Others I owned were a Buckskin morgan, a grey Pony of the Americas, a Paint Quarter horse, a bay Arab mare, and I've fostered mules and horses for others as well.

For many years I helped out with other horse people - caring for their horses, mucking, feeding, brushing, gentling, training, veterinary assistance like vax, worming, etc. Learned how to trim their hooves....care for cuts and other maladies.....

I taught handling, riding, care and feeding to humans (trained humans to care for horses properly), and I trained horses to put up with humans and work with us. I LOVED IT!!

Someday I will return to that lifestyle even if only with a couple of minis for the yard.
Right now I have the privilege of spending weekends with a herd of 'pony ride' animals: 4 donkeys, 5 llamas, 2 zebu steers, and 2 horses. It's wonderful!!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Isn't it so.
You just couldn't let that calf go.
Neither could I.
Muddy boots, and a
mountain of determination.

It was worth it though
wasn't it.

Would you have done it any other way
except the real hard way?

Hell no.
We both know that is the only way that counts.

Best to You

a reply to: Bluesma

Great Cowgirl Photos.
At least you were in it for
a stint.
Plenty of gals I know today
never even did half of what you
accomplished.

Ride On.