Today I forgot to take the camera. I don't know what I would have got a picture of anyway ..... a cloud of dust. This was the most miserable branding I have ever been to. The wind was howling. The pen was about 6 inches of fine dust. And the owner set up the fire on the downwind end of the pen. I have blown enough dirt out of my nose to plant a good size garden. I was running the irons. Someone threw three big 10 inch rounds of wood on the fire. No coals makes for cold irons and tough branding. And of course the wife is out of town so when I came dragging home I still had to do chores. Got to love this ranching life. I took a shower. Now I am going to go flop in my recliner.
Branding season pictures
- Thread starter leanin' H
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Faster horses
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'H, am I correct in assuming that is you working with your daughter?
BTW, NICE BRAND!
BTW, NICE BRAND!
Faster horses
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We have been to lots of "windy brandings" but I do believe what you described has to be one of the worst. YIKES!
leanin' H
Well-known member
Yea ma'am that is little H. All four of us were doing a few tasks. In fact, the kids are such good help that I just branded and ran the chute when we worked the cows. They gave shots and pour on'd everything. I like our brand and appreciate that you do as well.
Went to a branding today. Well and yesterday and the day before and another one tomorrow and one on Friday ...or is that on Saturday. I think we are branding here Tuesday next week.
I wish I had the camera yesterday. There were two kids, a girl and a boy, 8 and 6. They had an old tractor rim with the fire inside it. Those two kids were hanging the nuts over the edge of the tractor rim to cook them and they were chowing down. Would have been the picture to have.
About 150 calves yesterday and twice that many today. Same owners just different locations.
There was two gals there who are darn sure cowboys. I tried to get their pictures in action but people seemed to step in front of me for every shot. In the first picture note the young lady holding on the heel rope. She is about 21 years old and maybe 5 feet tall. If half a dozen like her showed up the rest of us could just go home. Second picture the lady on the yellow horse is about 60 and she is one of the surest ropers in the pen. Picture #3 is horses waiting their turn. The last picture has the two ladies to closest to the camera. Yellow horse has one healed and is headed out.
I wish I had the camera yesterday. There were two kids, a girl and a boy, 8 and 6. They had an old tractor rim with the fire inside it. Those two kids were hanging the nuts over the edge of the tractor rim to cook them and they were chowing down. Would have been the picture to have.
About 150 calves yesterday and twice that many today. Same owners just different locations.
There was two gals there who are darn sure cowboys. I tried to get their pictures in action but people seemed to step in front of me for every shot. In the first picture note the young lady holding on the heel rope. She is about 21 years old and maybe 5 feet tall. If half a dozen like her showed up the rest of us could just go home. Second picture the lady on the yellow horse is about 60 and she is one of the surest ropers in the pen. Picture #3 is horses waiting their turn. The last picture has the two ladies to closest to the camera. Yellow horse has one healed and is headed out.
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Forgot the camera once again. I don't normally walk out of here with the camera so it is normal to forget it. I gave 8 way shots. Based on the amount of vaccine we went through we did 170 calves in a little under 3 hours. Went smooth and easy. All good ropers today. One gal there today who I never met before who threw a mighty pretty lope. And she is a very good Horse woman. It is fun to watch when there is real help.
leanin' H
Well-known member
I love to see handy folks a horseback who can rope calves in a nice calm way. It's art work!!!! We are headed to the desert to help neighbors brand 350 Saturday. They run them through a table so no fancy ropers. But it'll be a fun day to rub elbows with fine folks.
Four brandings in four days. I have eaten enough dust to last me for a while. The total number of calves is about 770. On Saturday I ran the iron all day at the most miserable branding I have ever been to. I had enough dirt in my eyes to pave half a mile of road. Sunday and Monday were a lot better although Monday was a bit dusty. Today was a breeze. Real good ropers who kept calves in front of us steady for 3 hours. Today I gave vaccinations. We did 170 calves in a little under 3 hours. No more branding until Friday. Good I need a day or two off. Right now my little bunch is scheduled for Tuesday. Only 60 +/- calves so the whole valley doesn't need to show up.
leanin' H
Well-known member
We helped some great friends yesterday work 240 calves. Stated out muddy but turned into a pretty day. I have a bunch of pics. Most are of the day and the views. A very good day.
I gave vaccines all day. Our friends have four amazing sons and three were on hand to do most of the work. My son and two young men from our valley pushed calves into the table all day. We are all tired today.
I gave vaccines all day. Our friends have four amazing sons and three were on hand to do most of the work. My son and two young men from our valley pushed calves into the table all day. We are all tired today.
Mountain Cowgirl
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Our chute pushers always used a hotshot. They became known as persuaders instead of pushers haha!
Leilani
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Lord everyone we forgot to brand 2 heifers we bought about a year ago .... I swear these girls are lucky but we got her in the pen with one of our heifers behind her
Now the fun part getting em in the shoot sorry about the mess I was in the cattle barn
Now the fun part getting em in the shoot sorry about the mess I was in the cattle barn
Big Muddy rancher
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That's a lot of calves in one day for a table. It you had the help a two table set up would be nice.
Faster horses
Well-known member
We had a Powder River calf table once, and Mr FH and a neighbor changed it so it was easier to use. Cut it down, or something........made it easier to tip over.
Did my little branding today. We did 63 calves. Then we hauled them and their mothers about 10 miles or so to where they will spend the summer. There was 2 that just calved this morning and 14 dry cows who are yet to calf. They all got kicked out to some range up behind my house.
We were a bit short crewed. 3 ropers, Bert wrestling and handling the iron, and me giving shots. Our other two crew members showed up about the time we were done. Nicky will know most everyone in the pictures.
We were a bit short crewed. 3 ropers, Bert wrestling and handling the iron, and me giving shots. Our other two crew members showed up about the time we were done. Nicky will know most everyone in the pictures.
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leanin' H
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Awesome. Pretty buckskin pony.
Levi has some mighty nice horses. He is the man I got my new puppy from.
Faster horses
Well-known member
You headed and heeled them I suppose because you were short of ground crew.
Thanks for sharing your day with us.
Thanks for sharing your day with us.
They always head and heel them here at all the brandings. Ask about it and they will explain that they went through about every other form and combination. I guess they just settled on doing it this way. I am not roping any more and not wrestling. Just do vaccinations or run the iron so as long as they are streched out in front of me I don't care how they got there.