I want to work on a ranch!
- Thread starter MissHolly
- Start date
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
You know i think we "Guys " have done ourselves proud. The advice we have given would be the same advice i would and have given my own kids.
I bet even the "Ladies" of ranchers.net would agree.
PS Holly if your good lookin' send Alabama a picture of you in a bikini. He might find you work. :wink:
Oh Damn I just couldn't resist.
I bet even the "Ladies" of ranchers.net would agree.
PS Holly if your good lookin' send Alabama a picture of you in a bikini. He might find you work. :wink:
Oh Damn I just couldn't resist.
Big Muddy rancher said:PS Holly if your good lookin' send Alabama a picture of you in a bikini. He might find you work. :wink:
Oh Damn I just couldn't resist.
I am sure we could find you somthing to do when you get a few years older.
the_jersey_lilly_2000
Well-known member
And if all of this advice aint enuff, do a search for the thread, "I want to find a rich rancher" or somethin like that........read thru it, and pull out the truthfully useful information. Some of the ranchwives on here really told it like it is. Down and dirty, nitty gritty things that we get to do. We do it because we love the job. But it's not for everyone.
All kiddin aside, stick to your guns, give it a try, you may or may not like ranch living/work. But if it's a serious dream you have, go find it. Where there's a will there's a way. I'm sure there are a few summer jobs open at ranches. Be honest with them, tell them what you are wanting to do. Even with no experience what so ever, there's someone out there willin to give you a shot. Even if you had to work the summer for no pay. But had room and board, what's 3 mo of your life, with no pay, compared to maybe never taking the chance to fullfill a dream.
Most of us here on ranchers, were either raised doin this, or married into it. that goes for males and females. Some of the women were in the ranching families, and married someone who wasn't. Them fellers learned the ropes too. And the same for the women who married into ranching, they didnt know all they were gonna be asked to do from the git go.....but have come to love their jobs.
All kiddin aside, stick to your guns, give it a try, you may or may not like ranch living/work. But if it's a serious dream you have, go find it. Where there's a will there's a way. I'm sure there are a few summer jobs open at ranches. Be honest with them, tell them what you are wanting to do. Even with no experience what so ever, there's someone out there willin to give you a shot. Even if you had to work the summer for no pay. But had room and board, what's 3 mo of your life, with no pay, compared to maybe never taking the chance to fullfill a dream.
Most of us here on ranchers, were either raised doin this, or married into it. that goes for males and females. Some of the women were in the ranching families, and married someone who wasn't. Them fellers learned the ropes too. And the same for the women who married into ranching, they didnt know all they were gonna be asked to do from the git go.....but have come to love their jobs.
Stay in school and just keep working towards something rather than dropping what you have going on and starting at zero in a place you don't know with people you don't know.
Look around and find someone who keeps a few horses or cows and volunteer to take care of them for six months and begin to understand their needs and what it takes to care for them. Even a few chickens take a lot more care to keep them laying than you might think.
Don't find a boyfriend or husband who is involved in ranching unless he owns more than 10,000 acres. Us that don't own work as hard as the people that do, and when we die, our wives don't get the land!
Anyway, my advice is to start small and make sure this is what you want. You could get hired on to a place in Wyoming and get kicked in the head the first week because you don't know how to act around stock. Or maybe you get out like Jassy and have to trail cattle 20 miles in 0 degree weather with ice hanging off your face. Stuff like that may sound tough and romantic, but it makes your time here on Earth shorter in the long run. I used to love to throw hay because I'm a big guy and could toss a bale into the rafters like the little fellers throw it on a trailer. I'm only 38 and though I can still do it, I will probably need to have back surgery pretty soon to trim off two bulging discs because I can't feel my feet.
I guess I would just tell you that yes, there are Sundays on occasion where we eat homemade ice cream in the pasture and things are beautiful with the family fishing in the pond and cattle standing around.
The rest of the time is a lot of painful, physical work. If you want to work in this field, be a highly educated worker like a vet or AI tech or something like that. And if you're one of those, don't ever mess with stock unless you have them penned up right or you'll be needing surgery, too.
Want to know what it's like to ranch? Just up and decide to go build a mile of fence by yourself. That'd be a good primer. I know you're not afraid to work, but I will make my kids build fence first thing to let them see what they think about it. After you dig your fifteenth hole or so you may think that staying in school is a better call.
Look around and find someone who keeps a few horses or cows and volunteer to take care of them for six months and begin to understand their needs and what it takes to care for them. Even a few chickens take a lot more care to keep them laying than you might think.
Don't find a boyfriend or husband who is involved in ranching unless he owns more than 10,000 acres. Us that don't own work as hard as the people that do, and when we die, our wives don't get the land!
Anyway, my advice is to start small and make sure this is what you want. You could get hired on to a place in Wyoming and get kicked in the head the first week because you don't know how to act around stock. Or maybe you get out like Jassy and have to trail cattle 20 miles in 0 degree weather with ice hanging off your face. Stuff like that may sound tough and romantic, but it makes your time here on Earth shorter in the long run. I used to love to throw hay because I'm a big guy and could toss a bale into the rafters like the little fellers throw it on a trailer. I'm only 38 and though I can still do it, I will probably need to have back surgery pretty soon to trim off two bulging discs because I can't feel my feet.
I guess I would just tell you that yes, there are Sundays on occasion where we eat homemade ice cream in the pasture and things are beautiful with the family fishing in the pond and cattle standing around.
The rest of the time is a lot of painful, physical work. If you want to work in this field, be a highly educated worker like a vet or AI tech or something like that. And if you're one of those, don't ever mess with stock unless you have them penned up right or you'll be needing surgery, too.
Want to know what it's like to ranch? Just up and decide to go build a mile of fence by yourself. That'd be a good primer. I know you're not afraid to work, but I will make my kids build fence first thing to let them see what they think about it. After you dig your fifteenth hole or so you may think that staying in school is a better call.
Hi MissHolly, the idea of going out somewhere, where you can get a deal to work for room and board is not so bad. the experience you will gain certainly have value to it. I am a farmboy, and I went over to Australia and did some work and travelling, and at a couple of the places, I did just work for room and board, but I sure learned a lot, and at the same time had a great time. You really need experience to become of value to a potential employee, so a couple months or a summer for you to get a feel for what you want to do will never be lost, and will be a great experience.
You have to be open minded, and willing to be creative to pursue this dream.
You have to be open minded, and willing to be creative to pursue this dream.
Well Holly,
The boys of ranchers have done us proud I must admit that all of the advice here is VERY sound and practical . I'm impressed
I like the stay in school, a bachelor of Ag is a definate plus.
Spend your summers working on dude or guest ranchs to gain experience.
See if it is a lifestyle you will enjoy. Most people do not realize that livestock is 24 hour a day 7 day a week kind of commitment. Hours are long. Isolation can also be a problem for some folk.
I must bow to the boys :wink:
The boys of ranchers have done us proud
I must admit that all of the advice here is VERY sound and practical . I'm impressed I like the stay in school, a bachelor of Ag is a definate plus.
Spend your summers working on dude or guest ranchs to gain experience.
See if it is a lifestyle you will enjoy. Most people do not realize that livestock is 24 hour a day 7 day a week kind of commitment. Hours are long. Isolation can also be a problem for some folk.
I must bow to the boys :wink:
Faster horses
Well-known member
Hey guys:
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Now Miss Holly, I have a little success story for you.
We have a little friend whose name is Amy. She was a town kid
and loved horses. She had a real talent with them that I recognized
right away.
We kind of 'adopted' her so to speak and let her try her wings.
We had her ride with us and work cattle, which she had never done
before. She became a good little hand in a short time. Remember
though, she was a natural with horses. She broke colts here
She attended 2 years of community college, made the National
College Finals in Barrel Racing and won the first go. Not an
easy feat.
She has gone from that to working in the South for people like
Bill Freeman, Joyce (used to be Loomis), Don Murphy. What an
education she has had! The pay wasn't much and the hours
were long. Would she do it again? YOU BET SHE WOULD. She
had to pay her dues, as we all must do.
Right now she manages a ranch in Oklahoma where they raise
cutting horses. They bring in 300 head of cattle at a time for
cutting. She is in full charge of the cattle. These cattle come and
go, not like here where yearlings stay the whole summer. The
are in pretty poor shape when they come in. The
last bunch of cattle she had, gained 3.29 lbs. per head per day.*
UNHEARD OF IN THAT AREA. She is 23 years old, won't stand 5'1", I doubt if she weighs 100 lbs.
Yet they respect her. She is hard-working and tries to
learn all she can. She knows who to call for help.
We are very proud of her and what she has
accomplished.
So, it isn't easy, but it can be done.
*Vigortone program at work. :wink:
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Now Miss Holly, I have a little success story for you.
We have a little friend whose name is Amy. She was a town kid
and loved horses. She had a real talent with them that I recognized
right away.
We kind of 'adopted' her so to speak and let her try her wings.
We had her ride with us and work cattle, which she had never done
before. She became a good little hand in a short time. Remember
though, she was a natural with horses. She broke colts here
She attended 2 years of community college, made the National
College Finals in Barrel Racing and won the first go. Not an
easy feat.
She has gone from that to working in the South for people like
Bill Freeman, Joyce (used to be Loomis), Don Murphy. What an
education she has had! The pay wasn't much and the hours
were long. Would she do it again? YOU BET SHE WOULD. She
had to pay her dues, as we all must do.
Right now she manages a ranch in Oklahoma where they raise
cutting horses. They bring in 300 head of cattle at a time for
cutting. She is in full charge of the cattle. These cattle come and
go, not like here where yearlings stay the whole summer. The
are in pretty poor shape when they come in. The
last bunch of cattle she had, gained 3.29 lbs. per head per day.*
UNHEARD OF IN THAT AREA. She is 23 years old, won't stand 5'1", I doubt if she weighs 100 lbs.
Yet they respect her. She is hard-working and tries to
learn all she can. She knows who to call for help.
We are very proud of her and what she has
accomplished.
So, it isn't easy, but it can be done.
*Vigortone program at work. :wink:
lazy ace
Well-known member
I think the school thing is a good idea. I went to a two year votech for Ag Business and Ranch Management before I come back home. I can honestly say that was the best 4 years of my life. 
We even had a study group that met downtown. We studied pretty hard on Fri. and Sat. nights.
have a cold one and good luck
lazy ace
We even had a study group that met downtown. We studied pretty hard on Fri. and Sat. nights.have a cold one and good luck
lazy ace
lazy ace
Well-known member
:lol: :lol: :lol: I bet you were wondering where the "No child left behind" thing come from. Well it was me.
have a cold one
lazy ace
have a cold one
lazy ace
A
Anonymous
Guest
lazy ace said:I think the school thing is a good idea. I went to a two year votech for Ag Business and Ranch Management before I come back home. I can honestly say that was the best 4 years of my life.
have a cold one and good luck
lazy ace
Sounds like you majored in the same associate degree courses I did... :lol: :lol:
Jinglebob
Well-known member
Damn good advice on here, whether for male or female.
'Specially the part about the picture in the bikini. :shock:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
'Specially the part about the picture in the bikini. :shock:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Jinglebob
Well-known member
jigs said:yes I have been.....Judith said:OH JIGS!!!! Your not ranching in your bikini again are you????? You will chaffe! At least put a scarf and mittens on so you won't catch a draft
That is wrong on like, twelve different levels, dude. Yeeeaaaaauuuuccckkk!
lazy ace
Well-known member
jigs said:yes I have been.....Judith said:OH JIGS!!!! Your not ranching in your bikini again are you????? You will chaffe! At least put a scarf and mittens on so you won't catch a draft
I do not want to burst your bubble, but if you could find a summer job on a ranch, I think you might be having a change of heart.
an isolated ranch, is a wee bit different than Southern California. like,you know ?gag me!
not wanting to be a dream buster, but the romanticism people see in movies is a far cry from reality. but good luck!
Miss Holly you have just started and already you have over three pages of good advice. As you can see Jigs needs to follow his own advice on being isolated. :wink: :wink: Nobody wants to play fruit basket upset with Jigs.
have a cold one
lazy ace
Jinglebob
Well-known member
lazy ace said:jigs said:yes I have been.....Judith said:OH JIGS!!!! Your not ranching in your bikini again are you????? You will chaffe! At least put a scarf and mittens on so you won't catch a draft
I do not want to burst your bubble, but if you could find a summer job on a ranch, I think you might be having a change of heart.
an isolated ranch, is a wee bit different than Southern California. like,you know ?gag me!
not wanting to be a dream buster, but the romanticism people see in movies is a far cry from reality. but good luck!
Miss Holly you have just started and already you have over three pages of good advice. As you can see Jigs needs to follow his own advice on being isolated. :wink: :wink: Nobody wants to play fruit basket upset with Jigs.
have a cold one
lazy ace
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
"fruit basket upset"
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ohhhhh. That is rare, my friend.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: