Pictures, October 23, 2007

[Soapweed]

Okay boys, time to rise and shine

The mill on the hill in the morning

So do they love me for my treats or do they love me just because I'm me? :???: :wink:

Ask and they shall come

Please put the halter on me first.

The start of another hard day at the office

Gathering first calf heifer pairs

Pushing them towards a weedy lot to sort heifers from steers

You go girls

We got the 300 pairs into the lot but could soon tell the project was apt to be a wreck. The cattle were discontent, and the Russian Thistle weeds had grown up over a foot tall since they had been mowed. The horses were not liking working in these prickly weeds. As coach of the cowboy team, I had a better idea. We turned the whole bunch north of the lot onto fresh grass to let them get their bellies full so they would settle down. We used the time to move a couple more bunches of cattle to better grass, then had an early dinner before resuming the cattle sorting project. We gathered them into another nearby larger lot without a weed problem. With the cattle being full and content, the afternoon worked great for the sorting job. As there were less heifer calves than steers, we sorted out the heifers and their mothers.

Sorting off the heifer calves with their mothers

Peach Blossom going after another one.

Crossing a pasture to put the heifer pairs onto a fresh meadow

We also put the steer pairs onto a fresh meadow. The steers will sell this week.

They seem content and happy at the end of the day.

 

[Shortgrass]

Goose was the 1st in line, I can tell. Forget what you called your gray. All I could think of was Tom Cat, but that was another grey you had. Looks like you had a good hand pulling them out. Great pictures. Sounds like the team has a pretty "cowy" coach. :wink: I was gonna say that I like your office ,too.

 

[Jassy]

I just love that picture of the horses in the barn with the morning light shining in...that's a great shot! Looks like you were busy today, just like we were...we preg ckd the 1st calf heifers...and since I had to run the laptop and scanner I didn't get to take any pictures... Oh well job duties ya know. Great pictures and good luck with the sale of yur calves!

 

[Faster horses]

My favorite thing is sorting pairs. I really enjoy it. Thanks for the pictures. The first one of the horses by the barn is another one to consider for your calendar.

Soapweed, I've always been taught the mark of a real cowman is to read what is going on, and changthe plan if necessary, in order to work the cows the way they want to work. Somehow, I knew that would be how you operate. I tip my hat to you.

Years ago, a man that was really a legend around Buffalo, Wyoming, spoke of another man that was some older than him. In his middle age, he gave the highest compliment when he said, "When I grow up I want to be just like him."
Both men were excellent COW MEN. The older man was known for taking a look at what was going to happen and being able to change it for the better. He was really respected in that country. And ditto for the first guy.
(One man has passed away and the other is pretty old now, but it was always so neat that the mutual respect was evident.)

 

[Soapweed]

Thanks for the compliments. Sometimes things work the way they are supposed to, and sometimes they don't. When all else fails, stop and survey the situation. There might be a better way. :wink:

One old cowboy of whom I had the utmost respect said it this way, "Sometimes if the cattle aren't going where you want them to, it is time to stop your horse, throw your leg up over the saddlehorn and roll a smoke." I think he had it figured out.

 

[Shortgrass]

If I waited until I could get a smoke rolled, they'd sure have time to quiet down & fill a bit

 

[Faster horses]

hahaha, Shortgrass.

Soapweed, after that little story you just related, and really respecting
what that man had to say, I must tell you a similar story.

The young boy, about 8 or 9 years old, was helping an old rancher
cowman trail some pairs to the Big Horn Mountains from Crazy Woman
Creek, east of Buffalo. It was just the man and the boy and about 300 cows. They had to go through some pastures with other cattle in them.
In one pasture, here come all the cows that were in the pasture. There was no way a man and a boy were going to keep them from mixing with the cows heading to the mountain. The boy got excited and didn't know what they were going to do, to keep the cows from mixing. It looked like a real mess to him. He said, "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?" The wise old cowman said, "I don't know about you, but I'm going to take a nap."

At that point, he unsaddled his horse, laid his head on his saddle with his hat over his eyes and did just as he said.

HE TOOK A NAP.

The boy followed suit. After about an hour, the old cowman lifted his hat and looked around. The cows in the pasture had their curiosity settled and had moved on. It didn't take much effort for the two cowboys to get the ends gathered up of the cattle they wanted and headed out to their destination on the Big Horns. All was well, that ended well (as you so often say, Soapweed). And there just WASN'T MUCH DUST to get it done.

 

[Soapweed]

That was a good story, Faster Horses. I have been involved with some pretty big cattle mix-ups through the years. Sad to say, I've probably even been in the wrong place at the wrong time and even had something to do with causing some of those wrecks. :? :wink: Perserverence always prevails, and somehow in the end, the wrecks get righted.

One lesson learned through the years, is that persistence will win over hard riding about any time. There is no reason to kill off a good horse by going too fast and whooping and hollering too much. That is more than likely an excercise in futility, and many times good horses can even get ruined for life by doing this.

My Smokey horse is about as unnaturally "cowy" as any horse can get. He doesn't rein the best either. He is gentle, easy to catch, has quite a lot of "go" and endurance to him, and doesn't stumble, which are all positive attributes. He and I have sorted quite a few pairs through the past weeks and months. He doesn't seem to get any better, and neither do I :wink: , but we get the job done. While sorting cattle, it is very seldom we even break into a trot, and if a person is loping he's going too fast.

My supporting crew is of the highest caliber. Peach Blossom and Saddletramp hold the herd and let proper critters out when it comes handy. Yesterday, after the cattle had filled and settled, Saddletramp was pretty much able to hold the herd by himself. He also keeps tally, and at any time can accurately tell us how many are out. This allowed both Peach Blossom and me to sort out the heifer pairs. Late in the day, the cattle were starting to get restless, and there were several heifer calves that had lost their ear tags and weren't matching up. We still have approximately fifteen heifer pairs to get out of the steer herd, but that can be done easily before getting the steers in closer when we sell them.

 

[Faster horses]

The man in my first story really is a legend in that area. I'll call him "Bill".
Bill ALWAYS considered his horse. They had MILES to go horseback as the ranch was huge and not accessible by any other means. He usually rode a horse and led a colt so that when he got where he needed to be, his young horse wouldn't be played out. He then would tie the horse to a fence, or hobble him and use the young horse to do the work--sorting, etc.
He had horses that wouldn't take the slack out of the lead rope on a lope, they were so used to being led.

Anyway, in a potential wreck or things not going well, he'd always say,
"They can't get away, they're surrounded on three sides by water."
That always added a little humor to the situation.

And it is amazing, that there always is another day.

I have often noticed that folks get fustrated working cattle when they
allow themselves 2 hours, or 4 hours, etc. to get a job done with cattle.
It might (and usually does) take more time to finish the job than
was allowed. Then the fustration sets in. Cattle can't tell time.
Mr. FH always allows ALL DAY to work cattle. Then when he has time
left over to do another little chore, he's happy.

One thing I wasnted to ask you, Soapweed. Your ranch looks sodded
well enough that I bet you don't have trouble with dust pneumonia.
Am I correct?

Good luck with your good calves at the sale.

P.S. You listed so many good things about your gray horse,
I THINK I'D KEEP HIM... :wink:

 

[RobertMac]

Took me awhile to learn that the slower you work cattle, the faster you get done!