• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Road Trip.

Help Support Ranchers.net:

katrina

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
8,773
Reaction score
2
Location
East north east of Soapweed
Yesterday I had the chance to drive through Soapweeds side of the hill. What a beautiful day. The sky seems way bigger in the Sandhills. I drove past a place where no one lived and calves had broke the fence down and was lined up along round bales eating heartly. And in the next few miles I stopped to watch Buck Buckles load hay on his haysled with a six head of horses. What a wonderful sight. Two big white horses in the middle, then two belgiums and the I would guess a young belgium colt and then a bay work horse on the other side. I was so impressed with the white horses. You could see from the road that they were solid and dependable to the core. I dont think Buck had the lines when he had them pull the stack onto the sled. It was like a dance. Made tears come to my eyes.
On the way back the cows were all fed and the heifiers that were in the bale yard were out and sulking aginst the fence all pouting because they were chased out of their self serve buffet.
 
Katrina, I went by there last week on my way to Gordon and saw Buck feeding also. We didn't stop I don't like people watching me and didn't want to bother him. You're right its pretty amazing. My grand and great grand parents did it that way along time. It makes me feel guilty to use a tractor. I love to see big hay meadows like that with stack yards full of stacks. Bales have their place but somebody will have to argue really hard to convince me they're better. The price of balers/processors/twine ect.
 
It is always a treat to watch Buck in action, with either draft horses or a saddle horse. He is a top hand in anybody's book, and I'd rate him plumb at the very top of my list. His wife, Joan, is just as good with a paintbrush as Buck is with horses. She makes some dandy oil paintings of cowboys, horses, and ranchlife in general. They are a great pair.
 
I agree Buck is a top hand. Everytime we go bye were are always looking to see what Bucks a doing. Don't quote me, but if I remember right I thought Buck trained teams for Waldo and Craig H. A long time ago I thought there was a story in the Western Horsemen about a 6-up team he was training for them. Or something like that.
 
Once in a great while, he uses some of Haythorn's horses, but not very often. He and two of his hands each use a six-horse hitch of their own horses during the hay-feeding time in the winter. I've ridden on the haysled with Buck, and have watched him load two thirds of a stack of hay by just using voice command. He is standing behind the haystack seeing that the chain is in the right place.

Once he told me his secret for not getting his horses rammy. He said, "Load for four horses, but use six." In other words, don't overload them. As long as the pulling is relatively easy, the horses don't get shook up and try to jump into the load. It is sure a technique to keep the horses calm.
 
We use to sell ear corn to Buck years ago. Very nice man. I was wishing I had my coveralls with me I would of went with him. Soap, that is just what he did. Was off to one side with his pitchfork watching the chains. I was so impressed with the white horses. My dad and mom used horses when they were first married. Rode five miles to the horses and fed and rode back. I always loved to hear about the horses dad used. Him and Ivan Applegate would talk about certain horses. I remember riding behind the hains on some of the horses. I sure miss my work horse. I havn't had my wagon out for years.
 

Latest posts

Top