It’s been a rainy past few day’s and the fluctuation of warm to cold has not helped. This makes daily work and scheduled work that much more difficult. Yesterday The Herdsman and the farm manager Mr. V had to work cow’s. Yes, this is not a shocker as that is what they do everyday. But, the wind was bone chilling and after a rainy morning it was all that more difficult to saddle up the horses. I am not sure how much you know about horses, but they don’t like cold and the wind whooshing up their butts anymore then you or I do. The winter months are when you want a reliable mount to do your work. Otherwise the feeling of ” Pins and needles” is brought to a heightened level of nails and spikes when you hit the ground half-frozen!
The Herdsman’s horse, Leo, has been a diamond in the rough for sure. We purchased him from a good friend of ours in 2008 to use on the Angus Farm. He had been started as a calf roping horse, but just did not have the speed out of the box. Our friend had used him on the farm he managed and no longer needed him. When The Herdsman started working on him, Leo had no knowledge of how to do much more than go in a straight line. Leo also didn’t like cattle turning back on him. Since those first days he has had many hours put on him and at times can be a little opinionated as to what the cattle should be doing.
Leo at work
Horses are valuable tools to anyone who works cattle. A lot of places have gone to working cattle with four wheelers or ATV mules. That’s all fine and good, but a horse is the ultimate all terrian vehicle. A horse can go places that a motorized mount can not. You can always guarante the fact that if a cow went through it, a horse can also. The horse and it’s rider have to have confidence in one another. Therefore the bond between the two is very strong. Have you ever seen a western movie where a cowboy kill’s a man over his horse? Enough said, horses are a part of our family.
The Herdsman and I are an unlikely pair when it comes to our horse background. As you can imagine, The Herdsman is a stock horse kind of guy. I on the other hand rode and showed Arabian and Half-Arabian’s in Huntseat and Dressage. Now don’t go making fun of my Arabian’s, did you know that some of the big ranches in Texas use Arabian’s to work on the ranches? Well it’s true and they are very versatile in their little package. I still have my first horse ” Sing The Melody” who is a Half-Arabian. I have had her for sixteen of her twenty-six years.
Me with my horse “Sing The Melody”
I hope that horses will always be apart of our girl’s lives. The bond that The Herdsman and I share with our horses has been a blessing. We are very thankful for being able to own some great horses, that are worth more than anyone could give us. Always remember…never touch a cowboy’s horse!
The Herdsman's Wife 