Buckaroo Texan Blog

I was invited to come to the fall branding on the 3G ranch outside of Midland, Texas this past weekend.   Kate and Sam Gooding had a recently weaned group of calves to brand and work.   I arrived Friday night and got settled in for a full day of riding and roping on Saturday.  I took my most experienced horse, Button, so we could do a good job for our host and hostess. 

Saturday morning we started out in the pastures, looking for 6 head of renegade cattle that have been running loose for over a year.   Kate on her trusty steed, Ranger and I, mounted on Button rode out in search of the cattle.   The cattle had been spotted a few times, so we had a good idea where to start our search and gather.  A lot of the fences have been down in west Texas due to the vast ranging fires over the last year.   So it was easy for this group of six to be hard to find roaming in thousands of acres.   Sam sent a text that he saw them north of the windmill in the pasture we were in so off we went at a fast trot and gallop.   We found the cattle, eased up on them and headed them towards the nearest set of pens.  It was a few miles, lots of wind, and they had a big bubble.  We had to drive them from a far distance, like fifty yards or more at first.  We got them penned about noon and headed for the branding pens.

 After a water break, and arrival of the rest of the crew, we set up to brand.  We had three ropers.  Jerry Allison joined us for the branding.  Martha and Josh helped Sam with the branding pot, vaccines and wormer.   We took turns heading a calf, the other ropers would fall in to heel and whoever had not caught heels, helped with the ground work.  We all headed, heeled and worked the ground.   The calves got worked with very little stress. We got lots of good practice roping in the 20 to 30 mph gusty winds.

Sunday morning we spent driving the renegade cattle to another stronger set of pens near the highway, so they could be hauled to another pasture and joined up with another group of cattle.   The cattle were wild enough that having experienced horses that could be maneuvered one foot at a time, backwards or forwards was important to keep from having them run off.   Any pressure from the horses got their heads up looking for a place to run.   We got the cattle moved and penned.  The cattle were starting to settle some, ease around and be driven quietly by the time we made the four mile drive to the next set of pens.   What a great weekend of riding, roping, horsemanship and stockmanship practice.

This past Saturday and Sunday, I attended a Ranch Roping Clinic at the ranch of Jeff and Liz Spooner in Gatesville, Texas.   We had a good group of eight.  Most of the group already knew each other and had some roping skills, and we had a few new friends  trying out this style of roping.   We got started Saturday morning with practicing throwing loops at the dummies and helped each other with our form and techniques for the various throws.   We moved on to throwing loops horseback.  Several of the participants were riding young horses or restarted horses, so everyone looked out for each other to give the youngsters plenty of challenge but in way to let them learn at their own pace.  

In the afternoon , we  mounted up and headed to the pasture to bring in the cattle.  We worked as a team, with the cow boss giving directions on how to bring the cattle in.  Every time we headed to the pasture, we changed who the cow boss was.  This was a bit of  a challenge for a few of the group.  It was good mental practice.  Not only were you responsible for you and your horse and your job, everyone else’s too. 

We brought in the cattle to a round pen, two of the participants would sort out 2 or three head and then turn the rest back out.   We then spent time with one or two riders throwing break away shots.   After a few participants practiced throwing breakaway loops with discussion on strategy, a team would come into the pen with either metal or rawhide Hondas and  work to head and heal and take the calf down.  Then a ground crew would come in the finish getting the topes on the legs of the calf, clear the area and then the two ropers would let the cow up.  Then we headed to the pasture to gather again and sort out  fresh cattle to rope.

The following day we worked on our horsemanship, handling the rope, did some drills to work on our dallying smoothness, and stretched some ropes.   The day was getting really hot, so we emphasized watching the expression of ourselves and the horses to move the cattle gently and slowly to not over heat them.  We discussed positioning of the horse to work the cattle by watching there eyes and feeling for the flight zone of the cattle.  Staying just out side of the flight zone allowed us to move the cattle very softly and quietly to most anyplace  we needed them.  This roping part was done just with our breakaways to lessen the stress on the cattle on the hot day.  We all learned a lot from each other, our horses really enjoyed their jobs, and  everyone came away with heighten skills and a real feel of working cattle slowly really gets the job done fast.

  A Ranch roping clinic is coming up on February 26 & 27, 2011 at Elkanah Ranch,  518 FM hwy 107, Gateville, Texas.  Contact Jeff Spooner at 254-383-4651 for more information.   This style of roping is typically used at brandings.  It is a calm, loss stree way of handling cattle.  It is not about speed.  It is about Horsemanship, skill and finesse.  Clinic includes ranch rope with two hondos, dinner each day,numerous basic head and heal shotts, practice on roping dummy, roping from your horse and how to handle the cow after it has been roped.  Sunday afternoon concludes with a small competition with prizes paid out.

The weekend of December 3, 4 and 5^th,    was an exciting, educational and entertaining packed three days.  Buck Brannaman, Martin Black, Doug Jordon and Melanie Taylor all did a terrific job of tying proper horsemanship, that is fitting to the horse, together in their different areas of horse handling expertise.

Buck and Martin started each day with working with 2 colts to get them started over the 3 days.   Buck and Martin each have a different style but you could see how the approach was fitting for the horse they each worked with.  All the horseman repeated many times over the weekend, how there are so many ways to approach the horse and you are not wrong, but it is in your presence, feel and understanding of the horse, if you are to be effective and fitting.  Buck and Martin took turns commenting on what was happening with each colt as they worked along. It was amazing what the colts were doing by day 3.  Again, for a lot of us, this work would take a few weeks or months, depending on our skill level and quality of time spent with the colt. Buck and Martin both commented on how that is all right.  Time is not an issue to the horse, but quality is.

Mid morning,  Martin worked a colt with high energy in a cow working situation he calls the A-pen.  The colt had 6 to 7 rides before this clinic.  Over the 3 days Martin, introduced this colt to a cow and used a little pressure and a lot of relief to teach the horse to look up the cow.  Martin explained about the flight zone and balance point of the cow and horse positions.   The quality of the overall movements and transitions of the colt  really changed over the 3 days as the colt learned the 3 basics in a situation that also taught him to think.  These basics being going, stopping and turning.

First session of the afternoon was jumping with Melaine Taylor.   Melaine had Mindy Bower commenting with her and they had two ladies on jumping horses working jumps as Melaine directed.     Melanie stressed how no matter your specialty, the basic training is the same.  Melaine had the riders remove the martingales, even though they are part of the dress code for show.  She  had the riders warm up with lateral work, then moved on to work over ground poles and jumps.  Over the 3 days the horses improved   in their quality, height and difficulty in the jumps.  It was amazing to see this progress.  Buck restarted the Red dun on day three then switched to the jumping saddle and got the red horse a lot more confident and jumping the jumps a lot more correct, without the need to refuse jumps and balk.   Doug Jordan and Martin Black joined in the fun of jumping their cutting horses and bridle horses as Melanie directed.  It was great fun for the horses to do something challenging and different and really entertaining and heartwarming to see the different disciplines jumping together.

 Doug Jordan had the next session over the 3 days working different levels of horses in training working the herd and cutting.   Doug was letting the horses build  confidence and develop their own thinking to work the cattle.

 The last session of each day,  Buck and Martin, did cattle work with a herd.  They showed different approaches to working the cattle for green horses and starting green horses roping.  They increased the difficulty level of the herd work and roping each day and Martin rode the last calf they tied down, up.   You had to be there to see that, what great fun.  Something the ground crew does in the Great Basin.

There are several ways to box the cow, or get control of a cow when working in an arena.   I will discuss 2 ways of boxing; (1) one is for a trained horse,  the strategy for the show ring and (2) for training a horse to box or hold a cow.

1.  SHOW RING STRAGEGY

Boxing the cow is a term that is common in the Working Ranch Horse event, Stock Horse events, Ranch Horse Versatility Classes and Stock Horse classes in Futurities.  The judge is looking for you and your horse to step up to the cow that has been turned into the arena and for the horse rider to take control of the cow at one end of the arena.   You get control of the cow and hold the cow at one end of the arena before taking the cow to other places in the arena, according to the type of class and the directions given by the Judge.   Ideally, when the cow enters the arena, after you have informed the gateman that you are ready for the cow, you will be at a distance from the gate and have your horse moving towards the cow.  The cow will see your movement and know you are there.  A cow does not always recognize a stationary object as something to be concerned about.  If you are stationary when the cow is turned into the arena the cow may not see you and ignore you when you do go to moving.    The horse rider should approach the cow with confident offense.   You will walk up to the cow and mirror the cow as it moves.  The horses’ head is positioned at the  cows’ shoulder to be in a neutral position.  When the cow takes off you will keep your horse in this position, but then take over the cow, by getting your horses’ head even with the cow’s head.  Most  cows will   duck their head slightly to prepare to turn and go the other way.   By keeping you eye on the cow, you are reading the cow and will be ready for any move the cow makes.  In the show ring you will stay right with the cow.   Point your horses’ head to a stopped cow and walk towards the cow’s head to get the cow to move.   By keeping you eyes on the cow and not your horse, will keep your position in the saddle to move with your horse any direction the cow goes.  Your horse will mirror the cow to show it has control of the cow and will keep the cow at one end of the arena no matter how hard, or how quick the cow moves or changes direction.     When you have shown that your horse has control of the cow, you will then be ready to move your horse behind the cow and follow the cow like a trailer hooked to the cow and push the cow to another area of the arena.   The boxing part of a cow working event lets you read the cow, lets you see how the cow responds to the pressure of your horse, will help you determine how much speed and turn this cow will have for the rest of your class.

2. TRAINNING A HORSE TO BOX THE COW

To train the horse to box a cow, you first have to be sure your horse is comfortable around cattle.  You need to ride your horse quietly around cattle until you feel that the horse is relaxed and attentive.  Depending on the horse, this may take a couple minutes to several sessions over several days to accomplish.

TRACKING CATTLE:  Follow a single cow around a pen or arena to help you and your horse to get used to the movement of a cow.  Follow at a far distance at first and get closer and closer as the cow slows down.  Anytime your horse has his ears forward and is looking at the cow, this is a horse try.  Sit very still in the saddle and go with you horse and be sure you have no pressure on the horse with your hands or legs.   When your horse is hooked on the cow (looking at the cow and following quietly) several times, reward the horse try by stopping and letting your horse rest.   Following cattle is also known as tracking.  The horse gets behind the cow and follows at a set distance as the same speed as the cow. 

TIGHTEN A HERD:  Put a small group of cattle in a round pen or small arena and practice pushing the cattle into a tight herd.  Walking your horse around and around the cattle teaches the cattle to honor your horse and look for the herd as a safe place to rest.   You watch for any cattle looking to walk or trot away from the herd. As you walk behind any cattle looking away from the herd, your goal is to turn them back into the herd.  Two track your horse away from the herd a step or two as you come behind a cow looking out of the herd and then walk towards the head of any of the cattle trying to leave.  This will make them turn and head back into the herd.  Keep your horse walking around the herd until the cattle will stay in a fairly tight group or herd in the center of your working area.  This is a good way to help you learn to “read” cattle.  Watch the body language of the cattle as you go around and around.  When you and horse are comfortable folding cattle into the herd, you can speed up into a trot around the herd.  It helps with the settling of the cattle and builds confidence in your horse.  Be sure to make your circle large enough that trotting does not disturb the cattle.

1. CUTTING OUT A COW:  When the cattle will stay in a herd, you can then enter the herd.  Ride through the cattle to split the herd into halves or thirds.  This splitting the herd will put the horse ride in position to drive a cow out of the herd.   After you have driven a cow out, keep you eye on the cow at all times and watch its movement.   Use your horse to step towards the cow to drive it away from the herd and encourage the cow to stay at a good distance from the herd by keeping you horse parallel to the cow on one side and parallel to the herd on the other side. 

BOXING THE COW:  This is where actual boxing the cow starts to take place.   You will use  two tracking away from the cow to keep your horse parallel and not too close to the cow.  When the cow stops, ride your horse past the cow, one step at a time until the cow turns away from you and looks to find the herd.  Let the cow draw the horse.  It the horse does not respond within a second, use your outside leg and inside rein to bring your horse back towards the cow to catch up with the cow.  After several repetitions of this, the horse will start to turn on his own and will not want to go past the cow.  He will start to develop a stop when the cow stops and wait for the cow to turn. The stop and turn by the horse on his own is what you are looking for to take to the show ring.  To help develop a good turn on your horse, you will back the horse a few steps, rock his weight onto his rear end, and then ask him to roll back over his hind legs so he is in proper position to beat the cow.   Most horses develop and realize how their position can stop and control the cow rather quickly, if the rider is aware of how to let the horse learn this maneuver.  Using a herd will let you cut and box a cow several times in working session.  Whenever you horse gives you a few good horse trys, be sure to reward you horse and take a break.

My training is in the Buckaroo Way and I offer consultation services to those who believe in partnership of horse and rider.  

 Honoring the horse and horsemanship through the western buckaroo way.

April 17, 2010 -   Spring Branding  Part 2-Crewmembers:  Roy Bowling, Nate Bowling, Mike and Cindy Bowling, Jake Bowling, Richard Crawford, Sam and Kate Gooding, Jeannie Choate, Keenan Ivy, Josh S., Cody Porter, Johnny Moore.
 Photos by Kate  & Sam Gooding.

The cattle and calves are gathered at a slow pace after trotting many miles looking for the cattle.  Many of the calves are rather young so the cattle are slowly pushed to the pens about 2 miles away.   A couple of the younger calves get tired and a crew member stays with them to tie them up at a well marked area so a pickup and trailer can come back to get them and haul them to the pens. 

The crew of cowboys spread around the herd on all sides.   The ones in front show the cattle where to go.  The ones on either side of the herd keep the cattle funneled in the direction of the leaders and the ones riding behind, the drag, keep the slow ones moving forward and with the herd.   It takes concentration to details to read the cattle and calves.  Several of the cows along the way will try to make a run back in the direction they came from.  Just the pressure on the eye of the cow by a horse is usually enough to turn them back into the herd.  The cattle will generally not make more than a step or two out of the herd if you and your horse are alert and reading the cattle.  As we get near the pens, we let the cattle and calves water as the leaders set the gates to take the cattle through and in this instance, we need to open gates to cross the highway to the bigger pens on the opposite side.   The cattle mingle here for about 15 minutes while everyone gathers in and gets spaced out to watch and hold the herd.   The trail boss, Roy, takes quick count and checks with the crew on how many calves were left behind.    Several of the cows and calves think about making an escape.  Button and I are in the right place at the right time and turn the mommas back.   There is plenty of opportunity to get horse trys while working the cattle.  Backing half circles, backing straight lines, turning on the haunches, asking for soft feel, and backing then rolling back quickly to stop a cow.

When the gates are set, the leaders file through the gates and we start moving the herd through the trap and out over the highway into the bigger set of pens.   Two crew members hold traffic as we get the cattle flowing at a fast walk and get them across as quick as possible.

After gates are shut behind the cattle and all the crew is across the highway, the trail boss sets crew members up for sorting.   Button and I were in a big pen to hold the cows as they were cut off from the calves.   This job was easy at first but as the numbers of cows grew and calves were bawling, realizing their moms were gone, the cows gave us several good tries to get back into the pen with their calves.  Mommas wanting to get to their babies no matter the species can be pretty darn headstrong.   Button and I had to be quick and assertive to keep them back, until the sorting was done and we were able to shut the gate.

The ground crew works quickly to set the branding fire and brands.  Vaccines and earnotcher is made ready.   The crewmembers that will rope the calves, get their horses set and the rest of us tie or hobble our horses outside the branding area, while we work the ground.    The calves are roped by the hind legs and drug to the fire.  The ropers us a trap shot or a ride by flank shot.  

Two crew members hold the calf down, one by the neck and foreleg and the other by the hind legs, they take the rope off the calf so the roper can get another calf while the crew works on this calf.  One person, brands, another person castrates if a bull calf, one member ear notches the ranch marks, another person gives vaccines to the calf and the last person gives the calf a dewormer.   This process takes on the average, less than 30 seconds for the calf to be down at the fire.   Two ropers can keep the ground crew moving at a steady pace. Two of the crew take a horse and a pickup with trailer and go back to find the 2 small calves that were left behind.   The work moves fast and the near 90 head of calves are worked in a little over an hour.

The next chore is to treat the cows for flies, ticks and lice and vaccinate.  The cows are brought down an alley into a curved chute and 4 to 5 cows are worked at a time.  The cows are over 1000 lbs and not real happy about being in the chute.  It takes some timing to vaccinate each one and not break off needles. 

The cow and calf work is done in less than 3 hours.  The cows are turned back with their calves into a big pen for them to pair back up.   The cattle will be allowed to rest for a couple of hours before being turned into a fresh pasture.  The fire is put out and the gear stowed into the pickup.  The crewmembers get horseback and head to the ranch headquarters for a late lunch.  The ride is alittle over  a mile.      

The ranch supplies the crew with a big meal of steaks, potatoes and salad.  Roy’s wife is a wonderful cook.  The talk at the big table is of adventures with cattle and horses.  Times that were challenging  but now funny in the retelling.    

 It is time to head back to the  horse pens.   The horses have rested and are ready for the trip.  Kate, Sam and I head off at lope for a mile along the ranch road.   We cross the highway and head for home.      The horses know they have done a good job and we arrive back at the horse trap about 4 p.m.   What a day for horse and human and a rewarding experience.

  I got the opportunity to go to a spring branding at the Parks Bowling Ranch, the “Pothook P” in Midland County, Texas.  The protocol on branding on a ranch usually starts with an invitation.  The owners of the ranch will select who they wish to hire to help with the spring chore.  It is a privilege to be invited as a guest or be considered enough of a hand to work the branding.   The ranch I got to go work on is very historic.  It was started in the 1870’s and is still in the same family.  

I arrived on the area of the ranch to be worked, on Tuesday evening, before the gather to take place the following day.   I unloaded my horse, fed him grain and lots of hay, then joined some of the crew to go to headquarters and hear some of the cowboys pick guitars and sing ole cowboy songs and old country western music.

Wednesday morning started very early with a light, breakfast for my horse, Button and me.  We were saddled and headed out to the pastures about 45 minutes before daylight.

  It was a brisk 40 degrees.  I  told my horse as we headed out  “I can’t see well in the dark so it is up to you to get us through the brush, varmint holes, cactus and rocks.  Just keep in sight of those horses in front of us” and away we went at a good swift trot. 

 After trotting out for a mile and a half, we held up to space out and position ourselves for the first area of search for cattle.   We fanned out and headed towards where the sun would be coming up.    The silhouette of a distant windmill was also a landmark to head for.   

Button had more life in those little short legs than I had ever felt before.  He was charged up and ready for whatever the day would bring.   He nickered a bit at the other horses when they were out of sight and they answered back.

Onward we trotted, looking for cattle.   Button jumped to the side a few  times, seeing something that he wanted to step away from, no time to look at what it was, we had to keep going forward and looking for cattle.   We needed to complete our search of these 4 sections and meet up with other group at a main watering in about 30 minutes to start the gather of the bigger area.

This first area we searched, there were no cattle.  Just as Button and I came to a fence; we realized we were in a prairie dog town.  Lots of mounds and holes all around.  We slowed to a walk and proceeded with care, in case of collapsing ground.

    We headed south along the fence and met up with the  other 2 members of our group, Kate and Sam.    We headed through a gate, fanned out in this next area and headed toward the main watering to meet the other group.  Sam told us to pick up the pace as the owner had called on the cell phone and left headquarters a little while ago, and we wouldn’t want them waiting on us.  

We stepped up to a trot and lope and covered lots of ground looking for the cattle and calves.   We met the other group,  they had found some cattle just as we got there and we fanned out again to trail the cattle towards the pens and to keep looking for a few more head. 

Kate, Sam and I, had our horses warmed up good, so we were ready for the excitement that gets started when you get the momma cows with calves all together and start the drive.  There are cowboys yelling, cows bawling, calves bellowing, horses nickering, spurs jingling, and hooves stomping the ground.  So an hour into the actual cow work, I realized I had prepared my horse and myself well for the day.

Button and I had completed a 4 day clinic 10 days before with lots of good riding and roping instruction, several good conditioning rides after that clinic, probiotics for me and my horse, carrots daily with his grain, and mangosteen juice for antioxidant protection against
inflammation with the increased work coming out of winter.

Photos by:  Kathy Greer

The afternoon class at the Texas  BUCK BRANNAMAN CLINIC in March  2010 was Beginning Ranch Roping.

The ranch ropers gathered on the first day with their ropes in hand and watched Buck Brannaman demonstrate 3 different hip shots.  He recommended a soft rope 45 to 60 feet in length for this style of roping.     He had us work on our swing before we started throwing loops at the roping dummy.   He told us to imagine swinging a milk pail over and around your head and back down by your side.    With a proper swing you will not spill your milk!!

1. The first shot we worked on was the “ride by flank shot”.  We would approach the calf or roping dummy that was headed left to right.  This entailed swinging our loop forward and over our heads and with an angle, like the shoulder of the calf.   As we rode by perpendicular to the calf, the time to deliver the loop was when our leg was even with the tail of the calf.  We would look at the flank of the calf and follow through with our loop and deliver our swing as if wiping the table across the back of the calf.   One third of the loop would go all the way under the calf and out the other side and wrap around the hind legs, one third would be standing up against the calf’s legs under his flank and one third of the loop would be on the right side of the calf’s rear legs angled back toward the person who just threw the loop.  The power is in the swing as you come from behind you forward.  It does not need to be swung hard to have a lot of power and effectiveness.

2. The second shot we practiced is called the “hip shot”.  This is a standing shot. You position your horse at about a forty-five degree angle to the calf ’s hip (right side of calf) and swing your rope on the right side of your horse, forward swing and over your head.  Again, the power in the throw is when you bring your arm forward from behind you.  In this shot you focus on the hip and as you pull your rope forward in your swing you quickly open you fingers and point them at the hip.  This allows the loop to travel faster and hit the calf over the hip and then the tip follows under the flank and stands up nicely around the hind legs until the header can draw the calf into the loop.

3.  The third shot is the “trap shot”.  This is delivered from behind the calf, in his blind spot. Your horse is positioned off to the left of the calf.  Your swing is a forward swing but angled over the left side of the calf and your horse.
When you deliver the loop, your drop your arm down as you bring if forward down the right side of your horse and wipe the table across the back of the calf for the throw.   This shot is usually done with you and your horse being closer to the calf and your tip is over the back of the calf in your swing to help you judge when you have the loop ready to be delivered.

After working on our swings and roping the three shots on the roping dummy, we were ready to rope live corriente cattle.   You have to practice adjusting your swing in relation to your horse and the moving calf.   If you ever thought that riding was like doing 8 things at once, well we just added about 4 to 5 more things going on a once.   You need to be able to pat your head and rub your tummy type of coordination to do ranch roping, but you need to do that to have good rider and horse communication. 

The work was fun, you needed to feel of your horse with a lot of concentration. Horsemanship skills at the highest level were being developed.  Buck always stressed our horsemanship first and the roping second.   The roping is just a job for the horse to do.   Classic dressage in western saddles!   “All dressage is, is good riding.” said Buck Brannaman.

Jeannie
J Bar B Ranch
Honoring the horse and horsemanship 

My training is in the Buckaroo Way and I offer consultation services to those who believe in partnership of horse and rider.   My approach includes everything from evaluating the compatibility of horse and rider, developing programs of fitness for horse and rider to compete in various events, to offering experienced feedback on horse management, diets, and supplements.