A Tribute to my Dad

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CowboyRam

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Dad had a good send off yesterday; the pastor had did a great sermon. I had set up his saddle in the Narthex of the church with his favorite bridle and I put the spurs on a pair of his old worn riding boots, and hat. In leu of flowers I placed dads Angora Chaps on the coffin. He always like that two inch underslung heal on his cowboy boots. We also had several pictures of dad and mom. Pictures of dad and uncle Duane horseback, and the photo of Dad, Duane and uncle Roy just before they went off to Brussels for the Worlds Fair. Dad and uncle Duane were very close; I think dad called him every few days. We had dads hat placed in the coffin with him, as he didn't go anywhere without his hat. The best part was the telling of stories about dad the day before the funeral and at the luncheon that ladies of the church put on for us. I'm going to miss that old cowboy. Dads saddle was built by Tony Holmes of Cheyenne. When dad worked for Warren Livestock he would talk about what he would like in a saddle with Tony, and then one day Tony said, Dale there is your saddle. Even though he didn't really have the money to buy it, he felt he had to because it was build special for him. I would say it was a good investment. In his lifetime dad had broken two saddles; most likely jerking bulls around. We also learned from a friend of mine that dad had a horse that he broke named after him. My friends dad rode for the same ranch that dad had after dad had left and rode that horse.

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That is a wonderful tribute to a good man. My folks have been gone for many years but I still talk things over with them every day over my first cup of coffee.

It is tough to see them go but always remember they will always be with you in your journey thru life!
 
Dad had a good send off yesterday; the pastor had did a great sermon. I had set up his saddle in the Narthex of the church with his favorite bridle and I put the spurs on a pair of his old worn riding boots, and hat. In leu of flowers I placed dads Angora Chaps on the coffin. He always like that two inch underslung heal on his cowboy boots. We also had several pictures of dad and mom. Pictures of dad and uncle Duane horseback, and the photo of Dad, Duane and uncle Roy just before they went off to Brussels for the Worlds Fair. Dad and uncle Duane were very close; I think dad called him every few days. We had dads hat placed in the coffin with him, as he didn't go anywhere without his hat. The best part was the telling of stories about dad the day before the funeral and at the luncheon that ladies of the church put on for us. I'm going to miss that old cowboy. Dads saddle was built by Tony Holmes of Cheyenne. When dad worked for Warren Livestock he would talk about what he would like in a saddle with Tony, and then one day Tony said, Dale there is your saddle. Even though he didn't really have the money to buy it, he felt he had to because it was build special for him. I would say it was a good investment. In his lifetime dad had broken two saddles; most likely jerking bulls around. We also learned from a friend of mine that dad had a horse that he broke named after him. My friends dad rode for the same ranch that dad had after dad had left and rode that horse.

View attachment 53382
Adios Compadre... The last great adventure.
 
I believe that if it had hair and hooves he could ride it. When he hired on at the Greives Ranch out on Sweetwater here in Wyoming they gave every bronc they had just to see if he could ride. He was once told by the boss not to get on until all the other riders were mounted, and he was to take the horse down into a little sand wash. At that point he knew something was up, that horse could kick your foot out of the stirrup. Dad got on and the horse bucked, but dad stayed with him and once he got done bucking he was pretty much afoot; that horse was done. Dad told the boss that he should get rid of that horse when he left.

Those cowboy really liked their booze, and most of them drank seven & seven. There would be a table that was full of drinks, and when you felt it was your turn to buy you buy a round. Once a guy came in for direction and ole Ben was buying drinks, they guy said he didn't want any, but ole Ben said everyone drinks, there was no giving him a no. They guy drank his and got out of there. That is part of reason dad left there, he was getting to like it to much; that is when he went over to Warren Livestock in Cheyenne. Dad said Warren Livestock was the best place he ever worked. Although once Etchepare bought the ranch it was not the same, and it was not long after that we moved to Craig and dad became a building contractor for 30 years. I wish I could have had the chance to learn to ride when I was younger; I would probably be a better rider than I am now. Now I'm just getting to old, and my balance is not what it used to be.
 
A most touching and meaningful post Cowboy. The saddle, rope and boots look perfect too.
It's hard to lose a parent, and I think double so for a father if you're a man.
I gave the eulogy at both my father's and 10 years later, at my twin brothers' funeral.
I figured I knew em each, better than anyone else. It was tho..
 
There is a line in the end in Hemingway's For Whom The Bell Tolls. The main character tells his lady. "think of me and I will be there." I have several special people who I always remember when I pass through special places. I think of them and they are once again there.
 
I bet when he tickled a horse with those spurs it would move on along. 😊 Those look like bull riding spurs ? Did rid any bulls ?
 
I bet when he tickled a horse with those spurs it would move on along. 😊 Those look like bull riding spurs ? Did rid any bulls ?
Bigger rowels on spurs are actually less harsh because the pressure is spread over a larger area. Smaller rowels poke more. Rough stock rowels are small for bull riding and usually locked so they don't roll - helps with the leg grip. Bronc rider spurs roll, but they are small so they don't get hung up in the rigging.
 
Bigger rowels on spurs are actually less harsh because the pressure is spread over a larger area. Smaller rowels poke more. Rough stock rowels are small for bull riding and usually locked so they don't roll - helps with the leg grip. Bronc rider spurs roll, but they are small so they don't get hung up in the rigging.
I didn't know that. I used to ride mules and used spurs that had the bigger rowels and very seldom used them on a mule unless they wouldn't want to cross a log or creek. Thought the bigger rowels were to harsh while the whole time I was taking it easy on the mule

I hired a cowboy and his two sons to break two mules that was brother and sister. A John and a Molly. I owned a quarter horse mare that I crossed with a Mammoth Jack named Clyde ! 😊 My mare was named Gipsy. She had the John mule colt first and had herd bred back not long after she had the first colt. So they weren't real far apart in age. And we started breaking them when they was both close to three year olds.

The Cowboy and his two sons had a reputation of being able to break anything to ride and could nail shoes on any horse. Someone brought a zebra to them to break one time and they said it was by far harder to break than any horse they had ever broke.

When I took the two colts to them to drop them off. The father and one of his sons put a halter on each colt. The father had a big Stud horse about 16 hands, quarter horse and that was his pride and joy. Thought I was just dropping them off when they had me back up to their round pen.

But instead they took the first mule out of the trailer and dallied the lead rope to the saddle horn of the stud horse. The father made a few trips around the round pen and when he got the mule next to the pen fence close enough that son jumped on the mules back and grabbed a couple hands full of main.

The man on the stud horse kept the mule off balance to where it couldn't buck because he was keeping tension on the lead rope and the whole time pulling it in circles. They made several trips clock wise then several trips counter clock wise. Eventually slowing down to a walk. Then they undallied the lead rope and tossed it to the man on the mule. And then after riding it around a little bit in the round pen. They put that one in a coral and repeated everything on the second mule.

They made it look real easy.
 
Dad had a good send off yesterday; the pastor had did a great sermon. I had set up his saddle in the Narthex of the church with his favorite bridle and I put the spurs on a pair of his old worn riding boots, and hat. In leu of flowers I placed dads Angora Chaps on the coffin. He always like that two inch underslung heal on his cowboy boots. We also had several pictures of dad and mom. Pictures of dad and uncle Duane horseback, and the photo of Dad, Duane and uncle Roy just before they went off to Brussels for the Worlds Fair. Dad and uncle Duane were very close; I think dad called him every few days. We had dads hat placed in the coffin with him, as he didn't go anywhere without his hat. The best part was the telling of stories about dad the day before the funeral and at the luncheon that ladies of the church put on for us. I'm going to miss that old cowboy. Dads saddle was built by Tony Holmes of Cheyenne. When dad worked for Warren Livestock he would talk about what he would like in a saddle with Tony, and then one day Tony said, Dale there is your saddle. Even though he didn't really have the money to buy it, he felt he had to because it was build special for him. I would say it was a good investment. In his lifetime dad had broken two saddles; most likely jerking bulls around. We also learned from a friend of mine that dad had a horse that he broke named after him. My friends dad rode for the same ranch that dad had after dad had left and rode that horse.

View attachment 53382
Your dad lived a good life and you're a tribute to him
 
Dad had a good send off yesterday; the pastor had did a great sermon. I had set up his saddle in the Narthex of the church with his favorite bridle and I put the spurs on a pair of his old worn riding boots, and hat. In leu of flowers I placed dads Angora Chaps on the coffin. He always like that two inch underslung heal on his cowboy boots. We also had several pictures of dad and mom. Pictures of dad and uncle Duane horseback, and the photo of Dad, Duane and uncle Roy just before they went off to Brussels for the Worlds Fair. Dad and uncle Duane were very close; I think dad called him every few days. We had dads hat placed in the coffin with him, as he didn't go anywhere without his hat. The best part was the telling of stories about dad the day before the funeral and at the luncheon that ladies of the church put on for us. I'm going to miss that old cowboy. Dads saddle was built by Tony Holmes of Cheyenne. When dad worked for Warren Livestock he would talk about what he would like in a saddle with Tony, and then one day Tony said, Dale there is your saddle. Even though he didn't really have the money to buy it, he felt he had to because it was build special for him. I would say it was a good investment. In his lifetime dad had broken two saddles; most likely jerking bulls around. We also learned from a friend of mine that dad had a horse that he broke named after him. My friends dad rode for the same ranch that dad had after dad had left and rode that horse.

View attachment 53382
Sorry for your loss. Seems he will now be a rider in the sky.
 

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