Dave
Well-known member
cross_7":yucnhrqr said:They're's cowboys and they're's rodeo cowboys
I bet there ain't many that are both, but there are some hands that'd sure make a rodeo cowboy
There quite few rodeo cowboys that don't know which end of a cow gets up first
I ain't running anybody down because of it, but he term is thrown around kind of loose like now days
I've known some good cowboys and they've earned that tag
When you go out with the wagon and sleep out on he ground for a few weeks, getting up at 4:30 to get breakfast, jingle the horses before sunup, fork half broke bronc in the dark, gather cattle till dinner(lunch for some), rope a fresh mount out of he remuda cause yours is used up, flank calves all day, move the wagon and do it ll again tomorrow and the next and so on.
Then you can call yourself a cowboy
Now granted there are some regional differences and also time has marched on. I never worked from a wagon but they just don't exist in the northwest and haven't for a lot of years. When I was riding rodeos in the 70's most of the cowboys (not all but most) were ranch raised. Often smaller places but still big enough that cattle were gathered and worked horseback. But you are right in there is a huge difference between running cows on 30,000 acres of broken up ground and a few head on 30 acres that can all be seen from the kitchen window. Where I worked on the days you were horseback, you swung into the saddle at daylight and rode until dark. You didn't get to change horses mid day because there simply wasn't a fresh one available. So you had to take care of your horse so he will take care of you. It was a long walk if your horse crippled or bucked you off. Cattle weren't spread out in the winter up here in the north. They were in a winter feeding ground. No matter what the weather you got to stack several tons of small squares on a feed truck or a horse drawn wagon to go feed. Sick cows get to be doctored at the end of a rope because there simply isn't a pen within miles. And it doesn't matter how big and mean she is or if you have help or by yourself. It has to be done.