ffscj
Well-known member
Who uses horses to work their cows? If not, what do you use and why?
Chris
Chris
Using Horses
- Thread starter ffscj
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Jake
Well-known member
Horses are rare, we have them but they stay eatin grass for the most part, buckets and DDGs work for the most part but I'm gettin pretty good at handling that threewheeler behind them.
cowgirl580
Well-known member
we use horses. and if all else fails we just call them in and they come runnin. dumb things think we're goin to feed them. :lol: we also just stick a couple bails of hay on the back of the pickup and they follow like lambs.
TheBullLady
Well-known member
Mine just get worked up if you try using a horse or dog on them. We use a white bucket and call 'em.. they always come running.
cattle_gal
Well-known member
Palomino colored Japanese Quarter Horse.
To many miles to cover in little time. Sometimes 76 miles zipping around in one day checking. That's for summer time. Almost 14,000 miles in 6 years on that JQH now.
When the cows are in the bottom fields either the JQH, a real Quarter Horse, or pickup with me calling them. The most unstressed, spoiled range cows there are. They see me and they come looking for a pellet out of my pocket.
To many miles to cover in little time. Sometimes 76 miles zipping around in one day checking. That's for summer time. Almost 14,000 miles in 6 years on that JQH now.
When the cows are in the bottom fields either the JQH, a real Quarter Horse, or pickup with me calling them. The most unstressed, spoiled range cows there are. They see me and they come looking for a pellet out of my pocket.
D.R. Cattle
Well-known member
I'd bet a lot of the answers are based on number of head you are dealing with. Wouldn't be too easy to gather 400 head with a little white bucket. 4 wheelers just don't go enough places to get them all out of the woods. But those are exceptions, for the most part 4 wheelers are a heck of a lot less nuisance than horses.
D.R. Cattle":2u4yx07a said:
You hit that squarely on the head. Rough country a horse is the only sensible way to go. Gentle stuff a motorcycle or even a 4 wheeler would work. Small groups and farm environment a white bucket or in our a case a white stick works fine. Like everything else, it all depends on circumstances.
But I like not having to shovel up behind the "Mule" or put it in the front end everyday.
dun
We pen our with cattle cubes. We go out in the pasture and honk the horn (a special cow honk ofcourse) and as soon they can see us we put the tailgait down so they can see the bags and boy do they come runnin. We have had the occasional cow that we have to get the horses on but by that time we are only useing the horses to rope them drag their sorry butt in the trailer and haul them to the salebarn.
R.T.
Well-known member
Four wheeler works great. We still like to use the horses to
keep the traditation alive. It is good for the grandsons to know
how ranching was done before trucks and bikes. Keeps them
involved.
R.T.
keep the traditation alive. It is good for the grandsons to know
how ranching was done before trucks and bikes. Keeps them
involved.
R.T.
If I'm only moving a few head in a small pasture, I work them on foot with my dog at heel, only sending him out if any of them need a bit of extra persuasion. The dog comes back and works at heel or just in front of me and we quietly walk them the direction we want them to go.
In a large pasture, we'll saddle up the horses. After all, each of those horses has 4 legs to my two. Or, if the horses just need a bit of time working cows, we'll take them out to the pasture and walk the cows around a bit. Horses are my personal preference when it comes to working cattle. We have them here and feed them regardless, so we might as well use them and their training.
On days when my husband's arthritis is acting up, I'll put him on the 4 wheeler while I work from another part of the pasture on foot with my dog. I still am not comfortable working bulls with an atv without the dog as a backup. I know a couple of rancher friends whose atvs have been on the receiving end of some range cow or bull's anger a time or two.
A friend was on our 4 wheeler a few weeks ago and somehow managed to get herself just a bit too close to the bull and had him feeling kind of cornered. Even though he's easy to work, he's still a bull and I could just see a problem developing. I had her put the atv in reverse and move slowly backwards. When she was far enough back, I set the dog on the bull who by that time was feeling pretty full of himself, and a lesson was taught. The bull once again had a solid reminder to respect humans and dogs, and the dog was very, very happy.
The other day two bulls at home pushed a feeder panel loose and went visiting the neighbor's. Fortunately, our cattle are generally easy to work, so we grabbed a couple of sorting sticks and worked them on foot back through a gate. If I had used the dog, the 2 year old bull would have been over or through the neighbor's back fence and happily (for the bull) with the cows a couple of pastures over that had just come down from the mountain and were bawling their heads off.
In a large pasture, we'll saddle up the horses. After all, each of those horses has 4 legs to my two. Or, if the horses just need a bit of time working cows, we'll take them out to the pasture and walk the cows around a bit. Horses are my personal preference when it comes to working cattle. We have them here and feed them regardless, so we might as well use them and their training.
On days when my husband's arthritis is acting up, I'll put him on the 4 wheeler while I work from another part of the pasture on foot with my dog. I still am not comfortable working bulls with an atv without the dog as a backup. I know a couple of rancher friends whose atvs have been on the receiving end of some range cow or bull's anger a time or two.
A friend was on our 4 wheeler a few weeks ago and somehow managed to get herself just a bit too close to the bull and had him feeling kind of cornered. Even though he's easy to work, he's still a bull and I could just see a problem developing. I had her put the atv in reverse and move slowly backwards. When she was far enough back, I set the dog on the bull who by that time was feeling pretty full of himself, and a lesson was taught. The bull once again had a solid reminder to respect humans and dogs, and the dog was very, very happy.
The other day two bulls at home pushed a feeder panel loose and went visiting the neighbor's. Fortunately, our cattle are generally easy to work, so we grabbed a couple of sorting sticks and worked them on foot back through a gate. If I had used the dog, the 2 year old bull would have been over or through the neighbor's back fence and happily (for the bull) with the cows a couple of pastures over that had just come down from the mountain and were bawling their heads off.
Oldtimer
Well-known member
Most of ours is still done on horseback--Lot of things that a motor vehicle can't do--- and places that you can't get to----- Somedays its just one on horseback some times its 4-5. Like to keep 4 or 5 old horses around to use during the summer- always have a few young 3 or 4 year olds getting educated to use...
Last week I was alone gathering pairs out of the community pasture- used my old gelding and cut everything out- no problem- pushed into an open pasture- .. Next day all I needed to do was trail them about 10 miles down a fenceline so I took the 4-wheeler and dog- since I was alone again I thought that would be easier on the arthritis--and easier opening a couple of gates--- trailed about 4 or 5 miles until they pooped out- went back to get pickup and trailer- - About a 1/2 mile from the trailer I hit a bunch of ruts and flipped the 4-wheeler on top of me in the bottom of a washout- Thought I was dead for a while-then thought it might catch on fire on top of me-- finally got it turned off and off me- couldn't get it back on its wheels- had to walk to the pickup and get it to flip the 4 wheeler back over. Used the old horse the rest of the day and ever since-- Hell of a lot easier on me.
Last week I was alone gathering pairs out of the community pasture- used my old gelding and cut everything out- no problem- pushed into an open pasture- .. Next day all I needed to do was trail them about 10 miles down a fenceline so I took the 4-wheeler and dog- since I was alone again I thought that would be easier on the arthritis--and easier opening a couple of gates--- trailed about 4 or 5 miles until they pooped out- went back to get pickup and trailer- - About a 1/2 mile from the trailer I hit a bunch of ruts and flipped the 4-wheeler on top of me in the bottom of a washout- Thought I was dead for a while-then thought it might catch on fire on top of me-- finally got it turned off and off me- couldn't get it back on its wheels- had to walk to the pickup and get it to flip the 4 wheeler back over. Used the old horse the rest of the day and ever since-- Hell of a lot easier on me.
TheBullLady
Well-known member
My gosh Oldtimer! I'm glad that you're okay! Those 4 wheelers can be dangerous business. My brother in law flipped one over four years ago and took part of his skull out. He's lucky to be alive.
Texan
Well-known member
I agree with you BullLady! But I think he must be pulling our leg a little bit when he calls himself 'Oldtimer.' He must be more of a 'Youngster.' Something like that would have killed me 20 years ago. And that's just the walking to the pickup part......TheBullLady":3bsib569 said:
Part of the reason I like the mule instead of a regular 4 wheeler is from trying to swing my leg over the seat. That's part of the price of having messed with the horse deal for too many years. That bench seat sure does make it easy.
dun
dun
Carrie
Well-known member
We call them and shake a bucket if they're within hailing range. Otherwise a horse, rider and border collie go out and fetch 'em in. What sort of call do you all use for your cattle? I've noticed that there seem to be regional preferences. Around here you hear mostly "soooook cow"
