Working Livestock

[ArrowHBrand]

Our bull is the same way because I don't think he'd ever seen a horse until he came to our place. Also there are places in our pasture that an ATV can't get and a person on foot would spend too much time getting through so horses work for us. Plus I feel more secure on horseback that if a cow or bull doesn't want to go I can make them go, on foot if you have a cow or bull that doesn't want to move no matter what you do, what do you do?

You wanna watch your a@@ pushing bulls around with a horse. One of my friends, who's a top hand , went out to run a 14mo old angus bull out of his heifers last spring he got him almost penned when the little jerk spun around and knocked the horse over and then got Casey down and almost killed him. Litteraly.
Stay on your toes!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm always on my toes when it comes to bulls, but thanks for your concern. If he won't go I'll take the end of my rope and whack him with the knot. The last time I was working them up to the lot for wintering, he came up to a pasture gate and stopped. He turned to look at me, I got about ten feet away and was talking softly to him and swinging my rope. He wouldn't budge. After a few minutes I figured forget him, he'll come once he realizes the cows are gone. I went around him and pushed the cows up. I got about a 100 yards away and turned around and here he comes, walking up. I pushed the cows into the lot, circled around, and waited for him to walk right into the lot too. Rode over, shut the gate, done deal. I am alway extremely careful when working any livestock. Even if they don't mean too they can hurt or even kill you. Sorry to hear about your friend 3waycross, just goes to show it can happen to anyone, at any time, with any skill level.

 

[branDcalf]

I think it all just depends on the amount of ground you need to raise your cattle. It used to be 25 acres/animal unit here. Now their are officially saying 50. Most of us figured that out a couple years back when the drought didn't let up.

So, if my 250 pair are on 12K acres and one is sick, it would be pretty hard on him/her to have to walk all the way back to the corral, cause you know a sick animal always camps at the farthest point from where it would be easy to doctor!

 

[Susie David]

Being a full time, semi-retired, small farm chief executive, we work our animals on foot. Easy to train a small herd to the grain bucket and "here boss". Sad to say that I haven't worked cattle off a horse in forty years and haven't rode for pleasure in fifteen or so years...hard enough getting up on the tractor and it is a small Ollie.
Just my two bits worth...asked for or not. Dmc

 

[msscamp]

Reading these posts makes me think my whole life has been skewed. There was a time that we worked cattle off of horseback on occasions. But now I totally work them in pens. When I move them from pasture to pasture, I do not consider that to be "working" cattle. Branding, vaccinating, castrating, and doctoring the herd fits my definition of working cattle.

Ditto
The work don,t start until they are in the pen.
I do know a few people that still use horses, rope calves and treat in the pasture.

We have often sorted cattle in a lane between pastures - in the middle of nowhere - on horseback, so I beg to differ with your assessment of "the work don't start until they are in the pen".

Depends on your perspective. Isn,t that lane still a pen.
I understand that there are still a lot of places that find it more adventatious to do some things out in the pastures. Like treat one calf out of a hundred. I know some people that will still rope and treat a calf rather than bring the entire herd a mile or so to the pens. But I also beleive that the majority now have much smaller places and that is just not necessary.

I guess it depends on your perspective - when both gates are open and you're sorting cattle both ways by yourself on horseback, I don't believe I would call a lane a pen - but I could be wrong on that.

 

[Brahma Bull]

Whatever works best in your situations.A small farm like mine, the Honda ATV for lots of reason is better than a horse.Just add gas and check the oil,hop on and go.Put a bag of cubes on the back works for me.I guess always best to use feed.A horse now days cost so much,special feed and care.Then a saddle aint cheap.Rough country and thick brush,better have some good cow dogs.Even on a horse it can be tough.If all esle fails use the Wife.Mine is a filipina cowgirl with a bullwhip :lol: .Not many of them.