Moving Livestock

When the terrain gets too hard for trucks and ATVs the horses come out and the dogs get to work overtime. Horses are able to work in swampy areas where a truck would get stuck, can fit through thick brush and forest, and scale a rocky terrain. Also, unlike a truck or an ATV the horse is quiet and won’t cause anxiety within the cattle herd. Call it old fashioned but a man on horse back pushing cattle through fields with a dog by his side is a most captivating image.

PC: Todd Klassy

Horses have been at man’s side on the ranch since day one. They have hauled men and women, chased cattle, and protected the herd alongside their rider. To this day horses are still used to move cattle through areas that man-made machinery can't go. Horses are able to move cattle quicker and faster, feeling the cows’ every move and rreacting accordingly. Many ranch hands have what is called cow sense. They feed off the cattle and by thinking on there own are able to keep the herd in line and moving. This makes for a great team.

PC: Todd Klassy

“Just as cattle drives became a part of the beef industry, so did cow horses. In Texas, when the cattle drives began, cowboys needed tough horses for gathering longhorns and pushing them to market. The American quarter horse became the desired cow horse then, and it is still regarded as a valuable ranch horse now. Whether today’s cow horse is pedigreed or unknown, he is a ranch horse gentled to ride, work cattle and perform many tasks for his rider on a cattle drive.” (Mills)

PC: Todd Klassy

Many ranches out west and on large ranches use horses as their main way of transportation when moving herds, fixing fences, branding, and sorting the herd. When it’s time to brand calves a horse is perfect for the job. The rider is able to rope the moving calf as a slow or quick pase. As a team the horse and rider are able to rope, drag, and brand calves. The horse innately knows its job and is able to act it out time and time again like it has for hundreds of years. In large herds the horses are able to cut out a single calf and push it out of the herd in order to examine or work with the animal. The most popular breed of ranch horse is the American Quarter horse. They are a hardy thick stock breed that can travel long distances at a time and can take tough weather conditions; Working cows has been driven into their brains and bred into their blood for many generations.

PC: Todd Klassy

“Safety issues vary. In some instances a person is safer on a horse because the horse is more agile than a 4-wheeler for getting out of the way if a cow charges or bulls are fighting and not paying attention to people.” (Thomas, 2013)

PC: Todd Klassy

A horse may be great, but it can't do everything which is why many ranches use a handful of border collies, collies, australian shepherds, blue healers, and other dog breeds that are designed to herd livestock. These dogs are crucial to the ranch. They are able to move quick, maneuver between the legs of the herd, crawl under fences, and even walk on the backs of livestock. Many ranches rely on their dogs to help move cattle, alarm when danger like a bears is near, and to be a companion. These animals are designed to work hard and they love doing it.

PC: Todd Klassy

Where horses or dogs may fail, ATVs and trucks succeed. Times like checking fences, quickly moving gates, metal panels, and moving trailers are all times where a horse is useless. Trucks, tractors, and ATVs are very useful when trailer, feed, and moving sick cattle. Man made power is a blessing to all who work on farms and they make life more convenient. “The ATVs are also helpful when taking a large group of cattle a long ways. Someone on a 4-wheeler can skoot ahead and open or shut gates, block driveways, etc.” (Thomas, 2013)

PC: Todd Klassy

Moving cattle is dangerous especially when they are acting wild. Vehicles are great for working with wild dangerous livestock. If a cowboy goes to push a angered wild animal that animal could turn and charge their horse. When two thousand pound animals crash into each other it can be very dangerous and there is a high chance of someone getting hurt. By using a truck the rancher is able to move an animal with the knowledge that there is a safety barrier between them and the unhappy animal. Horses, dogs, trucks and ATVs are all invaluable on a ranch. However, the most important asset ranchers have are each other. Running a ranch isn’t a one man gig. It takes family, neighbors, and hired hands in order to keep everything in tack and moving efficiently. Events like moving the herd and branding are common times for neighbor to help out neighbor. On days and weeks like these each person pulls their own weight and helps get the job done. From morning till nightfall

“"A dog may be man's best friend, but the horse wrote history."

Let me know what you would rather use on a ranch!

Jaksen Curtin

Resources:

Moving and handling cattle with ATVs or horses. (2013, February 11). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from http://www.tsln.com/news/moving-and-handling-cattle-with-atvs-or-horses/

Troy Marshall 2 | Jul 30, 2014. (2014, July 30). Why I Prefer Moving Cattle With A Horse Rather Than An ATV. Retrieved September 11, 2017, from http://www.beefmagazine.com/blog/why-i-prefer-moving-cattle-horse-rather-atv

The Importance of Horses on a Cattle Drive. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2017, from http://animals.mom.me/importance-horses-cattle-drive-3727.html