There's Nothing Romantic or Poetic About Being a Cowboygirl

There's nothing romantic or poetic about doctoring calves in a foot of snow.  When it's cold, and slick.  And you have to keep the vaccine bottle in your bra so it stays warm enough you can actually draw vaccine out of the bottle when you need it.

 

There's nothing romantic or poetic (or even cool poems about....) processing yearlings in the rain.  In mud up to your knees.  With wet gloves.

There's nothing romantic or poetic about classing calves in the alley.  In 6 inches of oozy, sticky, gummy mud.  Buried under 8 inches of snow.  One hour before the truck shows up.

There's nothing romantic or poetic about trailing cows down the highway in subzero temperatures.  Leading your horse because you can't feel your feet.  When you can see your breath.

There's nothing romantic or poetic about calving out 1500 heifers.  In 4 weeks.  Twelve hour days.  Each black heifer looks exactly like the black heifer you just rode past.  In January.  By week 2 you won't remember your own name.

 

But....

It is kind of cool to watch the sun come up over the canyon rim as you trot out of camp in the morning.

There is definitely some poetry in a perfect heel loop that scoops up two feet, or a bridle horse working a cow in a gate.

I'll admit, it is romantic, holding hands with your CowBoss while driving home from the sale after selling a trailer load of your own calves.

I guess drinking Carlo Rossi out of a tin coffee cup by gaslight after a long day doing cowboy stuff is rather romantic and poetic!

Frosty Cows

 

 

Ever take a really cool picture, then get it home and realize there is one of the Cowboss's friend's stupid Corriente cows right in the middle?  Yeah, it sucks.  But I am slightly  jaded because the Corrientes make me crazy.  If there is an open gate, or wrong direction to go, they will do it, and it is usually when you are trying to get the tractor through the gate and keep the Corrientes in and you are by yourself.  You will spend an hour getting out of the tractor, chasing the Corrientes off, opening the gate, running back to the tractor, get almost though the gate before the Corrientes get to it, have to jump out, run them off and try again.  It is a vicious cycle.  Hopefully a neighbor driving by will take pity on you and watch the gate as you drive through.  Most likely, it will be on a day you are hurrying to make it to an appointment in town.  You will be late.  True story.

Good Help is Hard to Come By

Good Help is Hard to Come By

Why is it fall feels like it is so much busier than the rest of the year?  I think it is because you have to work around other people’s schedules more than any other part of the year.  You have to preg your cows when the vet can be there and ship your calves when the trucker can haul them and it is convenient for the buyer to receive them, all while working around helping neighbors and school.  In the summer, if you can’t spray weeds because the wind is blowing, or you don’t get through the heifers in the Red field, you can probably do it the next day and not worry about scheduling conflicts.  You have more flexibility during the winter, spring, and summer months.

I feel like I have been running since fair time and haven’t stopped to catch my breath yet.  Between getting the boys to and from school, my college class, and working for the Cowboss I haven’t had much opportunity to get into any trouble.  On the upside, all 3 of my boys have been too busy to get into trouble as well!  QT has been busy helping the Cowboss and me in the mornings before school. 

QT and I had a really hard day last week.  After we got TR on the bus and off to school, we caught our horses to help the Cowboss and Russ move a bunch of yearlings from the Barn field to the Ryegrass field.  After we got them moved, QT and I were to go back for the pickup and trailer, then meet the Cowboss and Russ at the house.  Right off the bat we found a yearling that we had missed.  We got around her and got her put where she belonged, and headed on our way to the pickup.  We were given very specific directions to load our horses, then drive through the pairs in the field next to the Barn field, checking to be sure no heifers had crawled in with the cows and calves.  After driving through the pairs we needed to hurry home and get QT fed and ready for school.

We got our horses and dog loaded and drove through the pairs.  We didn’t notice any yearlings and were ready to go home.  Then I noticed 1 hot cow and 13 yearlings in the field we just came out of.  I asked QT what he thought we should do, let dad get them later, or unload our horses and put them away ourselves.  He was pretty sure we better get them for dad, so we parked the trailer a little closer to the gate we would push them through and unloaded our horses and dog.

The cows were pretty wound up, and took off in a long trot in the wrong direction when we got on our horses.  We trotted off to get around them and QT did a really good job keeping up.  Then we chased those cows all over that field.  If there was a wrong way to go or a chance to scatter, the cows took it.  It felt like we were trying to herd cats.  We ran back and forth across a boggy creek 3 times before the cows bee lined it for the willows.  I got QT back across the creek and told him to sit right where he was and I would chase them through the willows.  It took me a good 15 minutes up, down, and across the boggy creek in the willows, a few tears and a lot of swear words before I finally got them out of the willows and headed somewhat in the right direction.  I let out a holler for QT to catch up, and he and old “Knothead” made good time trotting across the field to me.

I told him that if we could get the cows past the barn at the Oglvie and could keep them on the fence we would be in the clear.  If he could keep them coming, I would stay on the side and keep them together and going the same direction.  I’m not going to lie, I had my doubts we were going to get all of them past the barn and to the gate.  Between my 5 year old cowboy, 6 month old puppy, and colt, things were not going well and I was ready to cut my losses and let the Cowboss get them another day.  Every time I looked back though, my little man was whooping and hollering, working back and forth pushing those cows for all he was worth, never slowing from a trot.  We got them past the barn and QT held them up in the corner while I got the gate opened, then he brought them to me and I turned them in.  I don’t know how we did it, but we finally got them through the gate.

Riding back to the trailer I told QT that I was very proud of him.  I said he did a good job, I was so glad he was there to help me, and that I didn’t think I would have ever got those cows on my own.  He looked up at me just as serious as could be and told me “I know mom.  Let’s go home so I can go to school.” He’s good help.  I'll take him over most people any day!

Things I Love....

I love watching the Cowboss with my boys.  There is nothing sexier in my opinion than a dad that spends time with his kids.  I am so thankful that we live in a lifestyle where we are expected and encouraged to take our boys to work with us daily.

I love early morning cuddles with my little manly men.  I have to get used to the idea that my babies are growing up and don't need mom like they used to.  Most days they prefer fist bumps to hugs and kisses.  I live for early mornings where one of my boys will crawl into bed with me and just snuggle for a few minutes, forgetting that it isn't cool to hug mom.

 

I love the exuberance and enthusiasm my dog greets me with when I get home.  Whether I have been gone for 3 days, or just stepped out the back door and came in through the front door, she lets me know that I was missed.  She meets me at the door, jumping up and down, and the minute she can touch me, she is jumping up on my leg greeting me.  Makes me feel good to know something cares about me and is  happy to see me!

I love fresh horses on brisk mornings.  Isn't it excited to put on a wool sweater, felt hat, and chinks, then step aboard a fresh young horse and have them take a little hop or two on a cool morning?  You get warmed up quickly.  It is a thrilling way to start your day!  Tight horses on brisk mornings make me smile, as long as I can cover them.  If I get frapped, I know it is going to be a bad day!

5 Things Every CowboyGirl Should Have

1.  A Good Bridle Horse.

Everyone has that neighbor, or friend, or friend of a friend who is a wreck waiting to happen.  Sooner or later you will have to work around them horse back.  It is comforting to know you have something to ride who can take that stress without having a come apart.

Case in point:  We helped some family brand this spring.  Whether it was the neighbor kid running under my horse's head to get to the calf we just heeled and were headed to the fire at a high trot, or the drunk idiot stumbling through the middle of the branding pen you had to watch out for, there was always some kind of chaos afoot.  Knowing the potential I took "Natty," my bridle horse the Cowboss made for me (who I am still trying to get used to after losing Cricket).  She was doing pretty good.  Then I pantyhosed a big calf.  Instead of dallying, I went with the calf, bucking across the branding trap (calf, not Natty), hoping the rope would slide off it's flanks and I could get dallied before slipping a foot.  When that didn't work, I went to turn the calf off the fence.  I was thinking I could reach down and slip the rope down.  Just as soon as I got close enough to reach down and move the rope, someone decided to help me.  They came running at me, spooking both Natty and the calf.  The calf darted behind my horse still roped.  We were a tangled up mess. Instead of panicking with the rope around her feet, Natty held her breath and waited for the dust to settle.  In case you are wondering, I lost the calf.  Natty didn't have a come apart.  She didn't lose her head.  She stood there and waited for a cue from me.

You should always have a horse that can keep it's head when things come tight.  Not just for your safety, but for everyone around you.

2.  Pretty Boot Tops.  They are like expensive lingerie.  Nobody has to see them, but you still feel sexy.  Feeling sexy makes you confident.  When you are confident, you rope better.

3.  Pretty Silver Earrings.  They make you feel good and like you are put together.  You are more confident when you look and feel your best.

4.  Painted Nails.  Either finger nails or toenails.  Just because I work with a bunch of men doesn't mean I need to act like one.  Painted nails are a good reminder that I am a girl and should always act like a lady.

5.  A Good Cinch, and not just because I tie and sell them!  I feel a cinch is one of the most important pieces of tack a person should have.  It keeps your saddle on your horse.  You need to keep it clean and check it often for broken strands.  There is nothing worse than soring your horse or roping a soggy yearling and having your saddle come right off your horse!  Your horse will perform better when they are more comfortable.

Photo Courtesy of the Fabulous Heidi Stevens!