Large ranches and even groups of smaller ranches are starting to learn about Spatial Information Technologies. For example, there is a seminar about this field led by Eric Redeker at the King Ranch Institute in Texas on May 18. Although most cowboys probably don’t twitter and have Facebooks pages, technology is playing an increasingly important [...]
Of the 200 cattle breeds one of the most popular for beef production is the Red Brangus. This breed was originated by breeding Black Angus cows and grey Brahman bulls in the 1930s. Red Brangus cattle combine the hardiness, disease resistance and unmatched maternal instincts of the Brahman breed with the superior carcass quality, fertility, [...]
When thinking about a saddle one of the most important, but least thought about, details is the rigging of the saddle. The rigging basically determines where the saddle will sit on the horses back. Rigging is the metal (occasionally leather) hardware that attaches directly to the tree or is build into the skirts. It’s the [...]
Tom Mix (1880-1940) was one of the first Hollywood cowboy stars and probably did more than anyone to define the cowboy image. Born in Pennsylvania he learned to ride at a local farm and eventually found work at the famous 101 ranch in Oklahoma. Reportedly he won the 1909 national Riding and Rodeo Championship which [...]
Richard Caldwell is one of the very best cowboys teaching others about the Vaquero style of training horses and handling cattle. He is also an expert on tack equipment and has several very interesting DVDs about that subject. Richard is one of the toughest and most talented cowboys I know and has a long list [...]
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The Ojai Valley north of Santa Barbara, California has been cowboy country since 1837 when Fernando Tico’s Rancho Ojai first brought cattle to the area. Ojai is definitely horse country these days and a beautiful place to visit and live. My friends Paul & Melanie Hirdler (I’ve ridden with both and done cattle drives with [...]
One of the most famous and collectible silversmiths is Edward H. Bohlin (1895-1980) who first sold goods to Tom Mix. Later he outfitted many of the well known movie stars and celebrities in the 1920-70s like Will Rogers, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, and Gene Autry. Bohlin was originally born in Sweden, worked on cattle ranches [...]
Without grass we probably wouldn’t be eating steaks and hamburgers today. There are a lot of jokes in the cattle business about the fact that being a cattle producer is really about moving the protein found in grass directly to the consumer, with the transportation vehicle being a cow. Many producers first concern is the [...]
I’ve gotten a lot of email about reata ropes so here’s some more information. All ropes will break but reata ropes are more likely to do so, especially if not maintained. After use they need to be washed with water (just hold the coils under a faucet and rinse) and then conditioned by rubbing beef [...]
Anything western seems to be of great interest and in recent years there has been a new sport invented called “cowboy shooting”. These are competitive events all around the country where people dress in period clothing and shoot period or replica pistols and rifles at either stationary targets or sometimes from horseback at balloons. Blanks [...]
Everyone has been influenced by a few special people in their life. For me, one of those people was Billy Bob Tennison who died in 2007. Born in 1929 Billy didn’t start out as a cowboy although he was raised in Texas. He served in the Navy, got a masters degree from Texas A&M in [...]
I have no idea where it originated but when you want a horse to stop we’ve all learned to say “whoa”. Except in dressage where no verbal commands are allowed. Unfortunately horses don’t grow up naturally knowing what whoa means. Beginners typically try to pull back hard on the reins and yell at the top [...]
Cast buckles are ones where metal is poured into a mold, allowed to cool and then the rough edges are buffed out. They are the most common form of buckles around with literally millions made every year. For cowboy type buckles they are usually made from either brass, bronze or pewter. The art is in [...]
One of my favorite places is a 4,600 acre ranch owned by the Hunewill Land and Cattle Company in Bridgeport, California. For over 136 years the Hunewill family has raised and sold cows and since the 1930s they have offered a very unique opportunity for visitors to get to see and participate in a working [...]
Roping is a central skill for cowboys. Although there are times when herding cows into pens and then into narrow alleys and then into squeeze chutes where they can be stopped and held for inspection, doctoring and branding is advantageous, the experience of most cowboys is that roping is still the best and least harmful [...]
The Autry National Center of the American West in Los Angeles near Griffith Park is one of the best museum type organizations I know. We’ve been members since it was first opened and are constantly amazed at the quality and quantity of exhibits, events, research projects, group trips, etc. Gene Autry is of course one [...]
Although most cowboys wear plain or patterned shirts for work, when it comes time for the Saturday night dance with that special cowgirl the boys do know how to dress up. Any man who has cowboy boots probably also has a “good” western shirt for special occasions. Originally 1920-30s Hollywood cowboys had individually designed “costumes” [...]
The Country of Origin Labeling system known as COOL took effect this year after many years of discussion. Basically it requires retailers to label their beef (and other items) with the country where it came from. This is a good thing for consumers who want to purchase only US raised beef and maybe locally produced [...]
I get a lot of questions in my western buckle store Beal’s Cowboy Buckles about silver buckles. If it is real silver it will almost always be stamped on the back “sterling silver” or sometimes “SS”. The only way to know for sure is a chemical test that many higher end jewelry stores can do [...]
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