It's That Time of Year!

For any who do not know the in's and out's of cowboy culture, there are many unwritten rules of etiquette, which if broken can paint you in a bad light in a quick hurry.  Here are a few examples:

*Never touch another man's horse or tack.  That applies to saddling/ unsaddling and loading/unloading from trailer

*Be ready and on time to work.  Be prepared with all the gear you will need.  Never expect to borrow.

*Don't bring dogs unless you ask permission.

*Never yell at another man's dog.  It might get you pulled off your horse and beaten. ;)

*Don't ride in front of someone else... especially when herding cattle.  Everyone has their own circle and should never encroach on someone else's area.

*Always wait for a dismounted person when they are opening and closing a gate.  It ensures no problems occur with the dismounted horse. 

*Never take down your rope until asked by the boss of the outfit.

*NEVER ran & jam another man's cattle, meaning you must work the herd as quietly as possible.  Getting them stirred up many times will be an invitation to getting pulled off your horse and sent to do fencing work.  

... And then there is the etiquette of a branding.

*Never show up uninvited.  Each outfit has a very specific way they like their cattle to be branded and they only wish to have people there helping who understand the way their brandings run.  Also, they plan for lunch afterwards and like to have solid numbers for the meal. 

*Roping is the much coveted job of the branding... so don't just assume by staying on your horse that that job will be yours.  Just assume you will be working on the ground and wait to be asked.

*Before the beginning of the branding, do your best to help set everything up (vaccines, branding fire, tags, etc.).  Those who just stand around waiting for the fun to start don't usually get invited back.

*When beginning to work on the ground and haven't been given specific instructions as to what your job is, just go to wrestling calves.  Never grab the branding iron or start castrating until asked.  Many bosses are very picky about how a brand is put on their cows and also want to make sure calves are castrated correctly, so they will delegate people they trust.

*If asked to rope, NEVER handle the calves roughly or allow them to be choked.  This is another quick way of being pulled off your horse.

*The harder you work, the better the chance you have of being invited back the next year.


So with all of that being said, being the new folks in the area presents a new challenge for being invited to the great event of branding because people just don't know you.  Well, we received a phone call last week from a friend in our branch with an invitation to his branding the next day.  It was the day of our anniversary and a day we planned on heading to Bend to celebrate.... but what do YOU imagine we would prefer to do?  Yep.  We postponed.  We showed up with our horses and when we rode over to the herd, I immediately knew that I had brought the wrong mount.  Truly if I had thought things through a little more thoroughly, I would have put it together that a branding this early in the year was probably not a branding for this spring's calves.... but for calves born last fall.  I was on an 800 lb young horse with very little roping experience and immediately knew that the little calves I had planned for him to gain some confidence on were in fact going to be MUCH more wiley, and a little closer to his own body weight.  And of course, the branding boss asked me to rope right off the bat.  I was so happy to be roping, but extremely nervous about the combination of an unexperienced horse, huge calves, a rusty arm from not roping for a few months, and the pressure of doing an exceptional first-impression job.   I certainly made a lot of mistakes (thankfully I wasn't alone as many others were rusty as well), but all in all, Cheese did beautifully for his first head & heel branding and ended up much more confident by the end.  A first branding that I felt did not give the best first impression in this new area... so I'm really hoping for an opportunity of redemption when it comes to roping, or I'm going to be working the ground all spring. ;)  That's okay.... I enjoy that job too!  Just as long as I'm there to help, I'll be one happy little cowgirl.

Because I did not grow up in this way of life, I seem to be continually learning more rules of etiquette as time goes on.... and sometimes I manage to learn them the hard way.  I haven't been pulled from my horse yet, because thankfully I have run into people who have been patient with me and have kindly mentored me into the right direction (my husband especially).  I hope that as years go on, I will continually feel more at ease as my knowledge & experience becomes more solidified.  However, it is a way of life that I love dearly and I will not cease to jump in and just go to work.  I guess I figure it's much more honorable than fearing making mistakes so badly that it hinders you from growing.   

Since Greg never thinks to grab the camera when I'm on a horse (hint, hint), here are a few of my favorites of him breaking in the new reata and debuting the new armitas.  Thanks for the invite, Clint & Lynna!  I look forward to redemption. ;)