The Idaho Rancher's Wife

The Ranch From the Wife's Perspective

From the Feed Truck

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I’d like to think I’m a tough girl.  I mean, I have had babies.  A mother by definition is tough, right? 

Maybe I should admit that I do have a damsel-in-distress side that does counter my tough-cowgirl side, but as tough as I am, its ok that on the cold morning cattle drive I was invited to stay in the warm feed truck.  We used the feed truck to lure the cows home.  And it worked.  It worked GREAT. 

It took only a matter of minutes for all of the cows to come running up the hill.  Every once in a while they did slow down.  But all The Rancher needed to do to get them moving again was to pretend to drop the hay.

I thought I would get a little creative and take some pictures of the cows in the rear view mirror.  Ya, that only works of the mirror is clean.  I guess that my picture is proof that we are in a REAL ranch truck.

Moving Cows on a Cool, Clear Morning

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The cowboys decided that it was time to move the cows to the ranch now that winter is upon us.  All though there isn’t a lot of snow, there is enough now that we have to feed every day.  This means that The Rancher would have to take the hay to the cows each day or bring the cows home.  Of course, they chose the latter. 

So on a beautiful, clear morning we trailed the cows home.  I really shouldn’t include myself in the “trailing” part of the move because we were at the head of the herd in the feed truck, coaxing them to come along.  For once I have pictures at the front end of these cows!

First of the Fall Pasture

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This is the same bunch of cows that we preg checked and moved in my last few posts.  These lucky critters get to be in all of my photos because they are actually where I can take a shot or two. 

In fact I woke up bright and early to go out the with The Rancher and ride while Grandma watched the babies.  We trailed these cows along the highway for a while until we could get on the back roads.  It wasn’t too long and we made it to the first of the fall pasture.  It was a nice move because there wasn’t any babies to slow us down. These cows walked hard and fast!

 For a while The Rancher was up at the front to turn the cows so I got to be with some of the old cowboys.  I LOVED it!  These cowboys have such fun stories to tell.  They talk about the days when they were just starting and getting things figured out.  They have stories of one darn cow or another that had to be roped or that headed for home and had to be chased down.  Maybe someday we will have some exciting stories on here to tell.

Here is The Cow Puncher again.  A darn good cowboy, helping us out again.

What do we do when we wait for dad?

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What does any little boy do?  Throw rocks, of course!  Last week we helped The Rancher move the cows and we had a little down time.  Call it intermission- they had two different groups of cows to moves so on the in between we had some time to play.  We were lucky enough that we parked the truck and trailer by the one small trickling stream that comes through the valley.

My Favorite Kind of Day

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The ranching men were moving cows again and they did it in the best way.  They brought them in front of the house so we could easily grab some pictures and come along.  They initially were only moving one bunch but since they had the men and the time they moved another group.  It was really time that they did too because this darn bunch of cows were always getting out!  Funny how being without feed makes these cows get out…

At Jacobsen’s Field

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 These are more of the pictures from our trail down the road to Jacobsen’s field.  The cowboys waited there for a bit doctor the calves.  They also try to keep the cows gathered up long enough for them to get paired together.  At least we hope they will…

Did someone call for a Doctor?

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Having the cows on the range for the summer does bring its challenges.  If ever the calves get sick they still need to be doctored, regardless of whether we have the luxury of the corrals or chute.  Most often they get taken their medicine when the cows get gathered to move to the next field.  There was a handful of calves to be done as we moved them to Jacobson’s field.  Even though there are challenges, The Rancher doesn’t really complain.  Any chance he has to rope a calf he will take, no matter the circumstances!

The Art of a Cowboy

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Being a cowboy is so much more than just riding a horse and following the cows.  It may appear that it is all that they do but once you get to know them and watch what they do you realize that there is so much more to it.  Most of it is instinct.  Its like a sixth sense that they gain over time and through experience.  They are born with a certain ability to connect with the animals.  They learn to be fearless or need be to face their fears.  There are people that say that ranchers or cowboys are the uneducated ones that couldn’t make it in the world.  Maybe they couldn’t make it sitting behind a desk all day but that is because God gave them gifts that we can afford for them to waste.  You should come and try to do what they do.  What they do is an art.  There is no other way to explain it.

Gotta Hurry Home!

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The association cowboys gathered up the forest cows to move to the next of their summer pasture early Saturday morning.  It was a beautiful morning for a ride.

A bike ride that is. 

I too headed out on the road, thinking that these cowboys were pushing the herd back across all of the fields instead of down the lovely paved highway that I had chosen to peddle my bike down. 

As I just about to turn around I got a call from The Rancher.  He casually asked what I was doing and where I was.  I responded that I riding my bike down the road.  Why?  Well, they were heading down the road with the cows, were almost to the house and if I didn’t hurry I was going to get caught in the midst of them. 

I should get a medal for how fast I turned that bike around and peddled back to the house.  Just as rolled into my driveway the first of the cows came across.  Phew… I made it. 

And just in time for pictures too!

I quickly changed out of my stinky exercise clothes and into my stinky cowgirl clothes, loaded up The Rancher’s Sidekick and The Ranch Princess to follow the cow trail.  Its kinda hard to miss… they leave digested bread crumbs along the way.  Another good reason to not be riding down the road with the cows.  

Badger Hole Day 2

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Your anticipation is at its max, isn’t it?  I told there were two days of Badger Hole and that meant two days of pictures… So where is day two?!

Right here!

This ride I actually got to ride- like on a horse.  And completely KID FREE!  The guys where heading out at 6:30 in the am so I knew this would be my chance to go and leave my children with grandma.  Everyone was happy about that, right?

I have to admit that I didn’t take all of the pictures that I wanted.  First I was just nervous to pull the camera out on the horse.  What if I dropped it?!  Then I was afraid that just as soon as I pulled it out I would need to actually do some real work and chase a cow or two.  I mean, I was here to help so I had better pull my weight.  And I will confess that I am so afraid of The Rancher or any of the guys rolling their eyes at me for pulling it out.

But I did get some and it was so fun!  And I am thinking that The Rancher had better take me out again.  Soon.

About Me

Hello! I'm Allison, The Rancher's Wife! There's nothing I love more than being out on the ranch with my husband and kids. Join me for a look at what goes on here at the ranch and the life being a rancher's wife!

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