Cowboys & Buckaroos: Trade Secrets Of A North American Icon - Softcover

O'Byrne, Tim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0911647678 ISBN 13: 9780911647679

Publisher: Western Horseman, 2005

Synopsis

Not since Fay E. Ward’s Working Cowboy has there been a book that better explains the techniques and skills a horseman needs to master to become a modern-day working cowboy.
There are distinct differences between cowboys and buckaroos. In addition, there’s a third hybrid version that embraces the best of both styles. The differences between these styles, and the similarities as well, are explained. Chapters include everything a cowboy or cowgirl needs to know in order to function in a twentyfirst century ranch or feedlot setting.
This book should appeal to the vast number of cowhands and ranchers that
already work with cattle on horseback, as well as weekend cowboys who show a keen desire to do so by either helping out with neighbors or visiting guest ranches on a working vacation. Technique and etiquette are equally important in the cowboy and buckaroo trade. Furthermore, this book should also serve as an invaluable educational resource manual in many extension seminars held at feedlots, colleges, and high schools across North America dealing with the handling of horses, cattle, and dogs.

About this title

About the Author

Tim O'Byrne has gathered most of his beef cattle and horse experience while holding management positions on Canada's largest commercial cow-calf and feedlot operations. He and his wife Christine began their consulting business near Calgary, Alberta in 1994. Tim's first project was to develop high-school and college level extension courses dealing in livestock handling and compliance with agricultural law. Investigating the issues surrounding commercial livestock transportation appeared to be a natural next step. Tim assisted the Alberta Farm Animal Care Association, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and Alberta Pork to design Canada's first deliverable training courses for livestock truckers. He continues to consult on livestock transportation, handling and animal welfare law. He's written a book on the working cattle dog and is a frequent contributor to Western Horseman magazine and Canadian Cattleman magazine. Tim and Christine currently live in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From the Back Cover

The cowboy has been a subject of fascination for over a century, yet few people truly understand the nature of his work. Cowboys & Buckaroos explains in great detail the trade secrets and working lifestyle of this North American icon in a way that appeals to everyone. Learn about starting colts using cowboy and buckaroo methods, riding feedlot pens, roping cattle and making long-circles in rough terrain. Follow the cowboy crew as they guide their cattle through the four seasons, each one with its own distinct challenges. Over 250 photographs document authentic working cowboys as they perform their daily tasks on million-acre mountain and desert ranches, in huge feedyards out on the Great Plains and on family ranching operations scattered from Texas to British Columbia. Cowboy culture doesn't discriminate against any person possessing enough tenacity to saddle up, even if only for the weekend. The author left the city at age 17 and spent over 20 years working on large commercial ranch and feedyard operations across the West. Excerpts from the author's journal offer candid, firsthand accounts of his struggle to achieve the skills necessary for him to earn inclusion into the cowboy world. Cowboys & Buckaroos serves as the modern-day definitive guide to help improve your own cowboy skills, preserve the time-honored tradition of the Cowboy Code and enhance your enjoyment of the ride.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From "Jingling the Horses"

The term "jingling" the horses means to "go get the cavvy or remuda and bring them into the horse pen." In the old days, and even today on some outfits, a horse or two in the cavvy wears a bell collar overnight so the cowboys can find them in the dark. Jingling refers to the noise the bell makes when the cowboys run the horses in.

Sometimes the cowboys will catch horses in the evening and keep them in for the next day's work. Eliminating an early morning jingle allows them a quick start if a long day is planned. Jingling in the morning is the most common method of getting everyone mounted and it's not that big a deal if the camp is set up properly.

The jingle horse is usually an older broke camp horse that can't handle the long circles anymore, but is still healthy enough to ride. He lives a pampered existence in a small paddock near camp.

The guys take turns jingling throughout the week. The chosen cowboy is responsible for several important tasks. He must wake up 45 minutes before everyone else, get dressed, go out and saddle the jingle horse and head out into the pitch dark morning to bring in the cavvy. And he's not allowed to wake anyone else up while he's doing it either.

Edition details

• Publisher: Western Horseman
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0911647678
• ISBN 13: 9780911647679
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176