The Cowboy at Work

"We are fortunate in having this minute compilation of cowboy lore." — Library Journal
"Quite likely the best book of its kind to appear . . . written by a veteran cowboy in colorful but explicit prose, and providing just about as complete a cow country manual as you could want. . . . A greenhorn could almost set up ranching by absorbing Mr. Fay's lore, and western fans will find this book a treasure-house of information." — Springfield Republican
A self-described horse wrangler, bronc breaker, and rough-string rider for cow outfits from Canada to the Mexican border, old-time cowboy Fay Ward simply yet vividly describes every detail of the working cowhand's life and job.
Want to know how to throw a half-diamond hitch and wield a branding iron? How about learning how to trap wild mustangs and rig and use a saddle? Interested in the recipe for S. B. stew? This authoritative manual explains it all.
Illustrated with 600 drawings and diagrams by the author, this is a captivating and informative read for working cowboys, dude ranch wranglers, armchair bronc-busters, and anyone interested in cowboy life and lore.

Fay E. Ward was born in Iowa and raised in South Dakota. When he was in sixth grade, he ran away from the home of his adoptive father and started his career as a cowboy. Throughout the years, he worked as a horse wrangler, a bronc buster, and a rough-string rider. He explored the territory between Alberta, Canada, and the border of Mexico on horseback for more than seventy years. Later, he would write about his experiences for magazines and newspapers, creating drawings to accompany his articles. He died in 1979 at the age of ninety-one.