Horsemanship Clinic
Horsemanship Clinic
Bryon and I spent the weekend working on our horsemanship and refining our cattle handling skills at the Joe Wolter Clinic in Hamilton at the Crooked Creek Ranch. We had a great time and learned a lot from Mr. Wolter’s knowledge and experience.
Our goal here on the ranch is to provide the lowest stress possible for the cattle. Proper horsemanship is very important to us and it’s important to the healthy growth of our herd.
Mr. Wolter slowed things way down for us and helped us get better in tune with the horse and the cattle. The cattle at the clinic had been worked before so we were able to take it slow and study the movements of the cattle, their balance points and flight zones. We learned that waiting on the cattle was the easiest way to keep them moving where we want them to go.
Cattle and horses are both herd animals that respond to “pressure” or how close you get to them. They both have very good spatial awareness and will easily move when pressured in the right area. When I get out of the horse’s way a lot of times they instinctively know how to herd the cattle. Mr. Wolter commented that we should “get the horse to do what we want his way!”
We have found over the years that working the cattle via horseback is much less stress on the cattle. We have moved/ worked cattle on foot, on varies types motorized vehicles and horseback. The cows are much more calm with the horses and move slower with less anxiety. This is safer for us and for them. We find it gets the job done faster and easier in the long run.
In the rocky Hill Country of Central Texas, the horses also allow us to get into areas that the ATVs can’t get into because of rocky terrain or thick brush. This allows us to look for cattle in areas of the ranch that would otherwise never be seen.
The horses also allow you to move quietly over the terrain. I read somewhere that a great stockman never lets the cattle know they are under restrain and lets everything be done voluntarily by the cattle. I think that is good advice!
Part of our job as Beef Cattle producers is to be good stockmen of the herd. Studies have shown that low stress cattle handling improves milk production and weight gain in cattle. This is very important to the bottom line and keep a solid line of production.
