Ranch Horses The Blue Collar Equine

With their fly away manes, hairy fetlocks, fuzzy ears, and whiskers intact ranch horses are probably one of the most overlooked specimens in the horse industry. Usually born outdoors into a herd situation complete with a stallion on duty these foals are bred for a toughness not found in their barn bred cousins. When weaned they are halter broke and then turned out with other colts and fillies their own age to be horses until they reach three years old and begin training. They rarely live in a barn and scorn winter blankets. A three-sided windbreak with a roof and natures own insulation is plenty to keep the winter chill and snow away. He can usually be found grazing the meadows with the rest of the remuda on his days off during good weather. It's the days he spends working which truly set this amazing equine apart from others in his species. He has to be truly versatile to be competent at his job. He needs the inborn cow-sense of a cutting horse for sorting and feedlot work, the ability of a team roper to drag caves to the branding fire, a calf ropers ability to keep the rope tight while his rider doctors a cow 25 miles from the home ranch. Not to mention the speed of a race horse to catch and turn back the yearling heifer who wants to anywhere but the right way. The stamina of an endurance horse and the surefootedness of a trail horse to navigate every terrain from sand dunes to rocky mountain trails on an all-day round-up or a routine spot check on range and cow condition. He must be able to imitate a pleasure horse to stay behind a herd of cows who's natural speed is 1/2 a gear lower than his own natural ground covering walk. And the amazing ability to switch from one to the other and back again at moments notice.

The most popular breeds for ranch work are Quarter horses and Paints. However other breeds are frequently found mixed in such as Mustangs, Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, X-breeds and the occasional oddball Standardbred or Arabian thrown in for good measure. Pedigree doesn't play as important a role in the selection of ranch geldings as workability and soundness. Many ranches run registered breeding stock, many bloodlines all but unheard of on the show ring circuit but proven generation after generation in ranch country. Many have found that they perform to advantage in show ring situations as well. These horses are normally 15 to 16 hands tall with broad chests, deep heart girths and powerful hindquarters. Intelligence, good feet and bone, strong tendons and overall sound conformation is a requirement for the demanding jobs that these horses perform. But the most outstanding trait these horses share is their generous and willing heart which prompts them to give 110% every day in all seasons. They are truly Americas Blue Collar Horse.