Branding: Bringing in the Cows

On Tuesday, my dad branded a bunch of calves. I didn't realize they were just going to get started around 1, so I showed up with Carter and my Aunty Linda a tad early. They had just started to gather the pasture. When we showed up to the spot where everyone was leaving the horse trailers, Carter took one look at all the horses saddled up and wanted to know which one was hers to ride. She was one disappointed little girl to learn that she had to ride in the truck down to the corrals where they were actually branding.





We drove down to where the corral was set up and actually didn't have to wait very long before we started seeing riders and cows heading up the hill. Carter rode on the water tank in the absence of a pony. While we were watching the cows come up, Carter decided she needed a pop that was in the cooler. Aunty Linda was sitting on the cooler and told Carter she needed to say the magic word first before Aunty would move. Carter looked at her for a minute then said, "You need some money?".


You can see Robert on Picky below...I really wish I could have been riding too. Carter wasn't the only one who felt like she was missing out. Early spring is one of my favorite times to ride, next to riding in the Fall after the first big frost when all the dang bugs die. Oh well. My time is coming! Patience...


Here at the very end, everyone gathers up tight to get all the cows and calves into the corral. Generally a few calves try to run back, sure their mom is somewhere over the next hill and not in the bunch somewhere. Today however, everything went really smooth and no calves escaped. There was a good crowd of cowboys...most of it family. In fact I think only 3 of the cowboys riding were not relatives of one sort or another.