August 30, 2016

HAT TIPS

Hello,
As ranchers, we spend a lot of time around horse people. Whether it is rodeo friends, ranch friends, or horse traders.
Growing up, horse sales were something that you didn’t miss. If you were a young cowboy with a saddle, you could hang around a horse sale and make pretty good money riding horses through the ring for their owners. Or as a young cowboy, you might be able to pick up a horse that you could start riding and turn a little profit after a month or two.
And you also had a chance to see some great horse traders or hear stories about horse trades.
One of my favorites was the rancher who was holding a production sale. The first colt that came through was selling pretty high. The owner stopped the sale, and announced, “This colt isn’t worth near this much money.” He then proceeded to give the colt to a young boy who had bid on the colt early but had quit bidding when it got too high! The rest of the rancher’s colts sold like they were the last colts in the world.
At Ekalaka a couple weeks ago heard a story about a guy that was selling a horse. The potential buyer went along for a ride to try the horse out.
As they were leaving the yard, the horse stubbed a toe and stumbled.
The owner looked over and said, “He’s never done that before!”
A little later the horse stumbled again, “Damn! He’s never done that before!”
Just as they rode into the yard the horse flat out stumbled, fell completely down, and dumped the rider off.
The owner calmly looked down at the once potential buyer and calmly announced, “That is what he usually does!”
Then there was the guy that was going to try this horse that was for sale. The owner, being more honest than many horse traders, told him this might not be the horse for him.
“He may buck. He spooks at his tail. If you walk up on him unexpected, he may kick you. But if you can get by him for a couple hours, he’s a pretty dang good ranch horse and will put in a day’s work.”
The buyer looked the horse over and asked, “If I ride him hard for a month or two, or maybe a year or so, do you think my wife or son would be able to use him?”
“Absolutely not,” the rancher said.
“Good,” the buyer exclaimed! “I’ll take him.”

Later,
Dean

WATFORD CITY WEATHER