First Published by Tri-State Livestock News
Yep she’s a certain breed of women all right. Her closet may have more boots than heels. Her resume may include ranch wife extraordinaire, able to hook up trailers with the help of a ball ping hammer and a crow bar, number one calf puller, or camp cook of the year, but her title “Ranch Women” means she’s cut from a different cloth. A ranch women is always on call and equipped with a different set of skills than most women.
10 Things Ranch Women Do That Other Women Don’t
1. Count cattle everywhere they go. Even when dropping kids at the school bus, she gets a count on the way back to the house. She will be asked, “Say, how many cattle were in the middle pasture?”
2. They look at bags, no not those nicely stitched, over priced ones, shined up on the isles at Dillard’s. But the bags on cows, those that have been nursed, those that are dry, even front quarters nursed back ones full!!
3. They open gates, close gates, and drive through pastures and watch their husbands or kids open and close gates. They yell at their kids that ride on gates!
4. They never leave the house without water, chapstick, a gun, jacket, and a snack…..or maybe that’s just me!
5. Know the exact amount of diesel she will need in the ranch truck, to make it to headquarters and back.
6. She looks for the rider to her left and to her right in the pasture
7. Strap their kids on a sheep and hoop and holler when they open the gate
8. Make town lists
9. Counts going calling as being on a date
10. Let their kids eat cake from the feeder
These are just ten things and yet they’re are so many more!! Some ranch women were born with these skills because they were past down from their ranching mothers. Since I wasn’t raised on a ranch, like my husband, I have learned the hard way. For example, I have gotten ahead in the drive when gathering a pasture, or walked to headquarters because I ran out of diesel. I’ve even ran off and have forgotten my gun on the day I see a group of hogs! DANG IT! Never fails, right?
As women, ranch women or not we get this amazing opportunity to be women and what’s not to love. I like that I took my husband’s last name, I like that the two shall become one flesh! (Found in Genesis by the way) I like that I can be both tender and tough. I rely on him and he relies on me…..that’s what we do when we’re married. I don’t ever feel like I’m less than because I feel like I’m part of him and he a part of me. I like when he get’s a compliment because I feel like I got one too. Just look at all the benefits, a prayer partner, encourager, sharer of the work load, including taking turns opening the gate. And let’s not forget …..someone to pull off your boots when you’re to tired to do it yourself.
Figure out the top 10 things that he’s good at and let him know. A compliment goes a long ways and is even quite helpful before you step on your horse to work cattle. Watch out, it may even cause him to be in a good mood. It may even mean, the old horned cow, that tries his patience, will cause him to laugh instead of cuss. It may not….but a ranch women can always hope!
What else do ranch women do that other women don’t? Love hearing from you thecowboypastorswife
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