Introduction to Cattle, Part 1

Working with cows can improve the basics

by Allison Trimble

People often have the feeling that working cattle looks fun but may be out of their reach. The cow horse industry in the Northwest has taken many steps to welcome everyone who wants to participate in this great sport. In the spirit of that effort, I want to take the next series of articles to encourage you and to help walk you through the beginning steps of introducing you and your horse to cattle. First, I'll cover some of the positive aspects of working cows, including cattle work in your program. I'll also introduce you to some people like you who have done just that!

All Horses Can Benefit

It is a misconception that you have to have a certain type of horse to enjoy training on cattle. True, certain breeds and specific bloodlines are more suited for becoming the type of horse that you can win on in the show pen, but all horses can grow from exposure to working cattle. You will immediately have a gauge of how broke your horse is. Showing your horse something new always gives you an opportunity to broaden his experience. You will get a good idea of how solid your steering and body control are, and you will have a chance to work on those skills with a goal in mind.

Making the training relate to the cow gives you a fresh angle on old problems. For a horse that is cranky about letting you work on some aspect of training, such as stopping or turning, cow work gives you an opportunity to improve those things while your horse’s mind is occupied with the cow. You are giving your horse a purpose, and that is a positive thing for all horses. He will gain confidence from his ability to move and control another animal, and you will gain confidence because you are able to further your horse’s training.

The most important value of adding cattle to your regimen is good ol’ fashioned fun! Do you remember what that is? I know that sometimes I forget. When I work cattle I remember why I clean those stalls, pay those bills, and stomp around in the Northwest mud all winter. When you work cattle you are challenging yourself and your horse, but in a way that even when everything doesn’t come together perfectly, at the end of the day you still will have a smile on your face!

Next month we will move on to the basics of cattle work and some direction on how to introduce your horse to cattle. I have been putting on a number of Introduction to Cattle clinics, and I wanted to share with you the perspectives of some of the participants on their experience working cattle for the first time.

Tracey Westbury:

I was pretty excited to add a new aspect to my mustang’s training. My horse and I had never worked cattle before, but it was something I’d wanted to give a try.

Sandy, my mustang gelding who accompanied me to the Western States Mustang Challenge in Sacramento the previous year, is a no-nonsense sort of guy. He’s got a great work ethic and never disappoints when I head off in a new direction with him. This particular day was no different. He entered the herd of cattle like he was born to it, splitting them in half, circling them back into each other, pushing and driving as though it was an everyday affair. When it came time to trail our first calf, he was more than ready. With little help from me, he stuck to that calf and was soon driving it up the rail, boxing and turning it back in the opposite direction. We had so much fun, I’ve asked for cows for my birthday!

Beanie Coons:

When I heard about the cow horse clinic, I was so excited! I've had a couple opportunities to play with cows in the past, and it's so fun! I think it's a great way to use some of the maneuvers we are trying to get our horses to do naturally, while focusing on something other than the next cue. I think it builds confidence in both the rider and horse while working on something new. The cow horse clinic was really learning some basics with cows. We let the horses get comfortable, and then spent some time learning about how our positioning affects the cow and learning when to move and when not to. I really want to continue learning to work cattle. I think my horse enjoyed it as much as I did!