The Gallup Gazette: Day 19

This morning, we woke up around 8:00 and heard a voice bellow up to our room, "Girls, if you want to come on a cattle drive, we are leaving now!" At the prospect of a cattle drive, we jumped into high gear to get changed and ready to go. We were out the door in record time and headed to the barn- pulling our shoes on and tying our hair back as we ran.

Allan, the father of the family we are staying with, choosing the horses for us to ride.

We saddled up our horses and loaded them in the trailer. We drove about 30 minutes and everything we saw was on the ranch's 75,000 acres of land. On the way, we discussed the cattle drive. There was a herd of cattle at an overused watering hole and we planned to take 50 head several miles west to a different watering hole. I asked why this was necessary. Alan explained it was to protect the grass. The ranchers care for their herds of cattle, but they are also great land stewards. Grass is a replentishable natural resource they do not want to deplete. So, they "shift" their cattle from one field to another to let the grass grow back.

This is where the cattle started.

We round them up and headed west. We rode our horses behind them in a crescent moon shape. When a few cows started to go the wrong direction, we rode up beside them and yelled "heeeyyyaaa" and they made their way back to the herd.

Melodee on Buster.

Moving the Cattle

Me on Della.

This is where we took the cattle.

Later in the afternoon, we wanted to listen to our phone messages. Only problem being that we had to drive to the top of this ridge to get any reception.

Then, it was time for me to learn to shoot the rifle. We have a 22 with us and to be honest, it kinda scared me. So, I decided if I learned to shoot, it wouldn't scare me as much.

Here I am shooting.