Slorstad Branding

This is my favorite branding, partly cause its the people I worked for for 3 1/2 years that introduced me to this county and partly (well mostly) cause they split the crew into a roundup crew and a branding crew and I get to be on the roundup crew. So we end up gathering all 3 bunches of cows while the other crew brands.

I got up early and it was raining a little, just enough to be annoying but I figured it would stop and over to the East where we were going it looked clear so I grabbed Bailey and quickly saddled her and loaded her so we didn't get too wet.  I had to be at my neighbors by 6:30 and it was still cold out so I ended up wearing my togue, lol which got a few laughs when we got there until their ears were cold and mine were not.

We got over there had a coffee and then went to gather the first bunch.  There was a lot of help!  Like 23 horses and 2 quads.  A bit much but that bunch lots of times does not want to come in but this time they did good.  how could they not with no holes to escape. There is always a few who help round up that will stay to rope in the first bunch.  Then breaky sandwiches were there and we all grabbed one before the other crew came.  As soon as they got started we left to go to the next field.  I was dropped off at the Texas gate and headed up East where there were a few cows and started bringing them over towards the other cows down south.  A bunch of 4 of us had probly a quarter of the cows at the gate before the others even had the rest of them moving, so we sat and visited till their cows were close then we got them all in no problem.  We hardly had to wait at all before the crew showed up so we all had a beer break while they sorted cows from calves then lunch was brought out and they started branding again.

We headed to the third field (each one keeps getting bigger with more cows in each time) and 4 of us headed south to get about a hundred that way while the others went east and north to get the rest.  We got them all almost to the gate and they tried to break away!  But we got them turned and back out the gate except for a couple ornery calves and  I just waited while a couple ropers went out and grabbed them and drug them back.  All in and then we were way too quick I guess cause it was over an hour before anyone from the other crew came.  That was nice, we sat in the shade and rested for a while, knowing we were mostly done our part.

The others showed up and went right to branding, everyone was helping and it was going quick cause the clouds started to gather and we wanted to get done before getting soaked.  We got about half of them done and then the clouds went around us so we took a break and got the rest done a little normal paced.  I got a few pics of branding there, none while riding cause I was unsure how much help I would need to be and I never thought to bring the little camera or hornbags till we were there of course.

I brought Bailey cause I knew the guy who raised her was gonna be there and he said she looks just like her mother (in a different color, her mom was sorrel) but has better feet and legs.  I think he was pretty impressed with the way she turned out, I really am too, she is a pretty nice ranch horse and she made me happy I took her that day.