Easy keeper

When we as ranchers have a cow or a horse that is relatively maintenance free, doesn’t cause too many problems, and are able to keep themselves in good rig without too much extra feed or care, we call them easy keepers. Easy keepers are the kind of animals that you like to have around. They let you tag their calf with no fuss in the spring; they stay home instead of visiting the neighbors during the summer months; and they manage to stay bred and look like all stars. Horses that you can catch without too much fanfare, throw a saddle on and go get a job done without having to lunge them around for half an hour to get the hump out of their back are the equine version of easy keepers. Easy keepers have the traits that we all desire. They make our lives less stressful and help us to get our job done sooner. Easy keepers are the goal for which every rancher strives. Not every animal is made this way, but the more of them we have around, the better off we tend to be.

The opposite end of that equation is the cull. Culls are the renegades. The cows that have no respect for man or their fellow beast. Fences are a minor inconvenience to them, and despite the fact they eat more feed than any other critter on the place, they look like leather stretched over a pile of bones. Horses that pitch, buck and runoff just because they don’t want to do a job are culls in my book as well. If you can’t catch a pony and go do a job without him adding to the problem, he’s probably not worth keeping around. Vet bills and hospital stays aren’t cheap, and they sure put a damper on your plans. The best thing to do with cull cows and horses is to let them be made into Happy Meals and glue sticks, at least then they will serve a purpose in life.

It sure is funny how we can learn a lot from the animals around us. There are culls and easy keepers in the human world too. Easy keepers are the kind of friends that you like to have around. You can call them anytime of the day or night and they will be there to help you in your time of need. They help without being asked, genuinely care about your well-being and often put the needs of others above their own. They don’t do this for fortune or fame, but rather to be good honest people. Character is important to these people, and values like honesty and integrity rank highly with them. Easy keeping people make the best employees because they take pride in their work. They don’t have to be told repeatedly to do a task, but they take initiative and do what needs to be done without being asked.

The culls of this world are just like the cull cow or horse that isn’t worth having around. They are like poison. They do everything to bring attention to themselves; they cannot seem to function unless someone is there telling them every move to make. Often, they are lazy, narcissistic and have no moral compass. Just like the culls on the ranch, it’s best not to keep them around because they likely will only bring pain, destruction and cause more stress.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that life is too short to put up with poor cows, dink horses and fake people. It’s best to cull out the things that bring you stress and worry in life and reward the easy keepers. That’s all for this time, keep tabs on your side of the barbed wire and God bless.

Meinzer is a fourth-generation rancher raised on the southeastern plains of Colorado. He and his family live and ranch in Oshkosh, Neb.