In the ranching world, good ranch horses are a necessity. Horses that will go all day packing a man through rough country gathering cows and strong enough to chase down runaway steers are the kind that every cowboy enjoys. They come in all kinds of colors, bays, browns, blacks, sorrels, grays, roans and palominos just to name a few. Each cowboy has his favorite kind of horse. If you ask five different ranchers, you will likely get five different answers for the qualities that they think make a horse the best. These four-legged work animals make our lives and jobs easier on the ranch, but I have made a keen observation about horses and the people that own them, and the ads that they use to sell them to one another.

                  My first observation is there is a strong difference between how cowboys and ranchers view their horses, versus the people that own horses for pleasure riding. Cattlemen view their horses as a tool to make their jobs and lives easier. They give them the best care, feed and life they can, but they expect these horses to earn their keep. Most ranchers don’t blanket their horses in the winter, unless the temperatures get to a point that make it necessary. They’d rather their horses haired up with a natural thick winter coat that protects them when they are needed to go to work on a cold snowy day. Cowboys will expect their horses to load in a stock trailer and haul across the prairie with a working dog keeping them company. These horses need to be sure footed, strong, good minded and quick enough to sort ornery cows in the pens.

                  The people that own horses strictly for pleasure view their ponies with a different point of view. They think that horses exist solely to bring them happiness. There’s nothing wrong with this view, until they don’t discipline their 1,150-pound precious baby and teach him some manners. As opposed to the cowboy’s horse that is being fed a better than average grass bale that might have a weed or two, the pleasure horse is eating certified organic alfalfa hay that was shipped in from three states away on a refrigerated trailer so none of the leaves would lose their color. They live most of their days in a climate-controlled barn and if they do go outside in weather below 65 degrees, they get to wear a quilted blanket so they don’t catch a chill.

                  From the minute my children began to ride horses, I taught them that they are the boss. They are in control of that animal. The fact that my 4-year-old daughter that weighs less than a 50-pound salt sack can handle a horse better than some adults should say something. I’ve lumped a large category of people into the pleasure horse owner category, and I know not everyone that owns a horse just to ride for fun fits that bill. Just the same as not every rancher expects their horse to earn their keep. The bottom line is whether you ride a horse for fun, or you use one for work, train yourself before you train your horse. Understand that horses are a prey animal, they need strong leaders handling them. If your horse can’t stand still by himself, has no manners towards people or other horses, or tries to kill the farrier when its time to get his feet worked on, maybe you need to evaluate your skills as a responsible horse owner.

                  No matter your equine interests, keep educating yourself to be a better horseman. Remember you are responsible for your animals and liable for any damage they cause. Teach your horses manners and remember to keep tabs on your side of the barbed wire. 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.