By Monday, August 10th, 2015 the Soda Fire was the largest wildfire in the nation having scorched over a quarter of a million acres of south-western Idaho. On that day, the blaze charged across a high mountain brush field on Martin Black’s ranch near Bruneau where his horses are summered. “There were some ranchers close […]
If I asked you to point to your horse’s knee where you would point? Most likely you would point at your horses’ front leg about halfway down, between the upper arm and cannon bone. This is the joint we call the knee in the horse. Where would you point if I asked you to point […]
Dates for the third annual Early Californios Skills of the Rancho competition have been set for June 5, 6, and 7, 2015. The event has been moved from its former venue in Santa Ynez to the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California. “[It] is a little bit bigger venue,” says Bruce Sandifer, who has […]
Thacher School’s stated philosophy is, “rooted in the wisdom and work of its founder, Sherman Day Thacher, who embraced the extraordinary natural venue of his school and sought above all else to train his students ‘in the art of living for their own greatest good and for the good of their fellow citizens.’ He believed […]
“Every kid grows up and wants to be a cowboy at some point in his life,” Mackey (Mac) Hedges says, “and some of us are cursed with never outgrowing it!” Mac is widely known for his acclaimed novel, Last Buckaroo, published in 1995 and the sequel to it, Shadow of the Wind, released in 2010. […]
Editor’s Note: In issues 72, 73 and 75 the late Jay Harney spoke with Tom Moates, looking back over his life in the saddle, sharing his history and experiences. The following is a related piece in which saddle maker Ron Butler discusses the saddles he made for Jay. “I met Jay over 30 years […]
“I’m a songwriter at heart, through-and-through,” says Dave Munsick. One need only glance at the body of work Dave has produced to realize he’s not just a prolific songwriter but an equally accomplished musician as well, recording his own songs to the tune of five long-player CDs. Dave’s music is deeply rooted, as he states […]
Read Part 1 Of this Story The sleet turned back to snow and fell so hard the tree line some 50 yards from the house wasn’t visible at moments. Another reason Carol and I don’t worry too much about this sort of thing is that we are always pretty prepared for trouble around here. We […]
Part 1 Christmas morning arrived. I awoke thinking about the forecast from the night before with its talk of wintry weather. I reached out from under the covers for the flashlight which sat atop the “currently active” pile of books on the nightstand. A small click and there was light, although I was thoughtful to […]
“We’re a small genre, out there in the cowboy genre right now,” says singer/songwriter Adrian “Buckaroogirl” Brannan. “But we’re also a very much needed genre of music because we’re telling about a culture and a way of life that is definitely under attack in today’s world.” Adrian’s songs spring from her lively spirit and personal […]