Another branding day in Owyhee county, this one on the historic Joyce Ranch (established 1865). It's a tradition of hard work, skill, camaraderie, family, and culture, handed down through the years and generations - herding, sorting, roping, branding.
It's working art on horseback.
Here are a few shots from the day:
up top: a bit of silver
a bit of color
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXqUQEsGAkkEaA0gBIa35sGlCqSnCh9o-3OfSSuoUwcJN6IjQp7dxBcauSzyaWHAM9aH7G0Hl8YR9f0tjH6Wrw9VRW_0nKHrbspxWTKJyFr-OP7I-0DTV4dvqQtpjEsibkQpwDlQvDx4k/s1600/IMG_2745.jpg)
Fred - what're'ya doing down there??
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVB-OtRnNQcZyJqNvoL3ARYeuNi6dmCkwMRrpeMVLdxRZszLK8q98oZiOslrdgXStsXRHy4SzDUtixwL6HTjTmSo7iLzIQYevT19_D81QYzgfSWKwxI1ofHJCIqoe0_RvmFmZ8_2NzXoP/s1600/IMG_2760.jpg)
Hmm, should I stay or should I get outta here?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEJ7oSzAb3kxM9OkEtulIwuSN3Xz5StGyq-MeTqOl9yhSF_Z3LOA_1T17-KhqbSHRpFXVbSNM8MU7PmmZIYPin-hawtUScOsWysBIifsf9WrYWTn0HL-pNLQuRp6hLPFpgyc86p7qrnga/s1600/IMG_2766.jpg)
The Joyce Ranch brand: MJ for Matthew Joyce, the founder in 1865
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88Myc4eDmA19_ryJBXAzIzGmhDu-NNVDhnxR0obkAvSgtlhEJsZpW2TrkzT8gw7aKYHSjvxkTL3FbjQ2mwV2UUx0awKbX_LRnCuanXyINmE9_4FGK28q3Pt483eryOiNPvDxIyVi0cogp/s1600/IMG_2826.jpg)
Neighbor Rocky on his Blazer, Comet. You don't see many Blazers working cows. You don't see many Blazers!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhmNUHGu4jOQgSUuTRGaoEvMwAHBjMSQ-QXAwh755Jnx27H-UnCOu7NShtSaYdRaFnc8tafEhvwVSfPgzT_ZrLQDGBOxKR6AATygfRZUjH-anTrUlpniIv3mxjaoVEkqhIkC5DS5QwuuM/s1600/IMG_2794.jpg)
Dallas hunts through the herd of cows and calves
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapfiv5KTnU30ncIRvEF7L3c22BAEgOoSpk2L3gm3Wbd-pCGsa1g6htG7KsU-z5se50kGTuhMG2xgoragKOfLOEWbRfe3eRwNVyrxoQmDVBod_OCiohmfO-xFMy4YHsU1mSQtiBdgzetIu/s1600/IMG_2870.jpg)
There's always a good cow dog or two around supervising
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9ulCuWwooNlY21RF_z-3zQF3KV_ddG9fIAq2wPuThFCUOiLRY9ZFOYe-jQZkrCiFMMfv474LSENgcfIR7Q9k2Lak-skRWy79T5lFwvXDALJ42f0xvnh0cI0zrtBxubgVNBV83Bns20l1/s1600/IMG_2845.jpg)
Aiming
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RbqMGLK0-8ARhB_6JYw6jvpd86rQqDD2AteEPm1eOSTIZlyOYbiJkqUluZ5k4fB1cEYuK4hMsyvUVmlPH1Wbys330McLHuu9wgPkD7AzhrCz5GjfWyARHXA7kU5DGu4GNt2WMCBR9xqd/s1600/IMG_2860.jpg)
Got one
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjQSLzLNWpC-OhkXVaCNKwTLylXZx1Vhe4vKNhV6E1nfOD6WDfKuY_OtNMdQcSIuZKYlPrqMCuIlFUve51T0swsKG5NRcL6q3cuE9at2izM09qLaif8TaRAAQIxvtd-t5F9I-4htd5hvb/s1600/IMG_2815.jpg)
Holding a calf
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6LXD74yRk0xqfrVBvCO00WuYcioCQW6lWb8lMRJ9MjE7eoLS65MD9StPrn4Zf0C_BZX4bJaDrc600lSse_9vEXU9g1K1jvECOel2AwnHRHpSIKdqpFw3SJAYtoYAgY90-oCEwyIP5X_s/s1600/IMG_2785.jpg)
Ed aiming for one
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbd1d63kebUUJJO1it2kRXJan_9JrrT_nj1xE-28liyaw7GrYvYjnGCATpiATqju3CCf2wawQTI1Zlla5zfvw_poE6xLv4m6nvhmTvEsM7jTP3Peyu-9tJs0T_xs2Lo4zTgGIFjrWYcpx/s1600/IMG_2882.jpg)
Missed! Ed said "My timing was off today!"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgma7Pai3vXz07ff8VmmeTF4LCn4V2mk1XUe-hTYQUA-WXYhKE_q61JLP0aZsqW1sihmWlm2Tf1EVGLEK67tBmM0fiwaVaHMUaOHUaconDLGlvhH4oQjx1JHO-2BZCt1JFOynIEfcrTxN8a/s1600/IMG_2886.jpg)
This guy on the left was totally suspicious of my motives
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA46PnJngMmpn4swkn7c2NXKZ_NklMb-_F36I_-FBBZYlwzN0hqxsOEgRmtrpgEfVvZO8luBtyFC6gheMSU0wOEPMMp-dYrG7STRW8DyJxghYA1j-bk_RcKAsQEk18Kwyr2dT66rhE6e8z/s1600/IMG_2924.jpg)
Here is the complete gallery:
http://theequestrianvagabond.smugmug.com/Joyce-Ranch-Branding-Day-1-313/
Great pictures! Love them all.
ReplyDeletethanks Arlene!
DeleteOne question - what's a Blazer?
ReplyDeleteAnd like GHM said - great pictures!
Thanks! The Blazer was a breed started right here in Idaho, a mix of Thoroughbred, Morgan, Shetland, Quarter Horse: http://blazerhorse.info/online/
DeleteShetland? and all those big guys? weird!
Deletegreat pics! tho i kinda wanna yell 'run little guy RUN' at that one calf sniffing at his tied friend lol
ReplyDelete