Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25

year. For the rest Of the time, life is just
glorious loaf for them. They get excellent care;
and II outdoor life doesn't agree with them, In
Winter TIME, they are taken into snug barns
and stuffed fun of hay and grain until they are
plump and sleek once more.
Just at this time Of year these horses are
finding their vacation going to a close. They'll
be kept busy, now, until Autumn.
The latter part Of April usually gives the
signal.
EAR up in the upland meadows Of the
Rockies, where the pasture lands are.
Spring comes later than it does in the lowlands.
But 1t comes, just the same, in April The
prodgious Rocky Mountain snowdrifts begin to
melt. Patches Of bare ground appear, increase
in size, turn green Ground squirrels come up
from their snug nests and frisk about.
And, about then, the cowboys in charge Of
the herd come riding up to bring the half-wild
animals down to the ranch and persuade. them,
in case a winters freedom has made any Of
them forget that there is work ahead.
First of all, the cowboys must go looking for
strays.
The average herd is kept in an enormous
pasture-25,000 acres, perhaps-inclosed BY
fence. But there are always occasional breaks
in these barriers, and sometimes the SNOW
drifts over the tops, and few horses will make
a break for freedom.
Some of these are recovered by the cowboys;
others are lost for good-running wild in some
distant valley perhaps.
A May progresses, the cowboys have to be
I especially watchful. Almost invariably,
this month brings one severe storm to this
mountain country, and this storm-because Of
its unseasonableness-is generally the most
damaging of the whole year.
Once the May storm is past, the work of pre-
pairing for the season begins in earnest.
First of all there are the colts. These have
been kept in a separate pasture throughout
the Winter, and when Spring comes the cow
bows take them in hand to turn them into
saddle horses. Each rider is assigned certain
number of the colts, and he uses them for his
Spring riding work, breaking them In as he
goes along Thus, by the time the Spring
roundup is over, the colts are well trained and
are ready for the tourists.
Once the colts are put into shape, the rest
Of the herd comes in for attention. Cowboys
60 through the herd and sort the animals ac-
cording to their condition, putting each class
in a separate field. Then comes the shoeing.
During the Fall and Winter months, while
the horses roam the pasture lands. their shoes
are removed. Consequently, each of the thou
sand horses In the herd has TO be shod every
Spring. The work begins late in June and is
completed. generally, by July 4; and while 1t
lasts the ranch Is one vast blacksmith shop.
The first horses to be shod are those that
have been judged In the best condition. Tons
of horseshoes and kegs Of nails are required
for the arduous job.
Before being shod, each horse is saddled and
ridden for a mile This first ride of the
year is an event for the horses. Even the most
sedate and gentle animal feels frisky after his
long rest, and has to indulge in a little bucking
and romping Once he has worked off this
excess Of spirits he Is taken into the shop to
be shod.
Most Of the horses go willingly and accept
their shoes without protest. Some of them,
however, are inclined to resist. For these
horses q sort Of stock has been devised.