Our family has been in the ranching business for five generations, our grandkids are the sixth generation. Our families rodeo background in calf roping, steer roping, breakaway, and barrels have also influenced the type of horses that we raise. We try to raise good-looking athletes that have a world of cow and ability. They are born, raised, and work on 225,000 acres in Arizona and New Mexico. The terrain varies from rugged mountains, flatter country where they must be mindful of holes, and sandstone with parts containing ponderosa pine trees. They are exposed to cactus, mesquites, catclaw, and lots of rocks from the time they take their first breath.
We wean and halter break the colts around the end of November. At that time, our family members pick the horse colts that they want to handle from start to finish. The rest of the colts are sold or turned out until they are two years old. Once weaned and halter broke, the filly donated each year to the AQHA Ranching Heritage Development Program is picked. There is nothing better than seeing a recipient enjoy one of our colts and the progress both make.
We put a quiet thirty days on them and turn them back out until their three-year-old year. Their three-year-old year they start working for a living. It’s nice to get on a Flying V horse that knows how to hit a trail on the first ride outside. You also don’t have to worry about getting bucked off when a cactus pod gets in their flank. You probably won’t know it’s there until the end of the day when you step off to unsaddle.
During the spring works our horses are expected to be able to gather, sort, and drag calves to the fire. During the fall works, we use a helicopter to gather the harder country. During the fall, a horse may be ridden 20-30 miles a day. We sort, preg check, wean, gather remnants (the ones we missed in the first gather), weigh cattle, and load trucks. During the remnant gather, our horses are used to drive these missed cattle to a trap or set of pens. Sometimes the only way to gather remnants is by roping and tying them to a tree before loading or leading them out.
We believe a stout, big boned horse that we have used on the ranch has a great foundation to go on to any discipline they choose whether that be performance or pleasure. We hope whoever buys a Flying V horse enjoys them as much as we do.
