This morning, I walked out into my arena and noticed something that gave me pause. The roping steers had been in there the day before, and even though the ground was wide and level, the sand carried their story. Hoofprints crossed every direction, but in several spots, the same trail was pressed deeper than the rest. Twelve steers had been turned out, yet more than a few chose the exact same path, wearing it down until it stood out from all the other tracks.

Cattle are creatures of habit. Anyone who has spent time around them knows this. They like routine: the same feed, the same water trough, the same shade tree in the pasture. When they are turned loose, they rarely wander without purpose. More often than not, they move together, following the same course as the steer in front of them. There are reasons for this: efficiency, safety, instinct. Walking a beaten path conserves energy, and following the herd is their natural defense. Even in an arena with no real destination, those instincts come through. By the end of a short turnout, you will see the evidence, lines where they have chosen the easiest way to travel and stuck with it.

Out on the range, those lines last longer. Before fences and highways, cattle drives cut deep paths across the land. The Chisholm Trail, which carried herds north from Texas through Oklahoma into Kansas, was walked by millions of cattle in the late 1800s. More than a century later, faint traces of those trails remain, worn so deep by hooves and wagon wheels that the land still carries the mark. On ranches today, you can see the same effect in pastures where cattle walk the same lines between water and grazing. From the ground those trails might look like nothing more than dusty ruts, but from the air, they sometimes stand out as sharp lines winding through otherwise open fields. Cattle do not simply pass over the land; they shape it. Every step adds up.

That simple truth extends beyond livestock. We all make tracks. Our habits and routines are our trails, worn in by repetition, sometimes efficient, sometimes limiting. Like the cow paths, they can serve a purpose, keeping us steady and helping us move forward. But when repeated without thought, they risk becoming ruts, keeping us from stepping into new ground. History offers perspective here too. The old cattle trails built towns and economies, but once railroads and fences changed the landscape, those paths were no longer useful. Sticking to them would have meant going in circles. Progress required something new.

The Tracks We Leave

Standing in the arena, I thought about the kind of tracks I leave behind. Most of mine are not visible in the dirt. They are pressed into my daily life, how I work, the way I handle challenges, the example I set. Some are helpful and worth keeping. Others may have outlived their purpose. The difference comes in knowing when to stay in the track and when to step out of it.

Tomorrow I will drag the arena and smooth it all clean again. The next time the steers are turned in, they will make the same trails. That is their nature. But unlike them, I have a choice. I can decide which paths are worth walking, which ones to change, and what kind of tracks I want to leave for others who might follow.

Tracks tell a story. Sometimes they are only temporary, fading with the next rain. Other times they last for generations, reminders of where herds and people once walked. This morning, the cattle showed me again that even the smallest things on the ranch carry meaning. Their tracks in the arena were not just marks in the sand. They were a lesson: every step matters, and the paths we choose shape more than just the ground beneath our feet.

By Krista Lucas Wynn

            Summer is soon to be in full swing, and equine enthusiasts will be traveling to rodeos, trail rides and other events with their equine partners. Whether traveling across North Texas or across the country, it is important to know the tricks of the trade before leaving home.

            It is vital to carry fresh water when traveling. Offering clean, cool water to horses keeps them hydrated and ready to perform. Water can be hung in a trailer, stall or while tied to the trailer for a horse to be able to drink at leisure. Stalled horses should have at least two buckets in front of them at all times. It may even be beneficial to pack electrolytes to help replace any lost hydration while on the road. Fans are important to have on hand as well. Box fans may be used while stalling away from home, to keep air flowing during these hot summer days.

            Be sure to take plenty of hay and feed, depending on the duration of the trip. If going away for a few hours, one hay bag may suffice. When staying overnight somewhere, it is vital to be able to feed the horse’s usual grain from home while on the road, and owners may need to bring bags of shavings for stalls or the trailer, for more comfortable bedding.

            Grooming supplies are also important to have on hand. Brushes, curry combs and hoof picks are a few to not leave home without, along with fly spray and ShowSheen for the mane and tail. Depending on the discipline, owners may need a few other things besides a saddle, pad, bridle, leg wraps, and bell boots. If going very far from home, it is a good idea to bring multiple of each, just in case something breaks. Some owners even pack a few extra horseshoes and shoeing tools in case of an emergency.

            Speaking of emergencies, it is also important to have certain medical supplies on hand. A veterinarian may not always be on hand or convenient to get ahold of. Horses that are traveling up and down the road, may experience episodes of colic, tying up or other illnesses due to the stress of traveling. Always seek a veterinarian’s help when available, but be prepared by packing an emergency first aid kit. There are plenty of lists available online to help decide what a horse may need while on the road. Properly taking care of and knowing the horse can be critical in avoiding emergencies while traveling.

            Weather can play a factor in travel, and it is important to be prepared for all types. Being weather aware can also help avoid catastrophe on the road with horses. Other items to consider if going very far include auto products like spare tires and tools to change a flat. Also, always fuel up when the opportunity arises. Many northern states do not have as many diesel pumps or diesel exhaust fluid available like Texas.

            Horses will also need proper papers to travel across state lines. Negative coggins papers and a health certificate is a must. Most events or public places require both. Coggins is a yearly blood test checking for antibodies against the transmissible viral disease, Equine Infectious Anemia, and a clean health certificate can be obtained for one specific address or for up to six months if traveling multiple places.

            Before leaving home, go over this checklist to get started on packing for the next adventure with an equine partner. Whether staying in North Texas, or traveling across the country, remember to enjoy the experience, and hopefully this list will help to prepare.

By Martha Crump

Now I do not want to sound like a glass half full sort of person, but anyone with practical sense knows there is a downside to most everything. In the world of agriculture, having an abundance of pasture vegetation going into Fall brings the downside of a heavy fuel load as it dies back, dries out, and/or becomes dormant.  Dry conditions, dense vegetation and high winds are all factors in wildfire ignition and spread. The dangers of wildfire include hot gases, smoke and flames. As a wildfire grows in intensity and size, so do each of these. Wind speed, temperature and relative humidity must also be factored into the rate of spread.  Facing an imminent wildfire danger is not the time to consider what steps should be taken. Preparations and a plan of action can determine how timely and how well you and your property fare.

Local volunteer fire departments/first responders go above and beyond in the face of these unexpected and deadly threats. As landowners, there is quite a lot that we can do to facilitate their success in managing a wildfire. Taking a few moments to develop a checklist is a good starting point for the landowner and can be extremely helpful for the first responders specific to your property.  Most established ranchers have a good working relationship with the local volunteer fire departments (VFD) around their area, and along the same vein, local VFD’s are accustomed to working shoulder-to-shoulder with their neighboring counterparts and definitely know who has what resources available. These men and women train on their own time, are certified, and on standby 24/7 to be there when they are needed. They do as much as they can, for as long as they can, to protect our interests, be that our land, our homes, our livestock or anything else to do with our livelihoods! The landscape of country living is changing dramatically. More people are wanting to escape city living, if not to fully relocate, at least to own property that allows them a getaway from being in town. The absentee landowners aren’t always easily accessible during emergencies. So whether you’ve lived on your place for 4 or 5 generations, or have recently bought your weekend getaway, it might behoove us all to recap some tips to help ourselves, and most importantly, the VFD’s that come to our rescue.

M. L. Russell, Assistant Professor and Extension Range Specialist-Ecosystem Science and Management developed a checklist with good points for all landowners to consider. According to Mr. Russell, “The answers to the questions below will be instrumental in building operations, tactics, and general firefighting techniques. A carefully thought out wildfire ready checklist is an excellent foundation for improved communication and relationship building during wildfires.” Not all of the suggested points in every category will be a consideration for every landowner, but most will find many that are relevant to both small and large holdings alike.

Also landowners should ALWAYS be aware of their county burn bans. Compliance with active burn ban law does help to reduce unsafe debris burning, but everyone should remember that a burn ban does NOT have to be in effect for outdoor burning to be illegal. If you negligently allow your fire to escape onto someone else’s property, it is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

The State of Texas uses a tiered approach to wildfire response. That starts with local fire departments and counties as the first responders, and is followed by state response as wildfires or conditions exceed the local ability to control. The Texas A&M Forest Service was implemented in 1915 with the main goal of suppression & extinguishing of forest fires (wildfires). In 1993 that mission was expanded to include the coordination of response to any large, or potentially major wildland fire within the state. There is a tremendous amount of coordination that is required beginning with the local first responder level, and growing in magnitude as other agencies are called into action. The Incident Command System at each of these levels ensure a more coordinated and rapid response, and an appropriate use of resources. As landowners/managers, this is where our role becomes critical, especially to our first responders. It is of utmost importance to be able to contact individuals as firefighters need, or as they are attempting to access property to manage wildfires. The inability to do so is very handicapping. I would encourage all individuals that are living remote from your property to at least make sure that neighboring property owners have a means of contact for you. My experience with folks that are new to either owning a country recreational property, or to being new country living residents, is that there is a certain level of “distrust” that many experience regarding sharing of information about their properties. I realize that giving gate codes to neighbors might seem counterintuitive, however it might mean the difference between suppressing a fire quickly versus having it grow and spread. If you aren’t comfortable sharing that information with a neighbor, then please share with the local law enforcement office in your area so that someone can contact you. And as a matter of note, country living, or land ownership means getting to know your neighbors so that we can all work together to protect everyone’s’ interests. We cannot help you in your absence if we don’t know you or cannot contact you!

Texas A&M Forest Service provides the following sources of information available to homeowners, community members, and landowners alike to facilitate condensing of information into a helpful format for first responders. I strongly encourage everyone to visit this website and follow the links to assist you in preparing for fire should it happen in your area. The web address is:  https://tfsweb.tamu.edu   Once you have accessed the webpage, then look for the heading Preparing For Wildfires. Upon selecting that, you will find subcategories called Protect Your Community, Protect Your Home, Protect Your Ranch, & Protect Your Wildlands. Two forms of interest found under the link Protect Your Ranch, are the Landowner Priorities Form complete with an example of what is listed where, and also a form called Map My Property that actually enables landowners to not only map their properties, but to also denote features of interest/importance on said property. Our local VFD’s are effective at what they do in the face of overwhelming conditions! Imagine how much we could help their volunteer efforts by taking the time to do just a little bit of computer work and by compiling just a little bit of information like this for them. I would respectfully add that any time your local VFD/First Responders are having a fundraiser, please help to support them. We cannot double their wages as they work for free, but we can contribute to coffers that have to be maintained for equipment purchase and repair, fuel, protective equipment for volunteers, and many, many other costs that most would never think of in regard to keeping these men and women safe and ready to respond. And to that end, may I say God Bless and keep safe all of our VFD members/First Responders as they volunteer their time to protect the rest of us.