Gray’s Peak Pasture

Gray's Peak Pasture

We have the Texas Longhorns in Gray’s Peak Pasture – and it is a bear. I guess it is the second roughest pasture we have. It is about 5000 acres of steep canyons, brush, and wooded ridges – with plenty of rock ledges thrown in for a challenge. It would probably measure 10,000 acres if it were flat.

To complicate matters, I have pretty well lost herding control on the steers. The first snowstorm scattered the cattle like quail – and they have stayed scattered. The ice on the north slopes of the canyons is treacherous for a horse. I sometimes wonder how the cattle even get to water. Last trip in on horseback my horse fell completely off a trail and Doug’s horse slid badly enough that Doug jumped off – and promptly fell flat on his back when his feet hit the packed ice. Fortunately no one was hurt- horses or riders.

I have done a D-minus job of herding. And now I will pay for it. I am supposed to have the herd out into an adjoining pasture by the end of February. Three weeks isn’t as long as it sounds when you are hunting steers in groups of 2 and 3 on every ridge and ledge in the area. Plus it is a 30-minute trailer haul and a one hour horseback ride each way just to get to the pasture. Many times I have seen cattle – but couldn’t get to them. I just make a mental note of how many and where I saw them – and hopefully have a marker steer or two in the group – and try and catch them out where a horse can go on another day. It is a slow, difficult process at best. One good thing – I will be motivated to do a better herding job whenever I do get the herd together again!

Gray's Peak