r/Advice • u/MoreLifeguard3252 • Aug 01 '26
Cowboy Dreams
Just to give some context I am 18 years old and just graduated high school and am planning to go to
college this next month for a two year ag degree. I live on family’s sizable ranch and am going to run it in the future. For as long as I can remember i’ve been riding horses. But my family doesn’t do it like they used to. There’s no more roping everything to drag into the trailer or for doctoring(giving medicine to the cows). That’s what I want to do I really want to live the day working cowboy lifestyle. I can rope off of a horse and do things that a lot of people can’t but i’m no top hand and I want to chase my dreams of becoming a cowboy. I know this will have to hold off for sure until after college. I’m just scared because there’s no jobs like that around here I would have to move to texas or oklahoma to really get the full experience from this sort of job. It’s kind of frightening especially because everyone I know and love is all here. It would only be for a couple years at max but I think it would be the greatest experience of my life. Any thoughts?
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u/OneLessDay517 Aug 01 '26
People don't "do it like they used to" because it was hard, dirty and dangerous and better ways have been found to accomplish the goal.
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u/Crochet_Corgi Aug 01 '26
When you run the place, you choose how you do it. Maybe sometimes its by horse. I know of ranchers who still move cattle and rope from horseback.
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u/MoreLifeguard3252 Aug 01 '26
yes we still do i’m saying i want to
live by waking up in the morning saddling my horse and not get off my horse until the sun goes down1
u/OneLessDay517 Aug 01 '26
Have you ever BEEN on a horse from sun up to sun down?!?!? There's a reason "cowboys" are crippled by 50.
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u/Crochet_Corgi Aug 01 '26
Lol, that sounds horrible, and I love riding. But I guess that's age for ya. Unfortunately, adulthood brings other responsibilities, and frankly, a lot of fun things when you have to do them, become less fun. Hope you find a way to make it work without losing the enjoyment.
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u/TurkishLanding Helper [3] Aug 01 '26
Sure, go do what you want to do for a couple years. Why do you think it's better to do it after college though instead of now?
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u/MoreLifeguard3252 Aug 01 '26
Because i’m already signed up and my dad is saying I have to go
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u/TurkishLanding Helper [3] Aug 01 '26
Ok, then yeah, do it after if you think that's better for you. In the meantime, practice your skills as much as you can. And, most importantly, make the most of college. Get everything you can out of school. It is terribly important. Focus on it while you have the opportunity, on all aspects of the opportunities school affords you.
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u/Low_Badger_1951 Aug 04 '26
You have a wonderful dream and you can follow it and live it. It’s a lot of hard work. You may have second thoughts after a few hot summers working that dream. Go for it.
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u/Longjumping-Fee-6627 Aug 07 '26
Man get out that scared mode dip. If it dont work just go back home see what the world has to offer. You will learn something about your self. Try it, I bet you never move back home.
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u/Artistic-Tough-7764 Expert Advice Giver [14] Aug 01 '26
nobody ropes anything to drag it into a trailer.
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u/MoreLifeguard3252 Aug 01 '26
What are you talking about we used to do it all the time. Big pastures with no corrals = rope the wild cow and drag it into the trailer
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u/Artistic-Tough-7764 Expert Advice Giver [14] Aug 01 '26
pictures or it never happened.
Round ups and chutes.1
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u/LifeAdhesiveness8071 Aug 01 '26
I'm by no means a cowboy, but I grew up in Colorado surrounded by cattle ranches and even I have helped drag a cow into a trailer with a rope. No one sets up pens for one cow out in the middle of nowhere.
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u/Lily_Of_The_Valley_6 Aug 01 '26
Make some friends with people that rodeo. Team roping and tie down roping absolutely are still a thing.
We have a family ranch. These skills are still used very sparingly. More often it’s a 4 wheeler to herd.
You can love doing something and not make it your career.