The Wrangler - Chapter two

Joe Amazed the Other Cowboys

Joe took the money he would need while he was wandering around and headed for Texas on horseback.

After five days riding he came to what seemed to be a large ranch. For miles the cattle had the same brand on them.  He ran across a line rider who told him who the owner was and all about the ranch.

Joe made a small fire and cut some bacon slices and fried them. He gave the line rider a big helping and had the rest himself.

The line rider told Joe if he wanted a job then he probably could get on at the Circle O which was the ranch he worked for.

Joe thanked him and said goodbye and said maybe he would see him again someday.

Then he rode in the direction of the ranch for another half day and it came into view. He wondered why he hadn’t run into some more hands but figured there must be a reason.

He spotted a couple people working around the corrals and tied his horse to a rail after watering him.  After he washed up he went in search of the hands he saw when he was coming in to the ranch.

A moment later a woman and the two hands appeared with guns in their hands. The woman demanded to know what he was doing there. Joe said he was just passing thru and figured he might get a meal before he moved on.

No one said anything so he added I would take a job if they needed an extra Man around here.

They moved closer to Joe and asked, “You got a gun?”

Joe said, ‘Not a hand gun but I got a rifle on my horse you can see it from here.” Joe then said, “You ain’t gonna shoot me are you?” 

The woman asked, “Where you from?”

Joe said, “Oklahoma.”

“Why are you here?”

“I’m just traveling around to see the country.”

The woman said, “Come closer.”

Joe walked up to the woman and the two Mexican men.  Joe said, “I will just leave if you want me to for I mean no harm.”

She said, “Search him and make sure he doesn’t have a gun hidden away somewhere.”

After they finished she said, “Lock him up in the cellar and leave him there until Mr. Huston comes home.”

Joe said, “I could use some food for I only had a piece of bacon this morning and I’m hungry.”

The woman stepped closer and Joe took his hat off and she saw he was just a boy. She told one of the hands to bring him some food and then lock him up.

The men brought Joe some beans and bacon which he ate quickly. Joe said, “That sure is a fine animal in the corral, in fact I’ve never seen such a fine horse.”

They said it is Mr. Huston’s favorite the only thing nobody has been able to ride him.  He throws them and the tries to stomp them.  He has bitten several guys and nobody will go near him.”

Joe said, “He sure looks lively alright. I would sure like to try him sometime,” as the two men looked at each other and smiled.

“Yeah that would be fun,” Joe said.

“You want to ride him now?”

“Yeah I don’t mind if I do.”

They said, “You will have to rope him and get him tied to the snubbing post and then we will help saddle him.”

Joe took a long rope that was hanging on the corral and threw a lasso around the horse’s neck before he saw it coming.  Then he waited until the horse made it around the snubbing post himself and then Joe tighten the rope every time the horse gave some slack it wasn’t long until he had him tight against the post.

The two men looked at Joe and were surprised at how easily he did it.  It usually took a half dozen men to get him tied down like that.

Joe threw his jacket over the horse’s eyes and called for the saddle. It only took a short time until Joe climbed aboard and the fun started. The men were amazed at how Joe fell right back into the saddle after each buck.

Some fifteen minutes later Joe was still on him and was now riding him around the corral. He told them to open the gate and let him out.  Joe and the horse took off at a gallop with a few bucks along the way by the time he got back the horse was gasping for air.

After the horse had caught his breath and tried to reach around and bite him; Joe began making him back up and wheel like a cow pony.

After an hour Joe said open the corral and let’s put him away but first get a blanket and a curry comb. He dropped the saddle off and tied him to the snubbing post again. He first used the blanket to rub the horse down and then gave him a good currying.

The horse started to try to bite Joe a couple of times but thought better of it. Joe began rubbing the horse’s legs; he said to help loosen them up for the horse was going to be almost paralyzed after all that bucking.

When he started on the back legs the horse kicked at Joe.  Joe had been watching for that and was out of the way of the hoofs.  Then Joe kicked the horse in the belly and said, “See how that feels?”

He spent some more time brushing him and then gave him some water and grain. The guys couldn’t believe what they just saw but promised Joe they wouldn’t tell anyone about Joe’s ride.

There was another thing and that was if Huston found out they had someone try to ride the horse without Huston being there they would be fired.

Maria the woman who ran and kept the Main house told the men to keep quiet about the whole afternoon and to take Joe to the stables and start cleaning them out.