At our ranches, cowboys make up the backbone of our team. They are our eyes and ears on the ground, protecting both our cattle and our ranch.

Cowboys

At our ranches, the cowboy is the backbone of our team. They’re our eyes and ears on the ground, protecting both our cattle and our ranch. In short, they are the stewards of our most important resources. A cowboy needs to respect the cattle innately. He must have an eye to notice early stages of illness, behavioral changes or looks in cattle. He must be caring, attentive, and responsible with the animals. He must be patient.

There is a code among cowboys that transcends copyrights, technology, and other manifestations of culture that some folks may consider “modern.” The cowboy way is simple. A true cowboy is decent, treats both humans and nature with dignity and respect, and never threatens to use a lawyer where a handshake or a respectful conversation would suffice.

It may sound like a bygone era, but it is our reality.

A lone Hearst Ranch cowboy rides a horse and herds cattle.

Steve Hearst rides a horse through eucalyptus trees on Hearst Ranch.

A cowboy sitting on his horse, holding a whip.

A cowboy needs to be a skilled tracker. He must be able to read sign, or evidence that cattle have been through a place, and he must have cow sense to know where to look to find the cattle. He must also have good horsemanship skills to be able to find the cattle on horseback. Finally, he must have good dogs and he must be a good dog man to be able to use his dogs to gather the cattle in difficult terrain.

A cowboy needs to be able to ride all day and he has to have the staying power to work effectively when times are tough and the odds are stacked tall against him. He needs good judgment, and he must be able to make quick decisions regarding the welfare of his cattle and himself, and he must be able to do this even when he is mentally and physically exhausted. He needs the versatility to work alone when necessary, and to work on a team when there is extra help available. He must be handy with a rope because cattle that get away and those that can’t be found will revert to wild. They will be even more difficult to find and to gather.

He needs the versatility to work alone when necessary, and to work on a team when there is extra help available. He must be handy with a rope because cattle that get away and those that can’t be found will revert to wild. They will be even more difficult to find and to gather.

A cowboy needs to know when to “whip-up” and when to “whoa.” If the cattle are moving in the wrong direction, you may have to whip up and ride hard or send the dogs to turn them. When they’re moving in the right direction, you have to “whoa” and back off; give them the space to do the right thing.

A Hearst Ranch Cowboy on a horse, wearing a cowboy hat and sunglasses.

A Hearst Ranch team member wearing a black cowboy hat and vest.

A group of many Hearst Ranch cowboys, herding cattle.

Hearst Ranch cowboy holding a toddler while horseback riding.

Cowboy on a horse, herding cattle into a corral.

A cowboy on a horse herding cattle, holding a lasso.

The Hearst Ranch team, all on horseback lined up side by side. A dog is walking in the foreground.

Cowboy wearing a white hat and gloves, a blue shirt, and holding a lasso.

A Hearst Ranch cowboy holding a branding iron in a furnace.

Hearst Ranch cowboys and their families.

Black and white photo of Hearst Ranch cowboys branding cattle.