10 Hours in the Saddle - A Day in the Life of a Montana Cowboy 

What a great life. I grew up in Kentucky and we never had more than 3-400 acres to herd cattle. I always wanted to move to Montana but life got in the way. Now I’m to old and my health isn’t so good. I’ll live vicariously through you and your channel.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed watching you guys pushing these cattle through some beautiful country! It brought back so many memories for me. I spent some of the best times in my life doing exactly the same thing in parts of the Hunter Valley range country in New South Wales, Australia. I am now seventy years old, and doubt if I could spend an hour on horse now, let alone spend all day in the saddle. I have subscribed to your channel, and hope to relive some of that earlier time, albeit vicariously, through your uploads. Cheers for now from 🇦🇺!

That was amazing to watch. I sure miss riding horses. I used to help my grandfather on his farm in Utah. Watching from Hot Arizona

Also don't forget the talent of the ranch dog. A very important part of a working ranch. A cowboy would never leave his dog 🐕 behind. They are a good partner.

Ranching over there looks a lot harder than Eastern MT! We can almost see all 4,000 acres at once, lol. And the cows get excited to move to the next pasture when it's time. Thanks for taking us with you.

When I was 14 my grandfather who raised me died. Brought our cows 20 miles off the mountain by myself. Got caught in a blizzard half way and finally made it home after midnight. Sometimes you have to reach down deep inside and find out what your made of.

Thank you for this cool video! Love your ranch horse.❤️🐴 I had a amazing show horse that was shown all over the world and I literally never saw him spook for the 5 years I owned him till .... he saw a cow. Haha, the only thing he was ever scared of was a cow🤣🐂

I've seen those old homestead cabins all over in Idaho too, I always wonder what kinda winter or drought or death drove them off the place, times can get hard real quick trying to make a living off the land I suppose

I can relate to you guys! Ranching in northcentril Saskatchewan Canada here, don't have such big hills but lots of timber, working cattle you never know how the outcome will be at the end of the day, always seems to be a curve ball in there! Like yesterday spent most of the day in the saddle pulling bulls almost didn't get anywhere, expecting +32 Celsius today that won't help, nice to see you guys keeping up the old traditional ways of cowboying, got a good group of cowboys here keeping the traditional ways going as well, would love to ride with you down there some day!

Wow, that's so interesting to watch. I'm from Ukraine and we used to have something like cowboys hundreds of years ago, but the vastness of land in the US definitely helped preserve this unique and exciting culture. Thanks for sharing.

Seems like a drone would come in handy to find the cattle, and maybe even to herd them a bit. Any of you ever try it? (Great use of the map in explaining what you're trying to do.)

Awesome video. I’m interested in the dogs helping. Can you do a video on the dogs of ranching please? Super informative video with Peter!

Amazing skills hearding, and working with cows and horses in a sort off make ship. Impressed how patience and calm Cowboys handle themselves. Horses are really tirelessly moving onward. Beautifull work. Little cow protest. Absolutely beautiful landscape. Thanks for sharing.🤔👌🌅🇩🇰💙🇺🇸

Beautiful. Very cool to watch. Nice meeting you. Found your channel thru Peter's and subbed. The dogs getting the one cow that ''got lost'' in the woods was very cool to watch. Good doggos ! And some sweet horses too. They are so calm and cooperative. I bet they are a little older ? Thank you from Europe. Beautiful. One day i will visit Montana.

Loved this! The dogs were amazing!

This was so interesting! I have tried helping to herd just a few cows, and my only job was to stand in one place to keep them from going past me into no man’s land. Didn’t matter how fast I rode they slipped right by. So I know how hard this is. But these guys handle it like it’s nothing. Pretty scary when he had to lope down the hill so quickly. It’s hard to keep an eye out a few feet ahead of you for holes that your horse might stumble into. Really good stuff guys! Keep it coming!

Awesome country … thank you for sharing Yes I’ve seen lots of “bones” of history in the mountains and prairies have often wondered if these homes could talk, what stories they could tell…of families hopes and dreams …

Thanks Trinity! My husband and I are really enjoying watching your videos. We've visited Montana a couple of times. Beautiful country! We first saw you on Peter S's chanel.

Beautiful horse beautiful country thank you so much for sharing. ❤

oh how I miss the squeaking of the saddle. Brought back some memories, as well as truly have enjoyed your video. Thank you

I am SO amazed you can strap on a bridle, mount a horse all while filming-amazing!!

I had a horse growing up that would ALWAYS, if he had the chance to run me under a limb to try and knock me off. Grandpa had a few meetings with him to finally break him of that habit, but every now and then he would still try..... Beautiful country and beautiful life!

This is amazing thank you so much for sharing, your country is breath taking and this is the stuff dreams are made of!

14:15 If you are used to being on a horse you can tell how steep that was from how your horse was walking up it. When a horse starts doing the side to side and lunge rest lunge to get up something either your horse is tired or it's pretty steep or both. I have the same issue with my camera, I think it is that the go pro style cameras and their imitators use sensors with poor depth of field.

Amazing how calm you guys stay going over the same thing again and again not knowing for shure the job really be done at the end of the day? Awesome nature you riding in. Love the doggie-hands, working together as a perfect team with cowboys and horses. Great explanation of what and how you're doing the things! I'm really impressed. Thanks for sharing!! 👍🇧🇪 (Belgium- Europe)

Spent time in the Catalina mountains of southern AZ doing this work. Thanks for taking the extra effort to show us your life.

A drone could be a great asset to narrow down the location of your missing cows. Foliage is a possible issue if they all happen to be under groups of trees… it’s fascinating to have this perspective into a Rancher’s life. It’s been a pleasure watching your videos and I firmly believe, now more than ever, that country living is not for the lazy…not at all. I appreciate all that you and your fellow Ranchers do to care for your animals and in turn provide countless communities with high quality meat needed to feed growing families. Thanks for sharing.

I love watching your videos! You have the heart of a teacher ❤️ Some of the stuff I know already and lots is new knowledge! Thank you for sharing

Loved the squeaky saddle sounds. Beautiful country ❤️

So even if I live in Portland, OR all I have to do to be a cowboy is move to Montana, buy a horse and get a cowboy hat?

Thanks for sharing your roundup. That was a rough ride for your horses.

Dude you are literally living my DREAM. I've always wanted to live on a Montana ranch and just get to see all the old left behind houses and other stuff. I have 3 horses out here on a little 25 acre farm out in the boring state of Maryland lol.

Reminded me of my late Dad, a horse whisperer and renowned saddler despite being left disabled by polio in the 1920s.There wasn't an animal he didn't like, except spiders and snakes.In Australia, we also have to short chain our dogs in utes, or have a dog box. Too many were lost jumping out, getting run over by other cars. Surprised to see yours free in the back. I suppose there aren't many cars where you are. A good working dog is priceless. Interesting post.

I really miss riding horses, I remember working on a cowboy ranch outside of Sheridan, Wyoming for 6 years, and I wish I was still out there riding working with cattle and being with my fellow cowboy friends but someday I hope to find the next outfit to go work for and make new friends.

I really enjoy this! Thank you both for taking us along.

I used to live in Wyoming for a while. I so much miss watching the sunrises and sunsets and the vastness of the open horizon. I am a new subscriber and will be watching for your videos to give me that lovely feeling looking at the beautiful Montana scenery. 💘 🐎 🐂 🐄 🐐 🐑 🐕 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

That was interesting and educational. Saw your video with Peter, so I subd to your channel too.

Glad to have found this channel you have great content

Such an interesting video! I really enjoyed this. Watching from the East Coast of Virginia..

Came to check out your videos, just finished watching Peter Santelleno. And I got to say it was a great video! Really enjoyed watching what life is like on that side. I'm from El Paso Texas! Just gained a new subscriber! Looking forward for more videos!

Love your videos! Thank you for sharing.

Just subbed here seeing you Trinity on Peter's channel today. Time to watch the video. Greetings from North Dakota.

Thank you for sharing your workday😊I like that you are still working with the horses and not with four-wheeler.👍

Thank you for giving us a look into the reality of ranching. As a kid, I would go up there but never went out to the pastures and such. Bring a “city girl” wasn’t easy. I had a not-so-nice stigma. Being in town was easier, but I sure loved being up there. One day my family and I are going to drive up and stay in town. I want to show them everything, esp where my grandparents lived in Deep Creek.

May be my new favorite channel right here. I wanted to be a cowboy when I was a kid. My grandpa had horses, and I did get to ride some but never in the mountains. This would be a dream come true to try ranching for a week. I'd do it for free just for the experience.

Enjoyed your video soooo much!

Wonder how many cattle that are free roaming never get found on average ?

Thank you from Ireland, that was the best half hour I've watched in a while

I'm a new subscriber. Very interesting videos. Wrecked my whole Saturday. Can't wait for more. Guess I'll be up all night again. Good job!!

You got my subscription. I am a traveling locomotive and rail car tractor mechanic. I ride an F350, not a horse. My cattle don’t eat grass, they eat diesel. They don’t provide beef. They provide rail cargo. I’m up early, and out in all the weather. It gets lonely sometimes. Do you ever struggle with that? Do you ever regret the choices that led you to being a rancher? I’m just some dude, but I’d give it a shot if I wasn’t already getting broke down physically and over the hill. I’d rather smell like horses than diesel and grease. At least I could wear my Stetson to work instead of this stupid hard hat, and a good western shirt instead of my stain smeared fluorescent shirts.

What part of Montana is this? I spent some time in Helena in my early 20's ...I look back fondly on that time in that beautiful place!

This guy is the real life "Yellowstone".

I hope you rubbed down your horse (of his sweat), or washed him off, and gave him a long drink of water! What a great horse, and you seem to really care about him. You’re an excellent rider! I don’t know much about horses or riding them, but you make everything look easy, so I know both you and the horse are wonderful at what you do. Montana is beautiful country. Also, the cows are beautiful. If they are beef cattle, thank you for feeding America.

Floyd Gosney, a cowboy from Montana, that I worked with in Wyoming, once asked me if I knew the difference between a farmer gate and a cowboy gate. Then he explained it. A gate in the middle of a straight fence line can be wide open and cows will walk right past it. Like you said, they tend to focus on you and don't even notice the open gate. That would be an example of a farmer (or forest service) gate. The cowboy gate would be in the corner where it acts as a funnel.

We used to have good permits on the Forest Service around hear whin I was a kid, you couldn't drive up the New Highway on the South side of Grand Mesa or up the Surface Creel Road up and around to Trickel Park for Cows all over the Road and everywhere, and most of them were Herefords and had Horns. Today your lucky to see a Cow Anywhere near the Highway, and you have to go hunting to find them, when riding Drift well they like Drifting down the Hill and need to be pushed back up. You have a Raged range like the West Elks off East of us. Lods of fun on my saddle sores. O my pore Aking, well any way!

Your videos are awesome !!

We use a breast collar and a britchen or a cruper to hold the saddle in place going up and down steep hills. In Western Washington state. We also use a sheep hide with the hair toward the horses back under our saddles to keep from getting wind puffs on their backs to augment the saddle's sheep hide sewn into the underside of it.

Spent some younger years riding on the Douglas Lake Ranch in BC, rode some fine Peppy San horses, had that bloodline til I had my last ride. Needed to work or they'd bronc a bit. Or I'd still probably have one.

Great videoing, thanks for map and icons fun, yes getting them thru the gate= FUN, beautiful country I do love gathering with friends. Really enjoyable watching MIRKWOOD up going thru short oak is fun in our neck of the woods have to dismount and push - - but it is great to have a job on a horse . . Thank you thank you keep more coming . . . V in Colorado

This was neat to watch. In Alaska there's "broken dreams" you will see some sort of makeshift cabin made out of anything you can imagine. In different states of disrepair. Alaska is hard living. I think y'all get the same sorts of weather. Cold, long winters. At least in the lower 48 there's daylight...

The Mirkwood edit is absolutely hilarious, I love it! I can't help but wonder though when he said the cows don't ever come back from there if Mirkwood was actually like some fantasy utopian place to the cows. All the cows just talking about how great life is in Mirkwood. All the idealistic cows risking it all to try to make it to the magical place of total freedom. After weeks of weary wandering, the lead cow lifts her exhausted head and looks to the horizon- "there... there it is! We made it!" Just then those guys in the hats show up again, "Heeeeey cow. Hey, cow."

Amazing how you and the horse and dogs guided the cows

I have never been in the ranch lifestyle at all but this is cool to watch

Very impressed at you herding all those cattle, on a spooky horse, one-handed, carrying a camera.!! I enjoyed watcing the dogs, too. They are very professional and looked ike they loved their work. like “ Oh boy, we get to chase them cows” Thank you for a fun adventure !! from NW WA🌲🌲

I enjoyed watching as well positive feedback on this type of content

Beautiful country!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful time!

Thanks for the ride, beautiful country! Wouldn't want to be a lightning rod but would love to be a cowboy! "KEEP ON KEEPIN ON"

Standing next to trees with a horse during a thunderstorm got my attention. Interesting to watch, thanks!

I'd like a video on what a cowboy always has on hand. The essential tools while herding

P .S. ge could also teach how to video !! Better than those with the use of 2 arms, walking!! The editing is spot on as well .

Thank you for sharing this awesome video. You should look into drones to help you find the missing pairs

10 hours on a horse I feel bad for both you and the horse that's a long day. John Wayne never had all that trouble, the cows all stayed together. I don't think your cows read the script

Looks like you about a Mexican size horn on your saddle! Any particular reason?

loved this!

That gate latch is slick!! Ain’t never seen one them afer

Thank you, great video

What a great show,I kept thinking how sore my butt would be ,am from the city.I can really appreciate a little bit more about your life now Thankyou!!

I love your videos. I'm from a small farm town in the Midwest but I've always been a mountain boy. I wanna know 1. If you carry a firearm with you out on the range and 2. If so what do you prefer as far as having just a sidearm or just a long gun or both? My states gun friendly but we have had a spike in crime throughout my state and bad varmint/coyote problems as well.

I’m here after watching Yellowstone 😁😂

Peter Santenello was right! This is cool stuff to see. Happy to subscribe. Cheers from southern AB. Our landscapes look similar. Thanks for sharing your journeys.

Love to see working dog they are such a invaluable tool. When driving cows in that terrain.

I'm vicariously toughening up!

Brought back memories. Except I didn't have tree's to deal with, my horse loved the straight shot. He'd jump over the sagebrush, it was better then his whiplash approach of going around.

So interesting, glad there are ranchers and farmers.

That was awesome I would pay to get in on that kind of action yes I'm a city dude but I think I'm up to it! I'm a country boy forced to work in the city to scratch out a living been that way for 40 years.

I live in Michigan and head out to Big Timber, MT every year to hunt. And all I can say it that it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been!

I love watching you all do your cowboy thing otherwise I would have never known! It’s really interesting and strategic. Thanks so much for sharing.❤👍🏼

TV always makes it look easier. Nice job guys.

Great lookin saddle! Cowboy! Great vid! Sub'd and Liked 👍

I ride a lot of trails on my utv in the mountains of Colorado, I always wonder how you ranchers even find your cattle in the mountains. One time about 10 years ago my dad came across a ranchers bull that had been missing he was very happy when my dad told him where he was. He thought it died it had missing for awhile. 😊

I would have already hit the ground.. 🤣 I don't know how you are riding like that and holding that camera.

I do enjoy your cattle adventures

Nothing personal, just having a flashback from when I used to get yelled at for doing the same. I did enjoy the video, thanks

Talk about a wreck waiting to happen, dont leave the gate open laying on the ground. Just prop against the fence. Cattle can get tagled up in it.

Subscribed

That saddle squeak never gets old. Nice country land.

Before my mare passed back in 2016 I always wanted to do a cattle drive with her she was such a solid mare. Wanted to ride national parks, although we live in Nevada it's all desert unless you ride in the mountains :) Love watching you guys!! Thanks

Well the natives might had got them folks too!!

People don't understand how hard it is

This guy is literally my hero I live in Missouri where we don't have quite as many real cowboys but I have been watching this for about a month and I really enjoy his horsemanship