And Morgans can pack and they certainly don't mind a crupper after 100 years of carriage service.

This Morgan mare was unshod and stayed sound over a six day 54 mile cattle drive from 1,200 ft to over 8,000 ft.

John's Cowboy Poetry

It was a few years back that my young farrier friend was into bull riding. He kept asking me to come watch him ride and he was ranked pretty high at the time so I went about 40 miles to where he was riding on a Friday night. He sure was dressed nice. I mean he had a flashy outfit....green chaps, new boots, expensive hat. Anyhow he rode the bull for about a second and a half and then the bull rode him for the next sixteen seconds. Even though I was over 50 by then, I managed to go from the nose bleed seats to the rail by which time 25 guys were in there trying to get him loose. Well, he wasn't hurt ....except for his pride. The next day I got to thinking about it and got tickled and the muse came on me to write this poem.

Without A Rope

Austin Tally took no dally,
A rope he did despise,
He'd ride that bull without a rope,
(He's crazy, certified).

"Like Davy, I'll just grin him down,"
Austin, he declared.
So to the chute with brand-new boots,
He sauntered with teeth bared.

Old "Redeye" gave a baleful look,
He'd seen them come and go.
Another cowboy, "Hey, where's your rope?"
(This one he must be slow).

"Don't need no rope with this here grin,"
Austin, he replied.
And he slipped down onto ol' Redye,
Who rolled his evil eye.

If grinning didn't work,
Why he'd just grab both ears.
"It's only for eight seconds,"
(And then he'd hear them cheer).

So behind that hump he scooted,
And yelled, "Let's let him out!"
And when the gate was opened,
The dust whirled all about.

But Austin wasn't grinning,
And over all the shouts,
The cowboys sitting on the rail,
Could hear him bellow out.

"I thought I had him figured,
My plan was all worked out;
I started out a grinnin'
Right now I'm plumb grinned out!"

"Behind those horns I'm lookin'
Does the hospital here serve beers?
Next time I'll dang sure bring my rope--
Ol' Redeye's got no ears!"

-John M. Hutcheson