Brandings~ A Ranch lifestyle {Montana Ranch Photographer}

Each summer in June and July ranches get together and brand their calves. Branding has been a tradition for many years in the west.

A cattle brand is a design that is seared into the hide of an animal, such as cattle or other livestock, usually around the hip, to identify the owner of the animals. Each brand is distinct, so that lost cows—either through wandering animals or cattle rustlers–could be returned to their rightful owner. – AgAmerica

This is one of the things I was looking forward to the most moving back out west.

Capturing these moments.

A good ranch horse is hard to come by. We really lucked out with Shorty. He’s cowy with a huge personality. He has filled the giant horse sized hole in my heart.

The cows and calves are rounded up in the morning and sorted in the branding pen.

Those that don’t know. Cowboys/Cowgirls head into the branding pen and rope a calf by the back legs.

It is then dragged from the pen to a “trap” that holds the calf’s head.

The calf is then vaccinated, castrated if a bull, and branded with the hot iron.

They are then let go to find their momma until weaning in the fall.

Cowboys are a dying breed. It takes hard work, long hours and grit. I feel blessed to be a part of this lifestyle and for my children to witness their father working hard for what we believe in.