- Term
ranch life
- Broader Term
country life
- Alternate Term
ranching
- Remarks
Ranch life was centered on raising, grazing, and tending livestock. Though they often raised sheep, goats, horses, and other animals, it was cattle ranching that has most captured the popular image of ranch life. An entire cowboy culture evolved on the ranches, with a lifestyle centered around their cattle, their horses, and the range. Western ranches ranged in size from small family landholdings to the massive Terrazas, King, and Waggoner ranches, each of which at one point covered a million acres or more. Cowboys would often drive cattle hundreds of miles overland to be sold at market. A complex system of branding evolved to establish and maintain ownership over cattle that wandered away from ranches or were stolen by rustlers. Brands were registered to specific ranches or owners on a state-by-state (in Texas, county-by-county) basis, and were re-registered when ranches or large herds changed hands.
- See Also