AMERICAN RANCHER

Duster the Horse
Some horses are good from day one and never will change, while some are nervous and wary but finally make great horses. Those are the most rewarding to win over. Duster was always nice to be around ass a colt and seemed to like people. We handled him a little as a yearling and then let him run in the bunchgrass with the rest of the horses. As a two year-old, Duster wasn’t the biggest horse, had a good attitude about life in general and was from a gentle stallion and mare. This just had to be a good horse for Mom.
Because Duster was going to be Mom’s horse I took lots of time on his groundwork and handled him to be her horse. The colt did everything right and we had some good rides on him by fall. More riding as a three year-old and Duster was doing fine. For the next two years I rode Duster to gather cows, round-up horses, used him hunting and any kind of ranch riding. He got a little nervous about some things once and a while, but nothing too serious. In the fall of his fifth year I told Mom, “you can start riding him in the spring.”
But I did not realize Duster was such a slow and through thinker about just exactly what kind of horse he wanted to be.
That winter the snow got deep and crusted enough that we had to bring the horses into feed. We saddled Duster and two others and wen after the horses _ I rode Duster.
We found the horses and while we were deciding which way to take them home, Duster was doing some deciding of his own. He turned, took one step, and Duster dusted me. If the snow had been any deeper I might have drowned. To make a long afternoon short – Duster got rid of me two of four times. He just had a bad day Mom…he’ll be alright, I’ll ride him longer for you.
From them on Duster got worse and made up reasons to buck. Finally, one of our good horseman friends told me when they start thinking wrong after so much riding, they’re not going to quit finding ways to be nasty. Dusty got his wish and was sold at a bucking horse auction.
Two years later, at the National Finals Rodeo we went to the bucking horse auction. As we walked into Thomas-Mack, there in the pens I saw Duster. It sure was enjoyable to sit in the stands and watch someone else ride Duster as he threw his fit. I hope he likes the warmer climate because he was sold to a company in Texas. Don’t worry Mom I’ll pick you another horse- at least don’t try to worry.