Seriously what would life be without ranchers? Oh yeah, nonexistent, because people have to eat. Weird, huh? To those of us who were born doing it, even if you chose to pursue something else in life, the "ranchy" part of your youth will always exist.
So, here are 17 unmistakable sings you grew up on a ranch:
1. You appreciate the importance of a wide turn.
Most likely you've pulled a trailer once or thousands of times. You can't cut your turns too short with a load of calves in tow.
2. Calving season basically means you're the walking dead.
Everyone has a love-hate relationship with calving, especially night calving. What is sleep? What is a shower?
3. You've ingested something you shouldn't have. (On purpose or not)
Banamine is a cure-all, and if you accidentally swallow Nuflor you'll feel hungover for about 3 days, and we all know at least one Lutalyse story.
4. You were horseback before you could walk.
It's pretty much cow-kid initiation to be a chunky baby seated in Dad's saddle.
5. You've walked home a time or 77.
Whether the trusty ranch rig quit you, or your horse bucked you off, you've made the real "walk of shame" before.
6. You probably drove before it was legal.
Even if you could barely see over the steering wheel, jobs gotta get done somehow. Ain't nobody got time to wait til they're 16.
7. Holidays are just any other day with a fancier dinner.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, all your friends had the day off but you were still bustin' your butt to get livestock fed.
8. You respect your elders.
It doesn't matter whether your'e the boss's or the hired man's kid. You respect and look up to anybody older than you.
9. You know your steak.
"Just knock its horns off, wipe its nasty ol' ass, and slap it down on the plate."
10. There's not much grosses you out.
You've probably had your hand up the back end of a cow more than once, or had your face covered in mud and cowpie. You know what happens when you stick a scalpel into an abscess.
11. You've rolled your eyes more than once at animal rights propaganda.
You can't fix stupid.
12. Somebody talked you into something dumb.
Whether it be peeing on an electric fence, or licking the salt block not all of your guidance was based in lessons but more in humor.
13. You love and respect your animals.
Sure you may be able to scratch all over your horse, but you know not play by his feet or approach him behind. You knew better than to touch the dog when it was working, or let the cow up before everybody was back in the saddle.
14. Branding season is your favorite.
Who doesn't love their turn to rope or the smell of branding smoke? Not to mention the nuts.
15. You understand death.
Whether a stillborn calf, or a broke-legged horse, from a young age you have experienced death and understand it.
16. You appreciate new life.
Remember the first calf you saw being born? You saw that, you know how it happened, and appreciate the miracle.
17. You are lucky.
Some people are not like you & I. They didn't get to grow up miles and miles from town. They will never experience the breathtaking miracle of new life, or the view of not seeing anything but God's Country for miles.
Actually, we're not lucky at all, we're blessed.
