A Cowboys Life

RNL01AIN2X_INO24_1-20 5/24/01 7:01 AM Page OC3
by Rozanne Lanczak Williams

RNL01AIN2X_INO24_1-20 6/4/01 4:02 AM Page IC2
Photos:
Cover (l), J.C.H. Grabill/Corbis, (r), Ken Redding/Corbis; p. 1 (l), J.C.H. Grabill/Corbis, (r),
Ken Redding/Corbis; p. 2, Brown Brothers; p. 3, The Granger Collection; p. 4, Don
Pitcher/Woodfin Camp and Associates; p. 5, John Eascott/Yva Momatiuk/Woodfin Camp
and Associates; p. 6 (l), Eastcott/Momatiuk/Woodfin Camp and Associates, (r), Timothy
Eagan/Woodfin Camp and Associates; p. 7, John Eastcott/Yva Momatiuk/Woodfin Camp and
Associates; p. 8, John Colwell/Grant Heilman Photography, Inc.; p. 9, Cotton Coulson/Woodfin
Camp and Associates; p. 10-12, Timothy Eagan/Woodfin Camp and Associates; p. 13, Michael
Lewis/Corbis; p. 14, Timothy Eagan/Woodfin Camp and Associates; p. 15, Gunter
Marx/Corbis; p. 16 (l), J.C.H. Grabill/Corbis, (r), Ken Redding/Corbis.
Copyright by Harcourt, Inc.
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ISBN 0-15-323094-0
Ordering Options
ISBN 0-15-325517-X (Grade 2 On-Level Collection)
ISBN 0-15-326944-8 (package of 5)
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RNL01AIN2X_INO24_1-20 5/24/01 6:56 AM Page 1
by Rozanne Lanczak Williams
Orlando Boston Dallas Chicago San Diego

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www.harcourtschool.com
Cowboys Long Ago

In the 1800s, raising cattle was an
important business in the American West.
Thousands of cattle roamed the open land.
Cowboys on horseback rode among the
cattle. They watched the grassy landscape
for lost cows.
2
Each spring, the cowboys rounded up

the herd for the cattle drive. The cows
were made to walk a long trail to the
railroad. They were shipped by train to
market.
Life on the trail was rough. Cowboys
had to be tough to face bad weather,
snakebites, and stampeding cattle.
3
Cowhands Today
A cowhands work is different today.
Ranches are fenced in, and there are no
more cattle drives. Instead, ranchers use
pickup trucks or even helicopters to count
and herd cattle. They send their cows to
market in big trucks.
4
However, cowhands still ride horses and

rope strays in rough places where trucks
cant go. Riding and roping are still part
of being a rough-and-ready cowhand!
Some cowboys use mustang horses,

which are small and tough and work hard.
5
A Year On a Ranch
In the fall, cowhands help ranchers store
hay and feed for the cows. In the winter,
the ground will be covered with snow.
Cowhands will truck feed to the cows.
Ranchers may drop hay from helicopters
on the snowy landscape.
6
In winter, ranchers and cowhands

make sure the cows have enough
water. Ice may form in the watering
troughs. The cowhands break and
remove the ice so the cows can drink.
7
A ranch is a busy place in the spring.

Cowhands keep track of the cows and
the new calves. If a calf becomes sick, a
cowhand will move both the calf and
its mother to the barn.
8
When the calves grow bigger and

stronger, its roundup time on the
ranch. Cowhands help the rancher
herd the calves into a small fenced
pen called a corral.
9
The cowhands shout and

wave their arms and hats.
They make the calves go
through a tight path called a
cattle chute. They count the
calves to find out how many
were born.
10
RNL01AIN2X_INO24_1-20 6/3/01 12:07 PM Page 11
At the end of the chute, each calf is

branded. The brand is a mark to show
who owns the calf. Every ranch has its
own brand. Some ranchers tag the ears
of the calves. After being branded and
tagged, the calves get shots to keep
them from getting sick.
11
When cattle roamed the open

range, they were always marked
with their owners brand. This
helped identify lost or stolen cows.
Ranchers today, like those of long
ago, often name their ranches after
their brands. A cowhand might say,
I work on the Bar T Ranch.
12
For the rest of spring and summer, the

cows spend lazy days grazing on the ranch.
The rancher and the cowhands, however,
are busy all summer long. They mend
anything broken and shoe their horses.
They might catch wild horses and try to
tame them.
13
Time for Fun

The cowhands day is long, and the
work is hard. Still, cowhands find time for
fun. They may attend an exhibition where
ranchers show their best cattle and horses.
14
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At rodeos cowhands kick up some

dust. They show off their skills and
compete at riding and roping.
This dappled horse has won first place.
15
Cowhands Past
and Present
Ranching has changed, but
cowhands havent changed much.
They dress much the same and
sometimes they talk the same. Most
of all, they still share the same love
of wide-open spaces!
16
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Think and Respond

1 Why are calves rounded up each
spring?
2 What was the main work of a cowhand
in the past?
3 What did you learn about cowhands?
4 How do you know that being a
cowhand is a hard job?
5 How are cowhands today different from
cowboys of the past?
6 Would you rather be a cowhand long
ago or today? Tell why.
Write a Campfire Story In the evenings,

cowhands of long ago told stories around the
campfire. Write a campfire story.
School-Home Connection With family

members, share campfire stories. A grown-up
might wish to light a candle campfire.
Word Count: 581

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RNL01AIN2X_INO24_1-20 5/24/01 7:01 AM Page OC3

by Rozanne Lanczak Williams

Copyright by Harcourt, Inc.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 0-15-325517-X (Grade 2 On-Level Collection)

ISBN 0-15-326944-8 (package of 5)

by Rozanne Lanczak Williams

Orlando Boston Dallas Chicago San Diego

Cowboys Long Ago

Each spring, the cowboys rounded up

However, cowhands still ride horses and

Some cowboys use mustang horses,

In winter, ranchers and cowhands

A ranch is a busy place in the spring.

When the calves grow bigger and

The cowhands shout and

At the end of the chute, each calf is

When cattle roamed the open

For the rest of spring and summer, the

Time for Fun

At rodeos cowhands kick up some

This dappled horse has won first place.

Think and Respond

Write a Campfire Story In the evenings,

School-Home Connection With family

Word Count: 581

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