The range horse is trained especially for his work, 
and is easily handled. He is used for riding herd, for 
roundups, and for general all around work. In riding 
herd, his work consists of keeping the stragglers up 
with the main group, and in preventing cattle from 
straying. A group of these horses, from which those 
to be used in the day’s work are selected, is called a 
remuda. 
In roundups, which are for the purpose of selecting 
stock for shipment and for branding the young calves 
and horses, the cow pony is used to cut out or sepa¬ 
rate the calves or young horses from the herd in order 
to rope them, preparatory to branding. When the cow¬ 
boy gets his rope on a calf, the cow pony, to whose 
saddle pommel the rope is fastened, must keep the 
rope taut while the rider dismounts and approaches 
the calf. 
The untamed or outlaw type of range horse is called 
a bronco or “bronk.” He is merely an unbroken, sav¬ 
age, mean, or untrustworthy type of Mustang. The 
bucking bronco is used in rodeos, where an attempt is 
made to ride him. It takes an expert to stay on one of 
these unbroken horses for any length of time. 
Although the Mustang still has his uses, the part- 
Thoroughbred type of cow pony or range horse is 
pushing him into the background. Great numbers of 
horses are raised in the western states and today these 
are usually part Thoroughbred. 
42 
