The great American Horse Drive is the round up of over 800 horses by the Sombrero Ranch, where cowboys drive the horses from their winter pastures of the open range lands of NW Colorado over 60 miles back to the Sombrero Headquarters where the horses will be put to back to work. The Sombrero operates about eight different dude ranches in several parts of Colorado including Rocky Mountain National Park, Meeker, Steamboat Springs, and Estes Park. The sound of thundering hooves of over 800 horses whinnying and nikering while kicking up dust as they fly past is an overwhelmingly exhilarating experience. If you love horses, this event is not to be missed.
The drive starts by gathering the horses from the many splintered herds near Browns Park on BLM land where the horses have grazed all winter long. Cowboys drive the many groups in holding corrals until eventually all the horses are accounted for. The horses are then released to be driven by wranglers back to the ranch.Thats when all hell breaks loose. As Ed, the lead Wrangler at the Sombrero explained, “You herd cattle, but you have to lead horses”. Horses want to run, and many would like nothing better but to return to the grassy range lands. The horses take off at breakneck speed, giving the cowboys chase as they try to subdue the massive herd into a more sustainable trot. Once under a little more control, the herd is lead by dozens of cowboys in front, back, and rear, trying to keep them moving and under control. I saw several groups try to return to the winter pastures of Browns Park, only to be caught and driven back to the main herd by tenacious cowboys and cowgirls. Whistles and shouts of the wranglers and the sound of horses hooves is everywhere, and dust is flying all around. The sound of the hooves vibrates the ground.
Horses, highly social animals have herd members who have been separated in the massive tangle and gather of horses and go about whinnying and nickering for their friends. Many do find each other, like the six dapple grey draft horses I saw trotting in a group, and traveled the 60 miles back to the ranch together. I had the good fortune of spending several days prior to the round up at the Sombrero ranch making photographs of the wranglers and ranch activities with a group from EPN, The Equine Photographers Network. The photo shoot at the Sombrero and the Horse Drive is an EPN annual event and one of the best I have ever attended. The wranglers are real professionals in every way and the horse drive is an event that should not not be missed. There is no place left in America that a herd of horses of that magnitude is driven from the range down dusty roads and a major highway. The drive goes through the tiny town town of Maybell, Colorado and needless
Cold Morning
Leading Horses
In the Mist
Chasing Thunder
Water Crossing
Sea of Horses
to say, it’s a traffic stopper. Once the horses get closer to the ranch, they can smell water and once again all hell breaks loose. Keeping that many thirsty horses under control is no easy task for the cowboys. The horses fly through the gate into corrals and hit the water troughs waiting for them. Its another season of work for them about to begin.
