The way a cowboy cares for his cattle has changed over the years. In the early years of the Patterson Ranch, gathering cattle was all done on horseback and cattle were branded and ear notched to be identified.

Butch shares how they did it all back in the day, and how the Patterson Ranch does a few things differently today. He reflects back on some of the long, hot days of summer workings. It wasn’t necessarily the roping, dragging and branding that wore him out though. It was the Texas Cowboy Reunion festivities in Stamford, Texas later that night that made the days long.

Work hard, play hard still seems to be the cowboy way today. Even if how a cowboy gets the job done has changed from the early days.