Why does ranching run in families? Time for Tea by Celia Klassen

As I watched the 4H program unfold at the Power County Fair, my old love for horses swelled once more. Let me start by explaining that my parents’ house is what they call ‘semi-detached’. That means they are attached to the house next door on one side, and then theirs and their neighbors driveway are attached on the other side and so it goes on down the road. The house occupies the entire width of the property and therefore the only way to the back yard is through the house.
Every year for my birthday, and many days in between, I begged for a horse. I could exercise it by riding it to school! The local park actually has a special sand path all the way around for exercising police horses and is available for public use. I could ride it to the park (never mind the traffic!) and then around that strip or my parents could just get a trailer and pull it behind their little city car. Why not? Where would I keep it? Well in the garden shed of course. I could tie a plastic bag around its bottom in case it pooped and just take it through the house into the yard. Little me thought that it was most unreasonable that my parents wouldn’t allow me a horse when I’d clearly thought of every eventuality and angle!
Now I live in Idaho, out in the country and I have plenty of room for a horse. If I didn’t want to use my whole yard I’m sure I could find some ground to rent. So why don’t I have one now? If you were feeling sorry for my parents in the previous paragraph then don’t worry, my three year old daughter is giving me every bit of what I gave my parents! I still love horses, and I’d still love to have one to ride. An unreasonably large part of me still wishes we used them as much as they used to so that there would be a valid excuse to have one for each family member.
So why don’t I have a horse? Well, money for one. I have already revealed my limited knowledge of horses, so horsie people will have to forgive me that I used Google as my source for cost. Google claims the average horse costs between $500 and $3,000. It says the average ranch horse costs between $15,000 and $20,000. I’m sure there really is such huge variation in cost and more variating factors than I could discover in a two-minute Google search. Then there are the annual costs. According to horserookie.com it costs an average of $9,079 per year for basic horse care including housing, feed, farrier, and routine vet care. Of course, with any animal the owner needs to be prepared for emergency vet care and illness which I imagine costs a lot more than it does for my dog!
However, I mused to myself while watching these kids do incredible things on their horses, what if money were no object, would I get a horse then? I rather dejectedly came to the conclusion that I would not. I don’t know anything about horse care. I’m sure the answer to what they eat comes down to a more complex answer than “hay”. I don’t know how to ride Western and I’m only amateur at English style. I know they need brushing, and their hooves need cleaning, but how would I know if something was wrong unless it was very obvious? I wouldn’t even know where to go to purchase a horse! I was born in the wrong place, the wrong era for a start (because I would have totally rocked the bustle and corset), and the wrong place to be a horsie gal.
Perhaps this is why ranching runs in families. Back in the early 1900s hundreds of people were leaving everything they knew and coming to Idaho among other places to start fresh. Usually they were already farmers or ranchers where they came from, but not all. If a newbie roamed into an auction saying they had a vision to “start a ranch” they’d be laughed out of town! You just don’t “start a ranch” now just like you don’t “start farming”. Nobody grows a successful home garden and thinks “hey I should quit my job and buy thousands of acres and grow stuff. Once upon a time, this was the way of thinking and it had an extinct amount of determination and faith behind it. Now, we are slipping back into the old way of doing what our parents did. Not necessarily the exact same job. But if your dad worked an 8 to 5 that’ll be what you look for. If your family ranches, you’re likely to do something that fits that kind of lifestyle. If your great-grandpa, grandpa and dad farm(ed), well I know from experience that isn’t bred out of you in one generation! Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
Ranching in particular seems to run in families. Perhaps this is because it took generations to grow the herd and become the size it is, and to turn your back on that to work somewhere else seems disrespectful to your family. Sometimes when you grow up in a certain lifestyle you can’t imagine doing anything differently, it becomes a big part of your identity. The ranching lifestyle aligns closely with family values and long-term goals. It requires a commitment that many find rewarding and deeply fulfilling, often becoming a central part of family identity. Shared experiences, daily chores, and seasonal tasks create bonds and a shared purpose that reinforces the desire to keep the ranch in the family. In a ranching family, the land represents more than just a livelihood; it’s a legacy passed down through generations.
Horse ownership also runs in families, even if it is not related to ranching. The skills and knowledge required to care for horses are often taught from a young age, creating shared experience and expertise that is valued and preserved through generations. Families who have always owned horses view them as more than pets. They are integral to their lives and heritage.
I’d love for an old ranching family to write and tell me your story. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Or for someone to write and prove me wrong. How they are a first generation rancher and how it’s going!