“Making a living at
what I’d be doing anyway,” sets the stage for the rather unique lifestyle
Barbara East maintains.
In
the summer months Barbara heads for the Colorado high country where she rides
cattle permits covering thousands of acres of US Forest range, and is
responsible for various amounts and types of cattle. Her responsibilities
include packing many tons of salt using a mule pack string, roping cattle on the
open range to doctor them, and keeping cattle distributed to maintain a healthy
ecosystem. “It’s a great challenge and no two summers are ever the same.
Even after 31 years I still wonder if I can do it!”
Barb
uses her Border Collie, Kelpie and McNab crossed dogs, lots of mules, and a
couple of good saddle horses to keep the mules home. “I enjoy the high
country; it’s rough and it makes you think, and I enjoy the animals; they are
all individual and unique.”
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