What It's Really Like to Be a Cowboy Living on the Drummond Ranch
Four-year-old Taos Sellers and his dad Josh take you around the ranch.
It’s 6:30 a.m. and Josh Sellers and his son, Taos, are ready to start the day on Drummond Ranch. On the schedule: herding and feeding cattle, repairing fences, and maybe getting in some fishing.
“We’re out together daylight to dark,” says Josh, who has lived on the ranch for 34 years—24 of those working as Ladd’s ranch hand.
Josh (or Cowboy Josh, as Ree calls him) grew up surrounded by horses and cattle and he wants to raise his son the same way. Taos has accompanied Josh on his daily duties since he was six months old, and he started riding a horse on his own when he turned three.
“No matter what he does in life he’ll know how to work,” says Josh.
See what this father-son team do in a typical day.
Rise and Shine
The first task of the morning: stopping by the bulk tank to load up Josh's truck with feed (the cowboys call it "cake"), which the cattle eat in place of grass in the cooler months. Josh and Taos typically feed 15 to 20 pastures a day—the equivalent of about 1,500 cows.
Herding Helper
Taos is a pro at herding cattle. Here he swings open a gate so his dad can drive through with a feed truck.
Precious Pals
Taos stops to pose with his ranch sidekick, Rebel.
Rope and Ride
Roping cattle is an important part of every cowboy’s duties. They use it to get a closer look at the animals to make sure they’re healthy and well fed—and of course to pull a cow back in if one has wandered away from the herd. Josh knows exactly how many cows are in each pasture, so he can always tell if he needs to track one down.
Mighty Mouse to the Rescue!
Just like he did here! Josh catches up to a stray cow on his horse Mighty Mouse.
Lunch Break
When you live on Drummond Ranch, it’s easy to catch the cooking bug. Josh often starts his day with breakfast at Ree’s restaurant The Merc, but he and Taos grab lunch at home; they live on the ranch, just a few minutes from the Lodge. They also make dinner together every night.
Time to Ride
When it’s time to saddle up in the barn, Taos knows just what to do...
Hop on Up
...even if he’s not quite tall enough to reach his horse, Batman, on his own!
Tips for Taos
Josh always takes time to give Taos some riding pointers.
Rodeo Champ
Josh is a rodeo champion, and his skills run in the family: His uncle worked as a horse trainer for Ladd’s dad, Chuck. Taos has been competing in rodeos since he could walk!
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