Old Ranch Camp Out May 2012 Page Two

Did You Know? - A pony is a small horse (Equus ferus caballus). Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament.

There are many different breeds. Compared to other horses, ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat, as well as proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, thicker necks, and shorter heads with broader foreheads.

The word "pony" derives from the old French poulenet, meaning foal, a young, immature horse, but this is not the modern meaning; unlike a horse foal, a pony remains small when fully grown. However, on occasion, people who are unfamiliar with horses may confuse an adult pony with a foal.

Did You Know? - In North America, a wrangler is someone employed to handle animals professionally, especially horses, but also other types of animals. Wranglers also handle the horses and other animals during the making of motion pictures. A dude-wrangler is a cowboy or guide that takes people (Dudes) on western-riding horseback trips.

In North America, a wrangler is also one who professionally searches for and/or handles particular products on film and television programs, and music videos, such as custom cars, or animals, or milk. The word "wrangler" is derived from the Low German "wrangeln" meaning "to dispute" or "to wrestle." It was first documented in 1377. Its use as a noun was first recorded in 1547. Its reference to a "person in charge of horses or cattle" or "herder" was first recorded in 1888. Beginning in 1929, it was used as a proprietary name for a brand of jeans.

The historical British meaning of "wrangler" is a person who excels at debate. At Cambridge University, the title "wrangler" was given to a student obtaining first class in the Cambridge Mathematical Tripos I examination. The senior wrangler was the student obtaining the highest marks, the second wrangler scored second, and so on, until the last student, who was called "the wooden spoon".

Did You Know? - Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat, while in modern times, its main use is that of a recreational activity. A person who participates in archery is typically known as an "archer" or "bowman", and one who is fond of or an expert at archery can be referred to as a "toxophilite".

Did You Know? - The windwheel of the Greek engineer Heron of Alexandria in the 1st century AD is the earliest known instance of using a wind-driven wheel to power a machine.[4][5] Another early example of a wind-driven wheel was the prayer wheel, which was used in ancient Tibet and China since the 4th century. It has been claimed that the Babylonian emperor Hammurabi planned to use wind power for his ambitious irrigation project in the 17th century BC

Did You Know? - City slicker is an idiomatic expression for someone accustomed to a city or urban lifestyle and unsuited to life in the country. The term was typically used as a term of derision by rural Americans who regarded them with amusement.

It may refer to a "fop", or it may be a derogatory term for a person wearing inappropriate city-type business attire, particularly with a brusque or condescending attitude in areas where local residents are offended by an arrogant attitude combined with disdain and lack of respect for rural people and lifestyles. The term can be used to describe people who are perceived as dishonest, arrogant, or simply naive.

Tom Said: "That mail-order cowboy sat on his pimple in the rain, got himself catarrh, and went up the flume"

Tom Meant: A "mail-order cowboy" is an inexperienced cowboy, usually from the East, who has expensive clothing and fancy gear.

A "pimple" is an Eastern saddle, too small for the long drives necessary in the West.

"Catarrh," is a vague, 19th-century medical term for bad sinuses and a stuffed-up nose.

"Going up the flume" is dying.

Did You Know? - Massey Ferguson Limited was a major agricultural equipment manufacturer which was based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada before it was purchased by AGCO. The company was formed by a merger between Massey Harris and the Ferguson Company farm machinery manufacturer in 1953, creating the company Massey Harris Ferguson.

However in 1958 the name was shortened for the first time to coin the brand Massey Ferguson. Today the company exists only as a brand name used by AGCO, but remains a major seller around the world.

Did You Know? - According to Hoyle - Correct, by the book. "Hoyle" is a dictionary of rules for card playing games.

Did You Know? - Fire pits have been in existence for a very long time and despite many technological advancements since the advent of man's use of fire, they have remained a popular item because of their versatility. A fire pit can physically vary from a pit dug into the ground to an elaborate gas burning compilation of stone, brick, and metal. The common feature of fire pits is that they are designed to contain a fire and prevent it from spreading.

Did You Know? - A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall that is anatomically akin to the human toenail, though much larger and thicker. However, there are many cases where shoes are sometimes glued.

The fitting of horseshoes is a professional occupation, conducted by a farrier, who specializes in the preparation of feet, assessing potential lameness issues, and fitting appropriate shoes, including remedial features where required. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, horseshoeing is legally restricted to only people with specific qualifications and experience. In other nations, such as the United States, where professional licensing is not legally required, professional organizations provide certification programs that publicly identify qualified individuals.

Did You Know? - First chronicled by the famous western writer, Zane Grey, in his 1934 novel The Code of the West, no "written" code ever actually existed. However, the hardy pioneers who lived in the west were bound by these unwritten rules that centered on hospitality, fair play, loyalty, and respect for the land. Ramon Adams, a Western historian, explained it best in his 1969 book, The Cowman and His Code of Ethics, saying, in part:

"Back in the days when the cowman with his herds made a new frontier, there was no law on the range. Lack of written law made it necessary for him to frame some of his own, thus developing a rule of behavior which became known as the "Code of the West." These homespun laws, being merely a gentleman’s agreement to certain rules of conduct for survival, were never written into statutes, but were respected everywhere on the range.

Though the cowman might break every law of the territory, state and federal government, he took pride in upholding his own unwritten code. His failure to abide by it did not bring formal punishment, but the man who broke it became, more or less, a social outcast. His friends ‘hazed him into the cutbacks’ and he was subject to the punishment of the very code he had broken.