“We spend a lot of time with females is the largest bull of them,” she said. “We’re out and the herd – distinct not just about a lot. They smell and they because of his size, but also hear my pickup all of the time. because of his coloring and “When I come into the pasture unique build. with my yellow four-wheeler and “He has the classic Wichita something has happened – let’s refuge look,” she said. say they’ve gotten out or there’s “That’s one of the huge, been some sort of problem, I’ll original refuges in Oklahoma say to them ‘You want to rodeo? established to save the Well, we’ll rodeo, then!” Karen longhorn.” said, laughing loudly. “When they Karen’s cattle, like all other hear the word ‘rodeo,’ it’s just longhorns, are descendants funny. Their tails go up, and they of the first cattle in the New run.” World, brought by Christopher Karen Kaeberle strokes the back of one of the younger members of her She addresses many of the Columbus and the Spanish longhorn herd, raised as a bottle calf after it was born earlier this year. females of the herd by name. (Photo by David Lias) colonists, and have a high Knee Sox got her name because drought-stress tolerance. Texas of the unique, dark markings that go from her hooves up to the Longhorns are known for their diverse coloring, and can be any middle of each front leg. Soon Basket, another young female, color or mix of colors, but dark red and white color mixes are the approached her vehicle. most dominant. While watching the animals mingle around her pickup, she In the nation’s early history, especially as agriculture and points out that the classic longhorn look – that distinct imagery ranching were developing in southern and western regions of the of their horns – comes not from the longhorn bulls, but from the country, other breeds of cattle demonstrated traits more highly breed’s females. valued by ranchers, such as the ability to gain weight quickly. “This Texas longhorn motif – that’s all cow,” Karen said. The Texas Longhorn stock slowly dwindled, until in 1927 “The motif of the horn that we find on caps and that we find on the breed was saved from near extinction by enthusiasts from everything associated with Texas longhorns comes from the cow. the United States Forest Service, who collected a small herd Most people don’t know that. They think it’s all bull. Bull horns of stock to breed on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in never get as big as cow horns.” Lawton, Oklahoma. Calmly staying about 100 feet away from all of the curious vLONGHORN continued on page 28 Your PT Team From infants and women’s health to sports injuries, we can treat the whole family! Give Us A Call! Physical Therapy Services: • Post Surgical Rehab • Acute or Chronic Pain • Back and Neck Pain • Sports or Work Injury • Fall Risk Reduction • Vestibular Rehab • Pediatrics • Pelvic Floor/Bladder Training • Pre-Employment Screens • Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization 2525 Fox Run Parkway, Suite 100, Yankton Left to Right: Lisa Huber, PT; Samantha Schnabel, PT, DPT; Connie Casanova, PT, DPT; Amanda Adamson, PT, DPT, OCS; Erica Garvey, PT, DPT Affiliated with Lewis & Clark Specialty Hospital – Physician Owned 605.260.0918 HERVOICEvNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016v27