 |
Cowboy LifeAuthor: Ross Hecox & Jim Essick
Legendary cowpuncher Tom Moorhouse shares his experiences growing up and working on ranches throughout West Texas. His cowboy stories describe life on the wagon, his family's ranching legacy, dealing with drought and the beginnings of ranch rodeo. He also details how the respected Great Basin horseman Ray Hunt introduced better training practices to old school Texas cowboys, and how that has improved horsemanship on today's ranches. Language: en-us Genres: Society & Culture, Sports, Wilderness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Don Murphy is well-known as an elite cow horse trainer, however his roots reach down into the ranching culture of the West Coast.
Episode 26
Tuesday, 14 October, 2025
Don Murphy is well-known as an elite cow horse trainer, however his roots reach down into the ranching culture of the West Coast. Before training and showing was a sustainable business, he was cowboying in the steep hills of Northern California and embracing the traditions of vaquero horsemanship. His grandfather, Thomas Murphy, homesteaded near Mount Diablo and established a cattle ranch in 1873. Don Murphy was raised in the steep foothills, checking on cows and calves, roping steers and breaking colts. He was also learning the finer points of riding in the hackamore, two-rein and spade bit. After a few years in college and a short stint in the U.S. Army, he began working horses full-time during the late 1960s. As the reined cow horse industry grew, he trained and showed standouts such as Black Hawk Willie, RS Lilly Starlight and Bald N Shiney. During a career that spanned five decades, he trained 23 AQHA world and reserve world champions. He is also respected as a successful coach, helping both amateur competitors and professional trainers step up their game. Many horsemen agree that his savvy as a coach and a mentor stems from an understanding of how modern cow horse competition relates to traditional work done on a ranch.
