The strong wooden house of the old heavy stirrup protected the foot from being crushed by the impact of the herd.

The form of the cow-saddle has changed but little, although today one sees a shorter seat and smaller horn, a "swell front" or roll, and a stirrup of open "ox-bow" pattern.
The round-up was the harvest of the range.

The time of the calf round-up was in the spring after the grass had become good and after the calves had grown large enough for the branding.

The State Cattle Association divided the entire State range into a number of round-up districts.
Under an elected round-up captain were all the bosses in charge of the different ranch outfits sent by men having cattle in the round-up.

Let us briefly draw a picture of this scene as it was.
Each cowboy would have eight or ten horses for his own use, for he had now before him the hardest riding of the year.