In
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
, a wrangler is someone employed to professionally handle
animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...
s, especially
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...
s and
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...
, but sometimes other types of animals as well. 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
A herder is a pastoral worker responsible for the care and management of a herd or flock of domestic animals, usually on open pasture. It is particularly associated with nomadic or transhumant management of stock, or with common land grazing. ...
" was first recorded in 1888.
A wrangler is an individual involved in the process of taming, controlling and handling various animals, specifically horses. Traditionally this process involves herding cattle and bringing horses in from the
paddock
A paddock is a small enclosure for horses. In the United Kingdom, this term also applies to a field for a general automobile racing competition, particularly Formula 1.
Description
In Canada and the United States of America, a paddock is a small ...
. Wranglers often work for other cowboys or tourists who want to ride on North American
ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most often ...
es. Variations of wrangling include managing herds, dude-wrangling, rodeo and managing horses as a part of stunt work in the film industry. Wranglers are also considered a subcategory of cowboys, being responsible for herding horses rather than cattle. The profession of wrangling has developed over time, as wranglers are educated to perform more activities as the
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
sector has become increasingly important in the employment of wranglers.
Wranglers also handle the horses and other animals during the making of motion pictures. A dude-wrangler is a
cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
or guide that takes non-wranglers and non-cowboys (
dude
''Dude'' is American slang for an individual, typically male. From the 1870s to the 1960s, dude primarily meant a male person who dressed in an extremely fashionable manner (a dandy) or a conspicuous citified person who was visiting a rural ...
s) on
western riding
Western riding is considered a style of horse riding which has evolved from the ranching and welfare traditions which were brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, as well as both equipment and riding style which evolved to meet th ...
horseback trips.
In the
film industry
The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post ...
, a wrangler is also one who professionally searches for and/or handles particular products on
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
and
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
programs, and
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
s, such as
custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been either substantially altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission; made into a personal "styling" statement, using paint work and aftermarket ...
s or animals.
History
During the 1920s the wrangler's transition into the service economy reliant on tourism, while keeping alive the ‘romantic West,’ contrasted the original conception of wrangling as an occupation as it was previously characterised by self-reliance and expertise.
Wrangling has also been impacted by developments in technology and science influencing the scale and speed at which they can herd horses.
Education
Wrangling in the film industry, as part of stunt work, requires extensive training and commitment in various disciplines. This includes the ability of the wrangler to train horses for stunts and liberty work over long periods of time.
[Steven Shaw, “Wranglers : Horse Stories; Training Their Charges to Perform on Cue While Keeping Animal Welfare in Mind Is Just Part of a Day’s Work for on Set Horse Wranglers.” interview by Steven Shaw, Onfilm, Mediaweb Ltd, April 26, 2011,] Wranglers from local areas can also be familiar with smaller groups of horses and therefore identify an individual horse from the herd.
They are trained to identify horse behaviour and a given horses age, fitness, gender and health in an instant. In order to prevent injury or health concerns with horses, the wrangler possesses a specialised role in an outfit. An outfit is a band or unit of cowboys, cooks and wranglers who would travel together in
roundups and on trails.
Older wranglers are often responsible for the training of younger ones, passing down common knowledge and advice, rather than a broader and institutionalised education system.
Wranglers are often prospective cowhands wrangling in order to learn the basics about stock work. Education therefore does not consist of formal instruction. Instead, wranglers and cowboys are expected to learn on the job and grow into higher positions of management.
Activities
Film industry
The wrangler, also associated with the care and maintenance of the horse, is in some circumstances responsible for maintaining the
ethical
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ma ...
treatment of horses.
Ethical issues about the modern management of horses, such as radio collars placed on wild horses (which could cut into the necks of growing horses), also reinforced in wranglers a scepticism of scientific and modern procedures in wrangling and reinforced traditional methods.
Wranglers must also ensure that living and training facilities are suitable and large enough to house a certain number of horses.
Wranglers involved in the production of ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)'' revealed that despite concerns they had displayed about the farm in which the horses were being held, the production company was responsible for the deaths of up to 27 animals. The animal wranglers were previously fired from production but were also supported by claims from
PETA
Peta or PETA may refer to:
Acronym
* Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943
* People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization
* People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) suggesting that issues concerning the housing of horses stemmed from overcrowding and unsafe barbed fencing.
Another example is horses in the film ''Horses of McBride (2012)'' in which there were extremely specific requirements for the cast of horses required.
The film, depicting the struggle to save two starving horses, required extremely
malnourished
Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues ...
black and
sorrel
Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...
horses. One such horse, Lady, was typecast as needing to be rescued. A suitable horse was discovered by the film's horse wrangler and rescued from bleak conditions and given adequate food and restored to full health. Therefore, the wrangler's role in this industry requires much research and casting behind the scenes, as
stunt double
In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes FOR another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...
s were also required.
Wranglers could also be required to train actors to ride and drive horse-drawn wagons, and have a historical knowledge of horses and their uses. Stunt-horses had to be very specific, not only fulfilling the demands of the director and actors, but also the type of horse required to perform a specific
stunt
A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat or an act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes usually on television, theaters, or cinema. Stunts are a feature of many action films. Before computer generated imagery spec ...
. Once the right horse has been found, the horse must be trained and gain confidence. The wrangler is responsible for being aware of the horse's capabilities and limitations in these stunts. A ‘head wrangler’ on set may also be responsible for providing and sourcing all horses required for a stunt. Wranglers in the film industry are often involved with a larger variety of animals other than horses, including sheep and other livestock.
Many horses trained by wranglers are generally horses in the background of scenes, as opposed to being ridden by actors. They are required to remain calm and well-behaved and must be accustomed to lights, activity and cameras. Wranglers in
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
s are often required to work long days, and care for various horses throughout. Often horses need to simply walk from one end of the shot to other and in other circumstances the wrangler is required to ride them. They can also be cast as extras such as
lorry driver
A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster, or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; a HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in ...
s and
wagon
A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people.
Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...
drivers.
The wrangler is also required to provide various types of horse equipment and
tack
TACK is a group of archaea acronym for Thaumarchaeota (now Nitrososphaerota), Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota (now Thermoproteota), and Korarchaeota, the first groups discovered. They are found in different environments ranging from acidophilic the ...
.
Dude-wranglers
Dude-wranglers are responsible for training horses and leading trips, as has long been custom, and have come to be expected to be charismatic and gentlemanly as part of their service.
There was often no explicit indication that the dude-wranglers required to be handsome and characteristic, nevertheless, it was often clear that women were expectant of this. The dude-wrangler
stereotype
In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example ...
suggests that he was to be talented, outgoing and experienced, what would become a standard of
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
masculinity
Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...
. The role of the wrangler therefore became a role in which this masculinity could be proven.
The wrangler was also responsible for minding children on trails, accommodating for the whole family. Often the individual would expect to be able to become a competent
horseman under the instruction of a horse wrangler.
Dude-wranglers are required to handle people just as well as they handle horses. They are required to interact with guests and sell the ranch experience as they provide funds for the ranch just as cattle do for others. The wranglers are a type of mediator between visitor and land, as they require an extensive knowledge of equipment, veterinary care and horsemanship, while the visitor does not. The wrangler is required to provide a pleasing temperament despite strenuous tasks, for it is what keeps him his job. He is often required to comply to a standard of presentation concerning attire, hygiene and relationship with guests.
Ranch work
Breaking a horse is another responsibility of the wrangler. Traditionally this would consist of roping and corralling the
bronc
A bucking horse is any breed or either gender of horse with a propensity to buck. They have been, and still are, referred to by various names, including bronco, broncho, and roughstock.
The harder they buck, the more desirable they are for r ...
, or unbroken, wild horse, and attempting to ride it until it submitted to the rider. The wrangler would continue to buck on the horse and accustom it to both
bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit.
Headgear w ...
and
saddle
The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not kno ...
. The bronc riders job was considered to, “educate,” these horses and for others, to take the education out of them, therefore either taming wild horses, or un-taming timid ones.
These horses were broken in order to ride or
drive
Drive or The Drive may refer to:
Motoring
* Driving, the act of controlling a vehicle
* Road trip, a journey on roads
Roadways
Roadways called "drives" may include:
* Driveway, a private road for local access to structures, abbreviated "drive"
...
them, often broken by wranglers for themselves or neighbours. The horses could then be traded or swapped.
Modern wranglers have learned to communicate with a horse through subtle observation and body language. The idea is to produce a positive relationship between horse and wrangler, as the horse ‘wants’ to perform an action for the rider, rather than being forced to do so. This is a type of
natural horsemanship
Natural horsemanship is a collective term for a variety of horse training techniques which have seen rapid growth in popularity since the 1980s. The techniques vary in their precise tenets but generally share principles of "a kinder and gentler ...
. Often a wrangler could break horses for a specific purpose, such as younger
gelding
A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...
s for riding, and could tell the suitability of a horse from only a few moments in the saddle.
Wranglers in locations such as
Shenandoah in
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
advocate a type of modern wrangling which places the horse's wellbeing at the forefront of their practice. As well as completing the usual duties; grooming, feeding and watering the horses; the wranglers also monitor the health of the horses. The wranglers also tailor the horses dietary requirements to best suit them, as well as customisable
bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit.
Headgear w ...
s and
saddles. Modern wranglers such as these also focus on building a trusting partnership between horse and rider based on natural horsemanship. The wrangler is also responsible for the sale of horses, pairing clients with horses of the appropriate type and personality.
Wranglers were also involved in ranch work such as
cutting
Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force.
Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...
horses and cattle (that is, separating them from the rest of the herd) as well as
branding
Branding may refer to:
Physical markings
* Making a mark, typically by charring:
** Wood branding, permanently marking, by way of heat, typically of wood (also applied to plastic, cork, leather, etc.)
** Livestock branding, the marking of animals ...
cattle. Each ranch had a specific brand that was to be cast onto calves in order to identify the ownership of cattle. They can also be responsible for basic
veterinary
Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
care, such as transporting animals, feeding them, branding them and accustoming or ‘
gentling’ them to riders.
![Wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt NP](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Wild_horses_at_Theodore_Roosevelt_NP.jpg)
A horse wrangler is also part of what is known as a trail crew, consisting of
drovers, a trail boss, a cook and the wrangler. These trails would herd between 2, 000 and 3, 000 cattle over a number of days.
During the day the wrangler, or more colloquially the ‘jingler,’ drives the horses and finds pasture for them, often rounding them up multiple times in one day in order for the cowboys or ranch hands to change horses. This is known as the
remuda A remuda is a herd of horses that ranch hands select their mounts from. The word is of Spanish (language), Spanish derivation, for 'remount' i.e. "change of horses" and is commonly used in the American West.
The person in charge of the remuda is ge ...
. In the
Old West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
of
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
it was also historically referred to as a cavvy.
The remuda must be spread out in suitable pasture, watered and easily separated into pens (corralled) for mounting when required in order for the wrangler to be performing his role successfully. In order to do so, the wrangler is required to know each horse and be able to locate them. The wrangler is therefore responsible for the well-being and overall condition of the herd.
When not performing these roles, the wrangler also works in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning.
This involves collecting wood and water for the kitchen, chopping wood, preparing the food. The wrangler is further responsible for setting up and disassembling the campsite, hooking and unhooking the
wagon
A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people.
Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...
, loading the wagon and taking down the rope
corral
A pen is an enclosure for holding livestock. It may also perhaps be used as a term for an enclosure for other animals such as pets that are unwanted inside the house. The term describes types of enclosures that may confine one or many animal ...
. Working and partnering with the wrangler is the nighthawk who watches over the herd at night and returns them to the wrangler in the morning.
Often when on a farmer's or ‘grangers’ roundup, the outfit would find an empty field or
pasture
Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or swine ...
to set up for the night. They would either set up a large tent for the night, and when in good weather, would roll out the beds on any suitable flat surface outside.
Demography
Wranglers are often the youngest men of the ranch and have often been romanticised for their toughness, looks and masculinity, especially as represented in film, literature and iconography.
Typically wranglers have been dominantly represented as men, due to the tough physical demands of wrangling. However, women performing similar tasks is not uncommon. Although there was this emphasis on male riders, there was equal opportunity to females as well. Some accounts emphasise the reliability and keenness of a female wrangler as a desirable
trail rider. Most of the wranglers found at round-up events in the past were men, but a few women could also be observed.
Many wranglers are also long-time locals who have grown up participating in equine and
rodeo
Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...
events, often with a similar heritage. Wranglers with these backgrounds could begin at ages as young as 10 years old.
They would hear and see a lot at such a young age, and expected to be tough and durable.
Wranglers and cowboys are becoming less and less common as they are replaced with modern occupations such as
biologist
A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...
s and animal researchers who are often more reliant on education and theoretical knowledge, rather than having extensive practice with horses. The idea that the horse specialists, such as wranglers, have spent large amounts of time with horses, are familiar and can identify with them is also becoming less common.
The three main states that remain occupied by wranglers the United States are
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
and
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
.
See also
*
American frontier
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of United States territorial acquisitions, American expansion in mainland North Amer ...
*
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
*
Animal training
Animal training is the act of teaching animals specific responses to specific conditions or stimuli. Training may be for purposes such as companionship, detection, protection, and entertainment. The type of training an animal receives will vary ...
*
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
*
Teamster
A teamster is the American term for a truck driver or a person who drives teams of draft animals. Further, the term often refers to a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a labor union in the United States and Canada.
Origi ...
*
Groom (profession)
A groom or stable boy (stable hand, stable lad) is a person who is responsible for some or all aspects of the management of horses and/or the care of the stables themselves. The term most often refers to a person who is the employee of a stable o ...
*
Horse training
Horse training refers to a variety of practices that teach horses to perform certain behaviors when commanded to do so by humans. Horses are trained to be manageable by humans for everyday care as well as for equestrian activities from horse ra ...
References
{{agriculture footer
1880s neologisms
Animal husbandry occupations
Horse-related professions and professionals
Cowboys
Cowboy culture
Livestock
Ranchers
Horse training
Western (genre) staples and terminology