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Trainer uses buffalo to train his horses
HOBBS, N.M. (AP)--Buffalo--the lords of the prairie--are rare in these parts. So folks might be surprised to see nine buffalo grazing on J.E. Teague's land west of Hobbs.
Teague is the only man in a 100-mile radius to have wild buffalo. And like most wild animals, the buffalo are skittish and afraid of people. The animals let Teague feed them but shy away from touch. If he gets too close, the bison will dart in the opposite direction.
So what can Teague do with these animals?
Well, his buffalo certainly are not pets. Like many other cutting-horse trainers, Teague uses the buffalo to train his horses for competition.
Teague said he never has problems using buffalo to train his horses. Since they replace a cow, the buffalo teaches the horse to read the cow's movements and to control the cow. This is especially important when it comes time for cutting-horse competitions in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, in which he participates twice a month.
"It's more economical to use buffalo because it's more expensive to get cattle. Buffalo are easy to take care of. They pretty much take care of themselves," he said.
Teague, a Lea County native, grew up around horses and was put on a horse at an early age. He participated in rodeo in his youth so it was only natural for him to become a cutting-horse trainer. He started working with buffalo three years ago when he bought his first group from a man in Colorado.
He needs about six buffalo to train his horses and those belonging to other people. He currently has nine buffalo, down from a dozen.
Even though the buffalo can be used for two or three years, Teague said he buys a new bunch almost every year.
"I do it this way because it saves me time and money," he said.
Using buffalo to train horses is common for cutting-horse trainers. Since they are wild animals, buffaloes are not as gentle as cows. Teague has to get the bison accustomed to being in a domesticated environment.
He gets the animals when they are yearlings so they are already somewhat socialized. All the buffalo are female, and Teague said he has no plans for breeding the animals.
Teague said it's best to start socializing buffaloes as babies. The wild cows need a lot of petting, but cutting-horse trainers like himself don't want them too gentle--just enough for the horses to feel comfortable around them.
Modern bison can weigh as much as a ton, can be more than 12 feet long and 6 feet tall at their massive shoulder hump.
Teague rides out to round up the buffalo grazing in his 100-acre pasture before working with them one at a time in an arena next to his barn. He spends three or four hours a day conducting these training sessions. Local youngsters Beth Nave and Cody Dan Jordan often come by to help, learning the cutting-horse trade from Teague.
When Teague isn't working with the buffalo, they roam in his pasture. They instinctively know what time to come in to get fed early each morning.
During feeding time, Teague and his buffalo respect each others' space by keeping to opposite sides of the corral.
"They want you to feed 'em but they don't want you touch 'em," he said.
Date: 2/24/05
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