Even the temperamental weather couldn't keep the ranch hands away. The eighth annual Cross 9 Ranch Cow Working Clinic was held with a great crowd of 30-plus riders and ground crew on September 24 and 25, 2005, despite hot sunny weather on the first day and cool rain on the second. Bill and Linda Black of Cross 9 Ranch in Spiceland, Indiana, led the group in horsemanship, ranch roping, ranch cutting, sorting, and herd care. Some of the riders from Indiana and surrounding states were Cross 9 Cow Clinic veterans, coming year after year to improve their and their horses' skills and have a little fun. Other participants had never been to a clinic of this kind or roped with their horses and wanted to give ranch work a try.

The first morning, the crowd was split into three groups based on experience to learn and refine their roping techniques with Cross 9 Ranch's cows and buffalo. When all of the riders came together for ranch work and to administer herd care on the morning of the second day, most could have passed for having been raised with a solid ranching background. In fact, the group managed to rope, restrain, deworm, and vaccinate the herd of 20 bulls and heifers in record Cross 9 Ranch Cow Clinic time.

The annual Cow Working Clinic is the only one of its kind in the area. By bringing the 'Old West' back East, Bill and Linda Black give participants the opportunity to sharpen their roping, herd work, and horsemanship and develop a confident, steady working-cow horse in preparation for an actual working ranch environment, as training for ranch horse competition, or just for fun.

Bill and Linda Black have owned and operated Cross 9 Ranch, 40 minutes east of Indianapolis in Spiceland, Indiana, for 15 years, growing the business from two horses to more than 20 horses at a time and hundreds of students. The method of teaching and training employed by the Blacks 'the language of the horse' is universal and effective throughout the spectrum of equestrian sport. Linda's undaunted patience and thoroughness with both horse and rider and Bill's attention to detail attract students from all disciplines to the learning environment at Cross 9 Ranch.

Learn more about Cross 9 Ranch at www.cross9.com.

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Photo attached: Sam Rees of Logansport, Indiana, and his Quarter Horse gelding Roy sort a heifer from the herd at the eighth annual Cross 9 Ranch Cow Working Clinic. Photo credit: Lisa Munniksma/courtesy of Cross 9 Ranch