Yellowsnake Horses Brazos River Ranch

11/08/2024

We will be riding year-round weather permitting. Book your holiday rides for your guests! We are offering gift certificates as a unique Christmas present. We ride almost 2 hours for $75. Saturdays get really busy but most days you can find a ride available. Message or call to book 469-363-2658

11/07/2024

This photograph was taken in April 1985, a month after James Yellowsnake's remarkable recovery and release from the San Diego trauma unit. On December 28, 1984, Yellowsnake was piloting a helicopter for tuna boats when a catastrophic incident occurred; a crew member loading salt blocks accidentally swung a cable into the helicopter's blades, causing a devastating crash into the cockpit. Despite overwhelming odds, Yellowsnake survived with severe injuries, including a neck broken in three places, a back fractured in two, collapsed lungs, multiple broken bones, and extensive head trauma. After a couple of years, he regained functionality, but his traumatic brain and neck injuries had altered his life. His primary therapy was on a big red horse named Zak. As a pilot and horseman, he had to rethink his life after his flying days ended due to doctor warnings of potential paralysis from any fall. He became an outfitter and trail guide until he quit to care for his wife, who was dying of cancer. Moving to Texas six years ago, he planned to restart Yellowsnake Horses Brazos River Ranch but broke his hip, returning to the saddle in six months. After caring for his mother, who needed full-time assistance, Yellowsnake passed away in March 2023, followed by his mother, Hotona ('Mimmie'), in January 2024, just shy of her 102nd birthday. Jeremy and I are the only survivors from this photo, having also lost Mason's dad, Heath, in March 2021.

11/07/2024

11/07/2024

We will be at the Brock Holiday Market on Saturday from 12-5 giving pony rides on Sonic and Tank. Come by and purchase a gift certificate for a unique Christmas present. Take a chance on a raffle ticket $2 or 3 for $5. VALUE $150 proceeds go the the Blair children's horse adventures! These kids are the real deal!

11/06/2024

Yellowsnake and his dog Bandit during his outfitter days.

11/05/2024

Here's a photo of Yellowsnake at the old cabin he discovered in the mountains. He would take people hunting and fishing for weeks at a time. If you've ridden Tonto, he probably carried groceries up to the cabin. When Tonto was too young to ride, Yellowsnake would take him along and put a pack saddle on him.

11/04/2024

If you have ridden this fall with us at Yellowsnake Horses Brazos River Ranch you have seen these right along the river.

These trees tell the history of Central Texas like no other tree can. It has many names. Bois d'arc, bodark, osage orange, bowwood, horse apple, hedge apple, mapo, Maclura pomifera and more.

It's small native range follows the Blackland Prairie region. It's a strip that stretches from central Texas just past the Red River into Oklahoma and Arkansas. Today it can be found in all 48 contiguous states.

If managed properly, young bodark trees can create dense thorny rows. Natural fencing can be made by shaping these rows. These hedges can deter erosion and were part of FDR's WPA plan to combat Dust Bowl conditions in plains states. Millions were planted during this time. Hence the name "hedge apple" because of the fruit. Before barbed wire, ranchers used the same technique to create fences for livestock. The livestock would eat the fruits, so we also get the name "horse apple."

Before that, French Explorers noticed that Native Americans used the wood for their bows and gave the tree the name "bois d'arc" which means "Bow-wood" in French. Phonetically the French pronunciation sounds like "bodark" in English so that's how we get that name.

The quality of the bows made from this wood was apparently so good is contributed to the success of Native Mississippian Cultures. The wood is very strong and has a distinctive yellow orange color. Many other Native groups used the wood for bows and tools and would travel hundreds of miles in search of these trees. Among those groups were Comanche and Osage. That's how we get the name "Osage Orange."

The fruits are even more interesting! But we have to go further back. Some 13,000 years ago all of the large megafauna were disappearing in the Americas. Animals like mammoths, giant ground sloths, and saber toothed cats once roamed. It's thought that some giant herbivores co-evolved with bodark trees, and that's why they make such large fruit. A large ground sloth or mammoth would eat the fibrous fruit and spread the seeds. Larger and larger fruit was required to entice the large herbivores. This idea is well accepted but there is not a lot of empirical data to back up this theory. We see similar patterns in other large tree fruit like avocados.

These trees are widespread in our parks. Right now the fruits are dropping so it's a good time to find an Osage Orange tree during your next park visit. This one was photographed along the Shoal Creek Trail near 24th St.

Go find one and ponder the past!

11/02/2024

Who knows what's going to happen about the rain tomorrow but we will ride if it's not pouring. Let us know if you want to join us!
469-363-2658

10/29/2024

My amazing daughter in law playing with the Lucky Finger Band. Annagrey Brooks Wiechman

10/29/2024

Yellowsnake was a legend to a lot of folks! This was from a magazine article.

10/29/2024

Horsing Around at Yellowsnake Horses Brazos River Ranch 469-363-2658

Call now to connect with business.

10/26/2024

Tomorrow evening! I can't wait!

Fleetwood Journey at 50 West - StubWire.com

10/25/2024

Good Friday morning to you!