Preparing a Reata and a Story or Two

[@randymenard8446]

This man has the most knowledge and good old common sense.

[@woogaboogawiththegreenteet8436]

like the song says " my heroes have always been cowboys and they still are it seems" thank you for the privilege of watching you sir

[@paulgrice1739]

Pat I think I could sit n listen to your knowledge all day Iv been on ranches and on colts n young horses my whole life and still 80% of the things you teach is new stuff for me I love it !!! Thank you God Bless!!!

[@mcmihelk1]

I just started using my reata and was going to take it to a branding but it was to stuff. Now I know why and how to fix it you all are the best. Thank you for passing these traditions alive. And God bless

[@StuckInNy]

Seasoning your reata! Thank you for posting these videos. I enjoy them so much. Most of all, I favor the history you share. God Bless!

[@chipkyle5428]

I'm 72, the 4th or 5 generations of ropers. Before Poly, my dad kept his natural hemp ropes in momma's ice box in the kitchen. I remember fetching the milk bottle from inside the coils of dad's best calf rope. Natural fibers were hard to hold the right stiffness in our SW Louisiana weather. I remember dad dipping his rope in the horse trough during the summer. At a winter rodeo in the fifties, Dad put his rope under the hood of our ford pickup on top of the air breather while Idling the truck to limber up his calf rope before it was his turn rope. He rode a horse we called Billy Grey that sometimes for show dad would rope a calf off of him with no bridle. I still have a old black and with film (no sound) of dad cutting cattle on Billy with no bridle. Dad's horses, dogs, and kids minded real good. Mom? Not at all. That was one Cajun he never broke! Mom could ride and shot as good as any hand. She could cook, shoot marbles, and beat you in the basketball game of HORSE. We still farm, crawfish, and graze. the same family land. Pray that Hurricane Ida doesn't tear every thing up again like Laura and Delta last year. See ya. I enjoyed your video. I always wanted a reata but didn't know anything about them and of course they are so expensive.

[@practice965]

I remember watching my grandpa do the very same thing. Thank you.

[@BlackbirdSpecOps]

Just greased my reata and I’ve pulled it through a fence post 10 times. Big difference. Thanks for the tips Pat! Out here in Colorado it is dry so I’ll have to keep up on it.

[@magster3813]

You are someone i wish i met in my early years. but thank goodness I.m still learning.

[@johnfletcher7312]

Pure Gold Pat.

[@scottw9663]

Awesome content. Thanks Pat and Deb

[@johnmorris7960]

As usual, the two of you have made another great video. Thank you for taking the time to share the knowledge.

[@stevemccoy8138]

Hi Folks, I don't have a reata, and have never used one. But it would be great to have one. Thanks for the video! Very interesting. Central Coast California 🇺🇸

[@tomenglezos6985]

Muchas! Loved the quiet work at a walk. Reminded me of working Diablo Ranch (Mt. Diablo, Walnut Creek, 20k+ acres) in the ‘80s under Tom Brumleve.

[@vaquero7072]

Thank you for another great video. All of this knowledge is almost lost I really appreciate you guys sharing it. From vacaville California

[@MrSanteeclaus]

A 86 foot Reata. Throw it from Lodi and catch a steer on the Owyhee River. When you sell them do you have all the misses thrown out of them? Thank you for sharing all these videos and stories. You don’t hear or see this kind of horsemanship here in Alabama.

[@CCAA93465]

Hi Pat, was a pleasure to meet you in the San Francisco Airport. Hope you had good travels home. Thanks for the good conversation. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Until we meet again! JoAnn

[@PatnDebPuckett]

The pleasure was mine. Please keep in touch...

[@TDon57]

Am learning new stuff everyday. Thanks.

[@paullarson6183]

My first reata was made for pulling cars out of the mud!!! Thanks Pat for your schooling!!!

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Good morning Paul! You crack me up.

[@paullarson6183]

@@PatnDebPuckett Good Morning HAHA Thanks but you know Pat and he literally said that haha

[@PatnDebPuckett]

That I believe.

[@AndyTheCornbread]

It's been high 40s to low 50s daytime temps here in NW Montana. Warmest winter I have ever seen. Normally I plow snow once every three days or so during the winter. This year I kid you not, I haven't plowed once. The only thing I have used the tractor for all winter is to move hay. I have never used a riata before but what you are doing is very similar to how you wax a bow string and stretch it for use on long bows and recurves etc. We use beeswax for that but the process is quite similar.

[@michaelmccaffrey2731]

I have a vaquero friend in California. He let me practice with his riata. I couldn't miss anything I threw at. I'll have to get one some day. They're pretty awesome.

[@TheBloodyKnuckle]

I'll be waiting for the video on pulling reatas. Thank you!

[@donedoreallway4392]

Nice work 😄😄

[@user-cl2es9iu1j]

Hello from Oklahoma. I really appreciate all your teachings, and soak them up!

[@canoetomah7781]

Good Morning from Maine. Thanks Interesting information.

[@jamesdean3003]

Another great video! Thank you Deb and Pat! James from Bowie Texas

[@cherylmillard2067]

Depending where you're from, Kidney fat is also known as tallow or suet, it's not the fat that's on the outside of the meat when the hide is pulled off but it's inside the cavity of the body along the underside of the vertebrate at the top of the ribs in one long deposit, usually one on either side of the vertebrate, it's a dry crumbly consistency and very white.

[@edwarnock4534]

Kidney fat is also called suet. It is the cleanest, purest tallow on the beef. Any other fat will just end up a greasy mess where the kidney fat will actually harden up a bit and not be slippery and greasy. An excessively greasy riata is going to weaken the rawhide and make it harder and potentially more risky to handle.

[@tomwalsh8158]

Very interesting as usual Pat, hope you guys are well.

[@garyj2101]

I enjoyed the videos Pat thanks for sharing

[@tomwalsh8158]

Very interesting as usual Pat, hope you guys are well. A lot of work to being a cowboy.

[@jobquijada9496]

Sorry again for saying it but. I think you really have Mexican blood LOl. Mr. PAT my dad does the Reatas and he uses a lot for reatas is the cow bone marrow! then pull it on horseback through a wood with three holes. We make one because he likes to rope calves with Reatas !!! I worked some years in the construction in Tucson Az Mr. Pat. My dad sent me Reatas, reins, bozale, quirts everything he made with rawhide. and I sold it for a very low price. Greetings and blessings keep uploading your videos !!!

[@kengamble8595]

Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍

[@stephenkratzer3860]

Looking forward to the video on pulling. I bought a 4 plait Sonoran reata that looks like it’s been greased and pulled, but not sure. It has enough natural coil that my figure eights have figure eights.

[@kellymarshall134]

Loadin lambs can be like pushing a logging chain uphill

[@tomwalsh8158]

Kelly Marshall and some time it’s like a stroll in the park. Always be willing to count 10!!....

[@sergiogomezfranco462]

Good job old vaquero

[@jrardin1967]

First things first, Thanks for all you and Deb do in order to keep all this knowledge in play. My two questions for you are, does the sebo need to be rendered in order to clean it up (blood, etc.)? and oCan you use the sebo from a lamb or is their a preference and/or reason for only using a beef sebo?

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Kidney fat is already clean and doesn't have anything in it but pure white fat. We do not recommend that you render it.

[@buckaroomanreh]

We use a cedar post [utah junapure] here works good. I've heard to use a lemon with the fat to help it soften and help work the fat in any knowledge on that

[@SamboJo87]

Sharing is caring ( With the Ravens) 😉

[@barbedstar6480]

Is kidney fat, what is also called suet? It is a very fine, white fat I often used in the winter to mix with good bird seed for the birds. You guys just make my day! With those so sooooft hand, might be a good time to offer up a back rub for sweet bride!

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Suet is rendered fat. Kidney fat is fresh from the carcass.

[@jblonepine9346]

Pat and Deb I love your videos, thanks. Is Lola Chinaco's dam?

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Yes.

[@jjackson-7660]

Greetings from Canada! I’m looking for advise on how to prepare a reata in cooler weather? (Ie- northern Canada!) I recently purchased a rope maker and have been making my own horsehair mecates. My husband watches your channel and covets a rawhide reata. I did a little research and found a video of Doug Groves making a twisted rawhide reata with essentially the same rope maker that I have and would like to give it a try for my husband. I know you find twisted reatas abrasive and prefer braided rawhide but that is currently outside my abilities. All that being said, I’m concerned about properly preparing it in a cooler environment. My long winded question is do you think I can heat the rope in a warm space (heater/woodstove etc) and rub the kidney fat into it when it’s not stretched out? If not do you think you could stretch it in sections as I don’t have an 85 foot span inside the house to do the whole thing! Also when discussing choice of wood to pull the rope through, would you suggest a harder wood like birch/poplar or something like pine or even cedar. And finally, this may be a silly question but would pork kidney fat (we call it leaf lard) work for treating the rope? We have a lot of access to it from butchering our own pigs. Thankyou and keep up the great videos.

[@FirstGendodgegarage]

Mucho frio here in canada 1 foot of snow

[@equuspac]

From where in Sonora do you get your rawhide reatas from?? I live in Sonora Mexico

[@l.d.b.r5141]

On what price range do your reata go to and where can I get one.

[@l.d.b.r5141]

Are your reata Halo cuz just the other day I saw this guy making rawhide reatas with a nylon or poly core string in side?

[@FirstGendodgegarage]

I’d love to come ranch with you one day pat if you need a hand

[@cplkirk1]

Question, sir. If I cannot get a hold of some kidney fat, is there anything else you recommend to coat a reata? Like olive oil? Thanks, Ken in North Texas.

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Never never never never never never never….use olive oil on rawhide. There is a Rawhide Cream you can buy online. Just look it up. I think it’s made by Ray Holes.

[@cplkirk1]

@@PatnDebPuckett Haha! Thank you!

[@codiefrazier8337]

I just ordered a agave maguey straw reata do I treat that rope the same way?

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Absolutely not. If you’ll email me your phone number and Pat will let you know his thoughts on the maguey and when and where they work…[e-mail]

[@bobbyjames3654]

Is the fat raw?

[@maurosandoval5768]

Patt, I have some issues with a new reeata I had sent from Mexico. As I build my loop, the loop itself begins to recoil and figure 8. What can I do???

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Your reata needs to be pulled which is a process that we’re going to go over when we get back from Australia in April. If you’d like to visit with him about it, send us an email and we can set up a call [e-mail] .

[@blainestockwell6957]

I've been buying rawhide cream for my romels and bosals, but would the kidney fat work just as well? Or does it need to get pretty warm? And could a guy warm it, and apply? Thanks, Blaine from Alberta.

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Kidney fat is better than rawhide cream for all rawhide gear. You don’t want to heat it because that will liquify it but if you bring the kidney fat and your reins and bosals into the house and let them both warm up, then you can apply it. Don’t over do it. A little bit goes a long way.

[@blainestockwell6957]

Pat & Deb Puckett , thanks so much!

[@pursuitofahorseman2023]

Hey Pat. I was wondering if you ever have any internship opportunities; I'd be very keen to work with you and in turn become a better horseman. Thank you.

[@jamietownsend3677]

Jon Giang get in line buddy! I’m trying to get adopted!

[@johnhead9148]

Ah, not the brace post......

[@ricke714]

Is there a website or where do you guys buy your reatas??

[@PatnDebPuckett]

We get our reatas from Mexico. Pat uses a reata for about a year and then sells it. He gets $500 for a 60 footer.

[@ricke714]

@@PatnDebPuckett is there a waiting list for one of those that he breaks in??

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Right now, the only one he has in the works that he wants to sell eventually is the 86 footer. It will be quite a bit more expensive than the 60 footers we normally get. We’ll put up a video when we pull it and when it’s getting close to being ready to sell. Stay tuned!

[@jamietownsend3677]

Was 66 here yesterday (Redmond, Or,). Don’t tell anyone; too many of you Californians here already.

[@PatnDebPuckett]

😆

[@12vcumminscowboy]

You mention there aren’t many people aren’t making them anymore. I find that the Vacquero/buckaroo style riding, roping, and horsemanship are very gatekeepy and act like it’s national secrets. I just want to learn. I’m just trying to learn. That’s why it’s not growing like other disciplines

[@joycenesselhauf1220]

I’m confused. I asked on your video about ropes about conditioning and was given a reply that there was no conditioning except using it. Now in this video you are obviously conditioning the rope.

[@PatnDebPuckett]

This is a rawhide reata. Completely different type of rope and one not typically used by beginners.

[@joycenesselhauf1220]

@@PatnDebPuckett I understand now. Thank you for kindly educating me. I’m learning as I go.

[@TDon57]

YOU Darn environmentalist... Don't you know the Ravens are Vegans now!!!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Is there an odor associated with that process of putting the kidney fat on and having the sun work its magic?

[@PatnDebPuckett]

Deb here. I’ll take this question. Yes, there is a slight odor but nothing compared to when Pat puts a bull sack over the saddle horn and waits for it to dry out and tighten down on the horn. He doesn’t think it’s a problem but I can assure you that it is foul smelling.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@PatnDebPuckett Thanks. I am still airing out a reata I got months ago. It must have been treated in a similar manner.