A LOOK AT THE HISTORIC & INNOVATIVE
While steeped in Arizona ranch history, the O RO is also a prime example of what innovation looks like in the horse industry. BY TIFFANY SELCHOW
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magine wide open spaces with nothing but brush, grass, mountains, trees, and an occasional speck of black, white, or red dot the landscape surrounding you—no fence to be seen for miles. A quiet most in our modern era rarely experience. The wagon, an old one-ton Ford truck with a chuck box attached full of food and supplies, rolls out on rugged, bumpy roads at the beginning of the working season. The rest of the crew follows soon after to gather, work, and move cows across a landscape unmarred by human hands. The camp men welcome the seasonal help to get through the load but crave the solidarity offered when winter and summer roll in. And through all of this work, from start to finish, is the horse, a valued member of the RO team. The O RO Ranch, owned by Jane and Larry Droppa and family, is steeped in Western tradition and heritage with a keen eye for modern innovations to raise the best beef possible. This ranch has used horses as their primary partners for over 125 years. A horse that is trainable but can think independently, one who is heavy-boned but can work all day, an animal who reads a cow while retaining its composure. Raising horses like this takes decades of thoughtful planning – they don’t just happen by accident. The actual O RO Ranch tells a long story, with the equine breeding program adding several chapters, if not volumes. To truly understand what a horse needs to be, you need to understand the terrain and requirements of the ranch. The O RO Ranch is generally impassable by anything but a four-hooved vehicle, whether that be cows or horses. Stretches of dirt often passed off as roads allow minimal