Mechanical Cows

Cows are expensive, working them takes off profitable fat, they can get injured and they need to be rotated frequently because they burn out on being worked aggressively. Nothing matches a real cow but a mechanical cow is a good cheaper reliable alternative in the long run.

They are basically motorized devices that make a fake cow move back and forth simulating the movement of a real cow. Some are big and basically golf cart like devices while others are designed to be pulled behind a vehicle. The bigger ones all require a person to operate them.

I like smaller wire type devices. I believe the first was invented by Show Pro Industries (called the Pro Cutter) about 20 years ago and they remain the most common and lowest priced.

My personal favorite is a device called the CowTrac invented in the early 2000s by Nelson Seiden in Northern California. Similar to the Pro Cutter it has three wires that are strung between posts or fence rails with a motor at one end. A “cow” is attached to the wires and is then pulled along the track by the motor. Because of the setup the cow is always facing the correct position as it moves back and forth. The motor has variable speed settings and can quickly reverse direction giving the horse a realistic sense of movement. And it can be controlled from the motor or with a remote device you can strap on your wrist. It’s great for a trainer teaching someone how to handle cattle or for a cowboy to use directly while on a horse that is being trained.

They are expensive ($1300-2500 range depending on the features) but every serious ranch and arena that deals with cattle has one these days. It’s the best way to get that first exposure to cow work because it can be done slowly while you or your horse are learning. I have a lot of hours on them and highly recommend it.

The Pro Cutter can be found at Pro Cutter.

You can get to the CowTrac website by clicking on CowTrac.

And there’s a good video explaining the CowTrac product and showing it in action at CowTrac Video.