Visiting the Longhorns of Fort Worth

We have long-horned cattle on our farm in New Hampshire, but our Scottish Highlanders don't look like the Texas Longhorns. Highlanders come in tasteful solid colors; Longhorns are jazzier with speckled and spotted hides in black, brown or red. Their hair is much shorter, and their horns are much longer. But like my Highlanders, the Texas steers are rideable. Two Longhorns, each wearing a western saddle, were tethered to a sturdy gate along the main street. For $5 and a signature on a waiver, I could sit on one of these outlandish creatures.

Even though we own a few Highlander riding steers, I wanted to sit on a Longhorn. Who wouldn't? I climbed a set of wooden steps and swung onto the back of a steer named Shooter. Well, it wasn't much of a ride; Shooter didn't go anywhere.

Then we stood on the curb with a crowd of other tourists to watch a dozen Longhorns saunter down the street. Flanked by mounted cowboys to keep the docile critters from straying into the crowd, the steers walked with horns swaying in rhythm with their strides. The cattle seemed bored by this cattle drive (one of two daily), but I was thrilled.

As the cattle strolled back to their paddock, two horses pulled a stagecoach down the street. It made us Granite Staters stand a little taller. The Concord Coach is named after the New Hampshire town where the Albert-Downing Co built thousands. It carried people and goods all over the frontier and is as iconic as the Conestoga wagon or the Colt .45. (Not the malt liquor.)

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Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, where she raises and sells pastured pork, lamb, eggs and grassfed beef. She can be reached at cas@milessmithfarm.com.