An annual event I looked forward to as a boy was when the horse traders came to town. This usually happened in the early summer months when the grass was well started. In those days, good horses were in great demand and work horse teams were used to put up the hay crop on all of the ranches.

The traders arrived with several teams pulling wagons, loaded with camping gear and supplies.  It seems like they set up temporary corrals on the mesa out by the airport  - but I’m not certain of the location.

They usually spent a couple of days in this area, depending on how many customers showed up. I don’t know how the word was spread that the traders had arrived, but lots of folks arrived to see what was being offered. Usually these traders had quite a variety of animals for sale, such as yearlings and unbroke two year olds, besides mares with foals by their side. Good burros were in demand because many ranchers in this area used them as pack animals in the high country at their sheep camps.

I always liked to get around people such as Win Palmer and Henry Clark who were there to look over the saddle horses. These oldtimers were pretty good judges of horseflesh and were often there to help other people make a good deal with the traders.

Money was tight in those days and not too many outright cash deals were made. Usually horses were traded and someone had to pay a little boot — or instead of money it might be harness or other pieces of tack.

The south side of the old Post Office building on Main Street was a favorite gathering place to shoot the breeze for lots of older men in those days.

A good many horse traders were talked about all winter, and everyone was anxious for the return of the traders so they could get even for some deal of the preceding year. I doubt if the locals were much of a threat to the traders cause they sometimes left in the middle of the night if things weren’t going well for them.

The old adage “history repeats itself” is very true. The horse market of today is much like it has always been — lots of horses around, but it is tough to find a sound one that isn’t spoiled.