Benny Binion horses

[TWOROPES]

Worked on a large outfit in the early eighties in south texas that had three great big bay horses that looked like they had a touch of draft in them. The Foreman would always put them in my string and said they were Binion horses from Montana, all I know is it was an honest 20 mile push through brush to our pens, and these Binion horses were just as snakey at the end of the day as the start, you could not ride them down. I have never heard of this bloodline sense then, anybody heard of them?

[the real jake]

Oldtimer would probably be the expert here on your question, but Benny Binion (founder of the Horseshoe Casino in Vegas) was the owner of a 90,000 acre ranch(I heard) in the Missouri Breaks of Montana. The horses would be from the ranch, rather than a bloodline I would assume. I have also heard they were also big rangey horses with a bit of draft in them.

I will wait for Oldtimer to tell some Binion stories, and see if I know what I am talking about here. Clint Johnson, the former saddle bronc rider from around here is married to Benny's granddaughter and they live near the Palo Duro canyon in N. Texas.

[Oldtimer]

Benny Binion (who owned the Horseshoe in Vegas)owned a large ranch in the Missouri breaks on the south side of Fort Peck Lake near Jordan Mt.- big rough country... Over the years he bred quite a string of horses- had some real top cowboys working for him- Walt Secrest and Johnny Ley come to mind- neither probably know what it was to ride a horse that wasn't snakey...Not sure what the bloodlines were, but I know there was quite a scandal years ago when law enforcement got to looking at the ranch for some stolen horses (out of California, I think)-- someone found a bunch of horses shot and thru in the lake-- some questions arose because the brands had been cut off them....I did hear that money was no problem when the manager was looking for studs- altho probably many of the foundation mares came from the old range horses that used to run the countryside......

Lots of rumors used to surface about what happened on that ranch- stories of Vegas connections that disappeared in the breaks or the river- others about some of the people that stayed there while the heat was on from the law......

Anyway those horses were the true big old Missouri breaks type horse that I (and everyone in that country) used to ride back in the days before horse trailers and cross fences- lot of thoroughbred blood and some draft.....They could make a 50 mile circle and still throw you off when headed back to the corral-- but flat tough..... Some made some fantastic rodeo broncs too.....

[Big Muddy rancher]

I used to buy bulls off a ranch that bordered Binion's. The Binion ranch ,Murnions and Fellman's ranches have all sold last I heard to the company that makes American Tourister Luggage. They at one time were running 50 buffalo on land that would have run 6,000 cows there abouts. I have lost my conection to that area so not sure what is happening there today.

[Faster horses]

When they sold all the horses, Tom Wagoner, the young man that used to live with us was one of the hands invited to help gather the horses. A man named Tim Irish was the ranch manager at the time, I do believe.

OT, would that have been about 8 years ago?

Anyway, those horses were plenty broncy and it took way better than average hands to ride them. Some weren't even halter broke and they didn't have much time to halter break them. Quite a deal. Wish I could remember the whole story Tom told us...

[Oldtimer]

FH- Not sure how long ago-- Wish the old Big Dry would read this thread- he could probably fill in a lot of the details.....

You're right about those horses not getting much handling- most of those those old ranch horses of years ago usually only got handled when branded and castrated- then probably weren't touched again until they were about 4 or 5 when they were broke...Many were pretty worked out and stoved up by the time they were 10-12 years old......Horse trailers definitely gave horses a lease on life.....

Big Muddy-- I'm not sure who owns it now--but we definitely have a lot of corporate interests owning or controlling a large area of this country anymore.....Half that county is made up of Murnions ......

[TWOROPES]

Thank you gentelmen for your info, that was a special time in my life, straight outa high school, trying to make a hand on a big operation, and I am sure those Binion horses helped toughen me up, as they were not the kind you could daydream on, but earned your respect.

[Faster horses]

"Thank you, gentlemen"...WHAT ABOUT ME?

[TWOROPES]

And Ladies!!! Sorry.

[Juan]

Have a 7 year old gelding.......out of Binion mare and stud.
Doc Bar mare,Caballero stud.He stands 16.5 hands and as good a looking thing as you could ever want.He has a world of "cow" and is gentle as a dog.You just have to be careful to not do the wrong thing when you ride!

[Jinglebob]

16.5???????

[Faster horses]

Now Jinglebob, I think he meant 16 AND A HALF HANDS.

We know there is no such thing as 16.5 hands

16.1 yes
16.2 yes
16.3 yes
16.4 nope (this is 17 hands)
16.5 REALLY NOPE