SO, you want to date a ranch girl.

Not some fringe floozie, pole pony, or buckle bunny, a real night calving, colt-starting, lay one down in the pasture ranch girl.

Well, you better cinch up real tight and listen to me, 'cause I'm about to give you a whole shitstorm of advice on the subject.

She is wild and independent.

She's rowdy from years of being "one of the guys" but graceful in her own jagged way. She can be reckless and fun, but living life to the full extent is the only ways she knows. She doesn't need anybody. If you are a part of her life it's because she wants you to be.

The land and animals are priority.

Oh, you want to go out of town with her for a weekend during calving? Don't even think about it, she's not going to go. And if she does go, she's just going to worry that things aren't being done right.

She's a hot mess.

Maybe, maybe not. But sometimes it's a guarantee that her house is a mess, her hair hasn't been washed in days, and the fridge is empty. She has priorities. She's been out all day doctoring or spends her evenings in the round pen. If you can't love her for that, you can't love her at all.

She is strong, sometimes to a fault.

Physically, she can pull calves, dig post holes, keep ahold of a freshly weaned colt, stay on that horse that got the rope under his tail. Mentally, she has watched countless animals be put down. She's made a name for herself and she's not going to let anyone get close enough to make her look stupid without good reason.

She is a giver.

Women like this, tend to put 100% into everything they do. Why do something if you're not gonna give it your all? Only you will know if she's going to make you happy, but she'll be full of try none the less.

But out of everything, she deserves it. She deserves to find happiness derived from something other than doing what she loves. She'll be a challenge, cuss at you like she cusses at her cattle, but she'll love you like she loves the summer rain, and care for you like she does the land.

And if you are not down with any of the above, you better just back the heck up. If you can't handle her, let her alone. 'Cause, like I said, she doesn't need anybody, she needs somebody as passionate and reckless as she. She's a force to be reckoned with, not a flower to be plucked and thrown away. Remember that, if you want to date a ranch girl.