ARIZONA BRYANT

that name sounds like a louis lamour title. but i actualy worked with a old puncher who was named that. when i went to hughes and ganz in queencreek he was laid up with a broke leg. his horses were turned out and his saddle covered up.  i heard about what a hand he was from the other hands. how he was wild as a peach orchard boar and tough as they come.  when i got to know him i found that to be a understatement! when he came back to work we brought up his horses for him. one was a big black, hot blooded ex race horse, the other a little palomino horse who seemed clumsy as all get out. zone (thats what we all called him) had been riding him when he broke his leg.  a few weeks after he came back to work i was riding along the backside of the yard helping him. there was a cement ditch that bordered the feed yard. in the bottom and along the sides were a bunch of scratch marks on the concrete. i ask zone what made them. he said that old black horse ran down into the ditch while getting around a steer. i ask  how he got out and zone said he just kept spurren until ole blackie jumped out!  as time went on i learned that zone was from springerville. he had moved to queencreek after a unfortunate incident with a forest ranger.  as time went on i found zone to be a loyal friend and work partner. he was also in demand by anyone who was doing a bar b que. seems he was the best dutch oven  bisquit cook around.  his career came to a end when the same horse in the same spot, fell and broke his leg in the same  place. twice in a year was just to much for the old feller. he was streched out on the ground , the bone sticking out through his pant leg.  he raised up on his elbow, looked around and said whats a matter? its just a broken leg!