In North America, a wrangler is someone employed to professionally handle animals, especially livestock, but sometimes other types of animals including bears, wolf packs, big cats, primates and reptiles. The word "wrangler" is derived from the Low German "wrangeln" meaning "to dispute" or "to wrestle". It was first documented in 1377. Its use as a noun was first recorded in 1547. Its reference to a "person in charge of horses or cattle" or "herder" was first recorded in 1888.
A wrangler is an individual involved in the process of training, taming, controlling and handling various animals, specifically horses. Traditionally this process involves herding cattle and bringing horses in from the paddock. Wranglers often work for other cowboys or tourists who want to ride on North American ranches. Variations of wrangling include managing herds, dude-wrangling, rodeo and managing horses as a part of stunt work in the film industry. Wranglers are also considered a subcategory of cowboys, being responsible for herding horses rather than cattle. The profession of wrangling has developed over time, as wranglers are educated to perform more activities as the tourism sector has become increasingly important in the employment of wranglers.
Wranglers also handle the horses and other animals during the making of motion pictures. A dude-wrangler is a cowboy or guide that takes non-wranglers and non-cowboys (dudes) on western riding horseback trips.
In the film industry, a wrangler is also one who professionally searches for and/or handles particular products on film and television programs, and music videos, such as custom cars or animals.
History
During the 1920s the wrangler's transition into the service economy reliant on tourism, while keeping alive the ‘romantic West,’ contrasted the original conception of wrangling as an occupation as it was previously characterised by self-reliance and expertise. Wrangling has also been impacted by developments in technology and science influencing the scale and speed at which they can herd horses.
Education
Wrangling in the film industry, as part of stunt work, requires extensive training and commitment in various disciplines. This includes the ability of the wrangler to train horses for stunts and liberty work over long periods of time. Wranglers from local areas can also be familiar with smaller groups of horses and therefore identify an individual horse from the herd. They are trained to identify horse behaviour and a given horse's age, fitness, gender, and health in an instant. In order to prevent injury or health concerns with horses, the wrangler possesses a specialised role in an outfit. An outfit is a band or unit of cowboys, cooks, and wranglers who would travel together in roundups and on trails.
Older wranglers are often responsible for the training of younger ones, passing down common knowledge and advice, rather than a broader and institutionalised education system. Education therefore does not consist of formal instruction. Instead, wranglers and cowboys are expected to learn on the job and grow into higher positions of management.
Activities
Film industry
The wrangler, also associated with the care and maintenance of the horse, is in some circumstances responsible for maintaining the ethical treatment of horses. The animal wranglers were previously fired from production but were also supported by claims from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) suggesting that issues concerning the housing of horses stemmed from overcrowding and unsafe barbed fencing.
Another example is horses in the film Horses of McBride (2012) in which there were extremely specific requirements for the cast of horses required. The film, depicting the struggle to save two starving horses, required extremely malnourished black and sorrel horses. One such horse, Lady, was typecast as needing to be rescued. A suitable horse was discovered by the film's horse wrangler and rescued from bleak conditions and given adequate food and restored to full health. Therefore, the wrangler's role in this industry requires much research and casting behind the scenes, as stunt doubles were also required. Stunt-horses had to be very specific, not only fulfilling the demands of the director and actors, but also the type of horse required to perform a specific stunt. Once the right horse has been found, the horse must be trained and gain confidence. The wrangler is responsible for being aware of the horse's capabilities and limitations in these stunts. A ‘head wrangler’ on set may also be responsible for providing and sourcing all horses required for a stunt. Wranglers in the film industry are often involved with a larger variety of animals other than horses, including sheep and other livestock.
Many horses trained by wranglers are generally horses in the background of scenes, as opposed to being ridden by actors. They are required to remain calm and well-behaved and must be accustomed to lights, activity and cameras. Wranglers in films are often required to work long days, and care for various horses throughout. Often horses need to simply walk from one end of the shot to other and in other circumstances the wrangler is required to ride them. They can also be cast as extras such as lorry drivers and wagon drivers.
The wrangler is also required to provide various types of horse equipment and tack.
The wrangler was also responsible for minding children on trails, accommodating for the whole family. Often the individual would expect to be able to become a competent horseman under the instruction of a horse wrangler.
Ranch work
Breaking a horse is another responsibility of the wrangler. Traditionally this would consist of roping and corralling the bronc, or unbroken, wild horse, and attempting to ride it until it submitted to the rider. The wrangler would continue to buck on the horse and accustom it to both bridle and saddle. The bronc riders job was considered to, “educate,” these horses and for others, to take the education out of them, therefore either taming wild horses, or un-taming timid ones. These horses were broken in order to ride or drive them, often broken by wranglers for themselves or neighbours. The horses could then be traded or swapped.
Modern wranglers have learned to communicate with a horse through subtle observation and body language. The idea is to produce a positive relationship between horse and wrangler, as the horse ‘wants’ to perform an action for the rider, rather than being forced to do so. This is a type of natural horsemanship. Often a wrangler could break horses for a specific purpose, such as younger geldings for riding, and could tell the suitability of a horse from only a few moments in the saddle.
Wranglers were also involved in ranch work such as cutting horses and cattle (that is, separating them from the rest of the herd) as well as branding cattle. Each ranch had a specific brand that was to be cast onto calves in order to identify the ownership of cattle. They can also be responsible for basic veterinary care, such as transporting animals, feeding them, branding them and accustoming or ‘gentling’ them to riders.
thumb|Wild horses in a roundup at the [[Theodore Roosevelt National Park]]
A horse wrangler is also part of what is known as a trail crew, consisting of drovers, a trail boss, a cook and the wrangler. These trails would herd between 2, 000 and 3, 000 cattle over a number of days.
During the day the wrangler, or more colloquially the ‘jingler,’ drives the horses and finds pasture for them, often rounding them up multiple times in one day in order for the cowboys or ranch hands to change horses. This is known as the remuda. In the Old West of America it was also historically referred to as a cavvy. The wrangler is therefore responsible for the well-being and overall condition of the herd.
When not performing these roles, the wrangler also works in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning. This involves collecting wood and water for the kitchen, chopping wood, preparing the food. The wrangler is further responsible for setting up and disassembling the campsite, hooking and unhooking the wagon, loading the wagon and taking down the rope corral. Working and partnering with the wrangler is the nighthawk who watches over the herd at night and returns them to the wrangler in the morning. Often when on a farmer's or ‘grangers’ roundup, the outfit would find an empty field or pasture to set up for the night. They would either set up a large tent for the night, and when in good weather, would roll out the beds on any suitable flat surface outside.