Service, Grit, and Miles in the Saddle
Out here, a person’s worth shows in the work they do and how they stand by it. You can tell plenty about someone by how they handle a horse, how they take a hard day, and whether they finish what they start.
This Veterans Day, we pause to honor the men and women who have served, our neighbors, friends, and family, and one living legend among them: Four Sixes’ own Boots O’Neal, who answered the call to serve his country before spending a lifetime in the saddle, carrying on the traditions that define ranching in the West.
*Photo by Bee Silva
A Life Built On Service
Boots O’Neal served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955. When his time was done, he came home, pulled on his boots, and went right back to what he knew best. He’s spent his life working for some of the biggest outfits in the West, including the JA Ranch and the Waggoner Estate. For more than thirty years now, he’s called the Four Sixes Ranch home.
He’s logged close to eight decades in the saddle. Every gather, every sunrise, every long ride across the rough country has shaped a life that speaks clear enough on its own. In 2018, the Ranching Heritage Association gave him its first Working Cowboy Award. Folks who know him didn’t see it as a surprise. They saw it as recognition of what he’s been all along, a hand who works hard, keeps quiet, and stays true to the job.
The Same Code
The rules that guide a soldier and the ones that guide a cowboy aren’t so different. Both ask for grit, honesty, and a steady hand when things get tough. Both require faith in the people beside you and respect for the work in front of you. Neither leaves much room for talk.
Boots still rides by that same code. No shortcuts. No show. Just the kind of steady work that builds trust over time. That’s what service looks like, whether you’re in the field or on the range.
Honoring Those Who Serve
This Veterans Day, we honor the men and women who have served our country with courage and sacrifice. To their families, friends, and the communities that stand beside them, we thank you. The same values that guide ranch life, service, integrity, and quiet strength, are what we see in those who’ve worn the uniform.
May your horses travel sure, your cattle move true, and your trails lead you home.
- The 6666 Equine Supplements Team
The same spirit of service and integrity we honor today is what guides our work every day.
Built from the same values that built the ranch, 6666 Equine Supplements was created to support the horses that carry us: through the pasture, in the arena, and along every path of life.
Source: Westerns On The Web, interview filmed at the Four Sixes Ranch featuring Scott Williamson of the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (2022).
