Horses have been an integral part of livestock production since they were first imported with cattle by the Spanish in the early 1500s. While some modern ranches have transitioned to the use of “motorized horses” – all-terrain and utility-task vehicles (ATVs, UTVs) and dirt bikes – others continue the legacy of gathering, sorting, doctoring, branding and moving cattle by horseback.

While recent headlines regarding child labor violations have involved industries and occupations not categorized as agriculture, that does not mean agriculture operations and jobs are not being monitored to ensure compliance with child labor laws.

Most of the time, people say they don’t need anything in writing because it is just a simple deal and done. And maybe that is true. But what if it’s not?