HUSON — The Lazy Sousa Ranch in the Ninemile is anything but lazy. Tons of horses and cows have grown up there and rancher Kate Sousa grew up right along with them.
“This is a family ranch. We've been raising horses and cows for, I think, since 1982,” Sousa said. “The joke growing up was, when we hit 30 horses, my dad was out. So, we stopped counting.”
The ranch and Sousa’s passion all started with Tennessee Walking Horses, a breed known for flashy, smooth rides. Now, Sousa breeds and raises lots of horses and cows, including Scottish Highland cows.
“My siblings and I kind of grew up on horseback,” Sousa said. “Horses have been a passion of mine since I was little. My mom says I was born with it. You know, instead of going skiing, I wanted to go ride my horse.”
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Like many Montana kids, Sousa got into the agriculture business at an early age. Bleu, her 4-H project, is still out in the pasture.
“My favorite horse is this old black mare out here. She is 28, I believe, this year. She was the first horse I ever trained by myself,” she said. “She's been my go-to girl since I was a kid.”
But, since taking the reins of the family ranch, Sousa has taken on some new projects. In 2006, she started raising Scottish Highland cattle.
“I always joke that if you're gonna have cows, have cool cows,” she said.
Now, Sousa has about 25 horses and 50 highland cows. The animals born at Lazy Sousa end up all over, as pets, riding horses, dairy cows and more.
“I ship all across the nation. Most of my buyers have small, small ranchettes, and they want something to keep the grass down and a conversation piece,” she said. “I love to give halter lessons and try to make them pets.”
While it is a lot of work for one person, Sousa is dedicated to preparing the next generation of animals for their handlers and their new lives in Montana and beyond.
“I used to joke that raising baby horses is like cheating. You get a relationship with them. They trust you, you’re friends, they get respect and then you go and you ride them and it's like, ‘OK, friend, where are we going?’ It's just kind of a more positive experience all the way around and they just take care of you and enjoy adventuring with you,” Sousa said. “Cows are the same. Cows are fun. The more time you spend with them, the more personal they get. It’s like anything, they’re just really fun, lovable creatures.”
