Texas Longhorns — Our State’s Big Mammal Symbol
January Six Word Photo StoryChallenge : “Hometown Pride”
“Hook ’Em Horns” With Texas Longhorns.
A mature steer can have horns measuring between six to nine feet.
The animal featured above is a Texas Longhorn. These cattle are the large mammal symbol of Texas. Two other state symbols are the armadillo and the Mexican free-tailed bat.
Most bulls and cows have horns that are about four feet long. But a mature steer (castrated bull) can have horns measuring between six to nine feet.
Origins —
The Spanish conquistadores brought the longhorns to the Americas in the 16th century. By the end of the 17th century, the animals had reached what was to become Texas. At this point, some cattle escaped, and others were turned loose. For the next two centuries, they lived on the range as feral cattle before being re-domesticated.
Mascot —
The Longhorn is the athletic mascot of the University of Texas at Austin. “Hook ’em Horns” is the UT chant and hand signal. The gesture approximates the head and horns of a longhorn. It is made by joining the two middle fingers to the thumb and extending the index and pinky fingers.
“Bevo” is the university’s live mascot. The university’s color scheme reflects Bevo’s orange-and-white coloring. There have been fifteen “Bevo” s thus far.
I will leave you with a picture of George W. Bush (Dubya) Hooking ’em Horns.
