Saturday

RC Bridges, nicknamed 'The Buffalo Whisperer' and his wife Sherron, share their Texas home with two enormous bison - 2,400 pound 'Wildthing' and recent 900-pound arrival 'Bullet'.

RC Bridges has done many things in his life. He dropped out of school at an early age. RC did not let being young stop him. As a boy, he got his 1st job at the Mesquite Rodeo. Owners Neal Gay and Jim Shoulders sent him to the Andersons S&J Ranch in Plano to get some experience. RC with his eagerness to learn, absorbed all the skills needed to be a cowboy. RC has done just about everything, from being a rodeo clown, to bull riding, to saddle bronc riding, to training horses. RC has taken all the knocks that came with it. He has broken most of his bones, had his teeth kicked in and his neck has been broken twice.

Later on RC worked for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, where he patrolled the Texas waters in the Gulf of Mexico from Sabine Pass to Port O'Conner. Then he moved on to become a horseshoeing instructor at 3 different colleges. He has spread his wisdom by giving clinics all over the world including Germany and Holland. As a competitor, RC has won two World Championships for cutting in the American Buckskin Association.

RC started using buffalo for cutting in Area Championships. This idea caught on and in 1996 RC hosted the worlds first ever "Buffalo Cutting Contest" at the Horseman's Club in Greenville. Doug Jordan of Lone Oak, took home the prize. RC didn't enter this event because he believes a man should not enter his own contest.

On June 9th, 2001 RC had a fairy tale wedding with his bride Sherron Gleason Bridges of Lake Tawakoni at their home in Quinlan. Sherron arrived with her parents Sherry and Richard Butler in a horse drawn carriage. Dressed in western ware, RC waited for his bride with 2 cutting horses. After the ceremony, the newlyweds rode off together.

In August 2004, RC lost his left eye. Parasites got into his eye while swimming and he was declared legally blind. He was able to regain sight in his eye with a cornea replacement and a few other surgeries. With glasses he can see even better.

Nothing stops this cowboy of 58 years. You might ask what keeps this cowboy going. In his words, "God, my wife and my kids." With his high tolerance for pain and attitude of no excuses, RC continues to look for new and different experiences. RC is high on life.

RC bounced back and in 2005 started raising a 2 month old baby buffalo bull. RC started bringing the buffalo in the house. He loved the house so much, RC gave this 1300 pound baby a room of his own. RC and his son Lloyd halter broke the buffalo bull. They were kicked and pushed around by this baby that had the strength of a grown bull. Ever since this buffalo came into the Bridges lives, things have been as wild as the old west. RC's daughter Taylor named the baby buffalo Wildthing. With so much energy and personality, Wildthing thinks the bottle is great, likes to play with a basketball and loves to take baths. RC was finally able to tame this baby enough to buddy up to him. He has even taught him how to dance. Here in Quinlan and in New Mexico, RC is known as "Dances with Buffalo".


Wildthing likes to stay close to the family, mostly to RC. He will stay in his room for hours at a time leaving only long enough to potty. Like RC, Wildthing has a lust for learning and RC has quite a bit more to teach this young buffalo. While RC is loping his horse down in the round pen to get ready for cutting, he leaves Wildthing's gate open. Wildthing will volunteer himself to cut and when he's done he'll go back to his pen. When RC is working on the outside plumbing, Wildthing will stay by his side walking everywhere with RC. When RC sits on the couch by the window, Wildthing lay's next to him under the window outside.

RC and wife Sherron have come to love Wildthing so much they decided to include him in their 5th anniversary celebration. In June 2006, the Bridges renewed their vows with Wildthing as the best man holding the rings on his horns. Sherron wore a lace wedding dress and high top cowboy boots with spurs that jingle, a cowboy hat and long veil. Her father Kenneth Crenshaw carried a family heirloom shotgun and wore overalls. Sherron and Kenneth walked hand and hand through family and friends to meet up with RC and best man Wildthing.

RC came up with many new things to teach his best friend Wildthing. RC has taught Wildthing to pull a chariot and how to pull a plow. His son Will has learned to ski behind Wildthing and his daughter Taylor has learned to drive the sleigh. RC has even taught Sherron how to drive Wildthing with a bridle, bit and reins.


Sherron, a photographer, has taken many videos and photos of Wildthing doing some of the crazy things that RC has taught him. Sherron sent in videos to CMT's Country Fried Home Videos, one of them was RC and Wildthing pulling a chariot. The host Bill Engvall called RC the day he got the video and wanted RC to quickly sign the contract so he could air the video. Bill was so excited about RC and Wildthing he named RC "The Buffalo Tamer".

Wildthing is very well published. He has 10 contracts with Animal Planet, 2 contracts with Americas Funniest Home Videos, a story written about him in the National Cutting Horse Chatter, a story in the Greenville Herald Banner and other magazine articles on the way. In March of 2007, Animal Planet aired a piece with Wildthing and a blue healer dog named Miss Lisa playing a game of tag.


With all the fuss about Wildthing, RC, Will and Taylor have made it to the media as well in the book "Ripley's Believe It Or NOT!" and in "Guinness World Records Attractions". RC will be known as the worlds first "Buffalo Dancer" for teaching a buffalo how to dance and pull a plow and chariot. Will will be known as the worlds first "Buffalo Skier" and Taylor will be known as "Little Girl Goes For A Buffalo Sleigh Ride", named by Animal Planet. WFAA Channel 8's "Why Guy" has been out to the Bridges Ranch to do a story on Wildthing.

The Bridges family had a birthday party for Wildthing when he turned 2 years old. They held it in his room which was draped in ribbons and made a cake of feed and icing shaped like a buffalo patty, topped with a number 2 candle.


This nosey buffalo with personality still has 800 lbs. to go until he is fully grown. Healthy buffalo usually live for about 40 years. The Bridges would be lost if anything ever happened to Wildthing, and Wildthing would be lost if anything happened to RC.
SOURCE



VIDEO buffalo in the house

Responses to "Buffalo whisperer RC Bridges at home with his bison in Texas (Video)"

  1. SOOOOO SWEEEEETTTT...

  2. Mry White says:

    Love your pets, just proves that all animals can get along with humans if accepted.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Only in Texas. Let a woman die before she can have an abortion but it is ok to have unhealthy relationship with a wild bison. Yep, only in Texas.

  4. Unknown says:

    Wow, I always thought they were skittish of people...Have to have a huge house for these guys...lol... Pretty Awesome tho...Thx for sharing..

  5. Morgana says:

    My babies are earning their pocket money not being a burden to their "parents"

  6. Anonymous says:

    Interesting and strange how some people will carry something too far! I have no problem with loving and caring for FARM animals [buffalo's included], but bringing them into the house serves no purpose except to entertain that person and get the attention of others that are easily amused!Unless you have raised or worked these types of animals you might not have any idea how messy they can be! These two buffalo's I can almost stake my life on... DO NOT LIVE IN THE HOUSE!

  7. Anonymous says:

    I just love this , LOL What a great life and story. Good stuff

  8. Anonymous says:

    Thanks to Gail for posting :)

  9. Anonymous says:

    I don't know how to tell you humans this but there has been a dog in here and he peed on this rug that I am now smelling.

  10. Billie Rice says:

    RC
    My husband and I used to rodeo and have horses of our own. My favorite mare would come into my house, put her head over my shoulder and watch me cook. She followed me everywhere!! She even tried to sit down in our lawn chairs (because she saw me do it!) Animals have a heart and a soul just like people do...they can love you as much as you can love them. They are apart of mother earth..some people need to understand this. I think it is great for what you and your wife are doing with your buffalo just like we did with our horses. You'll keep up the good work! loved it!

  11. Anonymous says:

    Wow, I can't believe some of the negativity with the comments. Let me tell you something...Until you have lived with wild animals, raised then, fed them and nurtured them, you cannot possibly understand how the Bridges feel. To say they are doing this for the fame of it all, is the farthest thing from the truth, because you see, they owe NO ONE and explanation for what they do, and that means YOU! I do rescue, although not of a buffalo (make no mistake, if one of them needed a home, it would come here)..My children have been raised around squirrles, wild birds, skunk, raccoons and of course a number of cats and dogs, if an animal needed a place to come to, they were always welcome. Someone of your caliber however would NOT be welcome in my home. My squirrels have ate off my plate when we were eating dinner, so did the birds. I had my side of the plate, they had theirs. My kids grew up just fine, and to this day pick up any animals needing help and will continue to do it till the day we die and they are great people to boot!! I would love to have a piece of land to have a place like the Bridges and any animal will be welcome. I honestly find the companionship of animals to be better than most human beings, because they do not judge you, but just on how you treat them. They don't care if you are black, white or purple with pink polka dots, fat, skinny, tall or short, just on how you treat them. It's called RESPECT, learn it! Sounds much better to me!! Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Bridges for showing the world how actually loving wild animals can be AND before someone says "well they are wild and can kill you", tell me what the difference is between the animal beings and the human beings. Most animals kill out of fear, hunger or for protecting their families, most human beings kill for hate, stealing or the thrill of it. I'll take my chances with an animal anyday!!

  12. animals are great... and some humans too :) it's amazing how this so big animals can be so delicate in their moves... great :)

  13. Anonymous says:

    LOVE IT..WE ALL CAN GET ALONG IF WANT IT THERE.

  14. Anonymous says:

    i agree with morning world,if i was to get killed i would rather get killed by an animal,and if an animal kills a prson,it wont be because of jealously,or hate,they cant help what they do,some people are so negative anomals are so beautifull,and that man and woman is doing such a wonderfull job raising this young one,and the buffalo is very beautifull just like all the other animals,i just wish people would stop chewing the fat as reguards people raising their loving animals,like morning world said Quote ill take my chances with an animal any day,its the bad people who should be talked about,not good people doing a good thing,and i bet the one that made a comment do not even like animals,ive seen people like that before,all i can say is people like that should keep their Trap shut,case closed,and the best of luck to the good people who own this beautifill creature,one they love so much,the buffalo got a good life and he is very happy

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