DCHP-3

cavvy

> US Spanish 'caballada'
DCHP-2 (Nov 2012)
†n. — historical, transportation

horses taken on a cattle drive as replacement mounts.

Type: 2. Preservation — This term was important in the Prairie provinces, where horses were used in ranching. Cavvy is also used in the southern and western US, with citations dating back to 1824 (see DAE, s.v. "cavy-yard"). DARE (s.v. "caballada") provides 'cavayard' as a spelling variant, and cavvy is a corruption of this variant. This form was borrowed into Canadian English.
See also ITP Nelson, s.v. "cavvy" (1), which is marked "Western Canada; Western US", and DARE, s.v. "cavvy" and "caballada".
The term is/was also used widely in the US but has, just like in the US, cultural significance in the settlement of parts of the country and history,, e.g. the Prairies.

Quotations

1891
Up the creek were the few hundred cattle which had been gathered during the preceding days of the round-up, safely enclosed by a stout seven-rail fence, known as a "corral". In the opposite direction, along the rich bottom lands of the stream, might seen the "horse cavvy" or herd of cow ponies, without which it would be impossible to conduct a round-up.
1912
When fresh horses are to be caught the "cavvy" or herd is crowded into a temporary corral constructed of lariat ropes tied to a wagon and held taut by the cowboys. There they are lassoed by the foreman.
1955
The horse cavvy with Rob and Ed Striegler had flashed past the drive into the frozen haze of the early dawn.
1963
This band of loose horses was called the "cavvy," and required two "wranglers," one to drive them with the wagon by day and one to herd them by night.
2003
The life of the cowboy was hard. We hear them talking in the vernacular of the time, discussing "waddies" and the "cavvy," for instance, and we listen to the narrator colouring the tale with archaisms such as "lest" and "beset." These things, added to a wealth of detail about cattle, about cowboys' gear, about settlement town life 150 years ago, lend an authenticity and veracity to the narrative, which in many ways is a predictable tale of vengeance and love gone bad.
2005
Cavvy, cavvianta, remuda: herd of broke horses the cowboys draw from every day to ride; some ranches ride only geldings because they believe mares have temperaments that are too disruptive; others ride both.

References

  • ITP Nelson
  • DAE
  • DARE