This painting is classic Russell with gun drawn and loops in action. The cattle at the time of Charlie’s involvement were wild, unruly Texas longhorns fresh off of the range and dangerous. Again, the lariat is the compositional tension point with a dividend thrown in to confuse and heighten the danger. The horse’s leg is in a vulnerable position to the cow’s horns which appear to be locked directly under the horse’s heart and lungs. Do they luck out and get through this with scratches or does something get a bullet?