For Lindsay Nettleton, her days follow the seasons of ranching between the vast mountains of California and the wide-open skies of Oregon. Born and raised in California, she is a wife, mother, horse breeder, businesswoman, and cowgirl who has learned to braid together tradition and modern life with grace. Each role is carried with a balance of faith and steadiness as her path reflects the Western spirit: challenging, purposeful, sacred, and quietly remarkable.
Overcoming a Traumatic Brain Injury
On any given day, Lindsay might be found homeschooling her boys, roping in the branding pen, modeling on a photoshoot, or preparing a bride’s makeup for her wedding day. Both Lindsay and her sister Sarah grew up on the back of a horse, helping their father on his small cow-calf operation in Twin Oaks, Calif. Her early years were shaped by cowboys and influenced by strong women who worked in agriculture and ranching.
In 2010, a traumatic brain injury almost took Lindsay’s life. What began as a normal morning quickly turned tragic while Lindsay and her family were gathering some stray pairs of cattle. While riding off a hill, she apparently fell asleep and fell from her mount. Her sister found her on her knees with a deep gash in her head. She was airlifted to a trauma center, where doctors diagnosed a fractured skull and serious brain damage. The prognosis was uncertain, and her family was told that the doctors didn’t know if Lindsay would survive.
“The injury completely threw off my balance. I was in a walker for the first week and had to endure some intense therapy. It was a wild thing to happen, and I’m very blessed it didn’t take my life,” Lindsay reflects.
After a long recovery, she was inspired to achieve her aspirations of competing in rodeo queen pageants. She rode into the rodeo queen world, competing in local pageants, and through hard work and determination, was crowned Miss Rodeo Tehachapi and Miss Rodeo Glennville.
“When I had my injury, I realized life was too short and I wanted to chase my goals and dreams. Being a rodeo queen really sparked my interest in becoming a better rider. I was just a girl off the ranch, so I learned I really needed and wanted to fine-tune my horsemanship skills,” Lindsay says.
Living the Dream
Ranching has always been the love of Lindsay’s life, and that love is what motivated her and her lifelong friend and husband, Brock, to raise a family of three young cowboys centered around horses, cattle, and a ranching lifestyle. It’s that lifestyle that allowed them to acquire employment on the Tejon Ranch. The Tejon Ranch, established in 1843 through Spanish land grants, is the oldest and largest privately owned ranch in California. The ranch stretches across thousands of acres, carrying with it the weight of generations of cowboys and cattle. The ranch holds special memories for Lindsay as she remembers her grandpa, who through his bull-hauling business was contracted to haul cattle off the Tejon in the 1970s and ‘80s. Lindsay would drive past the fence lines, never imagining she would one day live and work there.
Although Lindsay was raised in the saddle, Brock wasn’t born into that lifestyle. He worked as a lineman for seven years, but he knew wholeheartedly the cowboy life was calling.
“My dad took Brock under his wing, and that is where his interest sparked in being a cowboy and learning the trade. My husband is the best proof that if you want to be a cowboy and put your mind to it, anyone can do it. You don’t have to be born into the industry to be successful,” says Lindsay.
From May to October, the family works in Oregon, and from November to April they work in California. They move with the seasons, cattle, weather and feed. Oregon stays green through the summer, so the calves and yearlings put on good weight. When everything is weaned, the cattle head north for finishing.
“Working here has taught us to slow down,” Linsday says. “The kids don’t even need toys inside because there’s so much to explore outside. My husband’s first cowboying job was right here on the Tejon, and it made him want to stay in the business forever.”
Horses have also been the center of Lindsay’s world. She dreamed of raising her own horses, and bought her first mare by Shine Big Time and out of a mare by Cat Itchi from the Fifty Horse Ranch.
“The mare would straight eat a cow alive. I always got along with her so well and knew I would eventually breed her,” Lindsay says.
Together, Brock and Lindsay have built a strong AQHA breeding program focusing on versatile all-around horses with both cow horse and reining bloodlines. They introduce new bloodlines every year, like Taggline and One Shiney Metallic. However, old foundations like Smart Little Lena and Playgun hold true to her.
Lindsay would like to see their program show up in rope horse futurities, breeding to stallions that are paid into the incentives. This year, Brock entered his first cowhorse show on a homebred colt that had been in training with Luis Valdez, but the horse tested positive for West Nile Virus and drew out.
The couple is building a partnership with longtime friends Brandon and Brooke Ryan called Legacy Cattle Co., a venture meant to create something their children can carry forward.
Many Irons in the Fire
Along with motherhood and ranching, Lindsay is also a licensed esthetician. Her rodeo queen journey ignited a love of bridal makeup, and she gravitates towards Western brides whenever time allows. However, being a wife and mom always takes precedence. Lindsay’s pristine makeup, glamorous cowgirl style, and traditional working cowboy family have captured the eyes of many online. Her captivating presence on social media inspires women through her impeccable classy style, horseback adventures, and the unique beauty that surrounds her lifestyle and home life.
Style Q&A
Western Life Today: Favorite clothing brands and why?
Lindsay Nettleton: Kimes Ranch: I love that they are American-made and the story behind their business is so cool. Ely Cattleman: Their shirts are about the only long sleeve shirts that fit me correctly, especially their new “Cowboygirl” style. And Rodeo Quincy: You can always count on them to find a super cut outfit in stock
WLT: How would you describe your personal style and what influences it?
Nettleton: My personal style is a “grunge cowgirl.” There’s nothing crazy about it. I love wearing vintage jewelry on the daily, Paired with Rancherr boots or Vans. I wear men’s jeans 90% of the time and dye my hair 2-3 times a year but just to get rid of the grays I have coming in.
For Brock and Lindsay, this work is more than a job. They are building their ranching legacy, raising their boys Bronx, Chisum and Arliss, shaping their futures, and writing their own chapter in the journals of cowboy—and cowgirl—tradition.
Find Lindsay on Instagram @lindsay.nettleton.
This article about Lindsay Nettleton appeared in the October 2025 issue of Western Life Today magazine. Click here to subscribe!
