Byland Double B Farm

One of the most iconic sights coming into Maryville from the south on 71 were the horse farms on the east side of the highway between Five Mile Corner and Maryville.  Here’s the story of the Double B Farm owned by Dr. Byland.

Life on Double B Farm Gives Children Many New Interests By Betty Williams – Maryville Forum April 30, 1958

Caption: 
FIRST LOVE FOR ALL… The three children of Dr. and Mrs. B. F. Byland are ready for an evening gallop. They are, left to right, Johnny, president of his horsemanship club, Nancy, and Mike. All agree the country is a fine place for fun!

The Dr. B. F. Byland family, RPD 1, Maryville, has discovered that recreation–that much sought-after element in life– can best be enjoyed on a farm. They have also learned that recreation can arise from interests, hobbies, and even work. Horses, for instance, were merely just a hobby for Dr. and Mrs. Byland and their three children, but now they make horses more than a hobby, just as they do for recreation and family sports. There are approximately 35 head of horses on the Byland Double B Farms, located one and one-half miles south of Maryville.

Before moving to their present home, however, the Bylands had only three or four horses. They now employ a full-time hand to train the horses in reining and cutting. All of the Byland children take a great interest in horse training. Mrs. Byland explained the cutting contests.

She said that points are deducted if the rider is caught signaling the horse by shifting his weight, spurring, or reining. It’s not so easy to train the horse to get the specified calf or steer from the herd on his own, she emphasized. During the summer months, the entire family competes in numerous horse shows. For the past two years, one of the Byland horses, Benjamin’s Folly, has been named the Iowa State champion in the buggy pulling contest. They also have a breeding Junior and senior stallion.

With all of their interest in stock, crop farming on the Double B Farms is held to a minimum. Most of the place is used for grazing of the horses and the two herds of purebred Hereford and Angus cattle. Home movies, taken of shows the Bylands participate in, also furnish a special interest for the family. In addition to showing weaknesses of the entries, these add to the family’s enjoyment as they relive some of their exciting experiences. One visit to the farm during after-school hours shows how the children enjoy farm life.

Johnny Byland, a Maryville High School sophomore, truly believes the farm is the place to live. “There’s nothing like it,” he commented. Nancy, 10, and Michael, 9, would ride horses all the time if they could, their mother said. Nancy is in fifth grade, and Michael is in third grade at St. Patrick’s parochial school. The three children have their favorite horses and also participate in divisions of horse shows in which they are eligible.

Though Dr. Byland’s profession is medicine, the family has time to work and play together. In addition to their horses, other co-recreational sports, such as ball croquet, and a variety of activities in the large recreation room in the basement of their new home make living on the farm an enjoyable affair for all five members of the family.

Maryville Daily Forum May 12, 1959

Caption: HOBBLE HORSE … Willard Brandon, trainer, shows second graders at the Eugene Field Elementary School how to hobble a horse OIl their recent field trip to Dr. and Mrs. B. F.

Byland’s Double B Farm. Kneeling, left to Second Grade Pupils Climax Animals Unit With Farm Trip The second grade class at the Eugene Field School, taught by Mrs. Ruth Larmer, went on a field trip to Dr. B. F.

Byand’s Double B Farm recently, The trip was arranged ‘by Miss Kay Jean Noel, student teacher. In discussing the project, Mrs. Larmer explained, “The trip came as a climax to our unit on baby right, are Debra Williams, David Middleton, Mr. Brandon, and Billy Dugan. Standing, left to right, are Sandra Piveral, Leslie Combs, Erick Larson, Roger Poage, John David Stuart, and Bobbie Robertson.

-Photo by Sanders facts about the care and feeding of animals. Mr. Brandon also showed them how ‘a cutting horse works without a bridle and how to hobble a animals. It was the core of all our classroom work, such as numbers, reading, language arts, social studies, and music.” The children were shown a mother horse and her colt, and they were told 1 how to care for horses. The youngsters were taken to , various places in the barns by Willard Brandon, the trainer.

They learned some interesting horse. Added enjoyment came when the children were allowed to ride the horses. As a conclusion to the baby. animals unit, the pupils are now making a nearly life -size colt of papier mache. The art work is peing done with the aid of Mrs. Loren Wiseman, art supergisor at the elementary school and juinor high school.

Here’s a description of hobble horse:

Hobbling a horse is the practice of fastening two or more of a horse’s legs together using straps (hobbles) to restrict movement. It is used to keep horses from wandering away while grazing in open areas, teach patience and stillness, or prevent panic in specific training or emergency situations, allowing for limited movement while preventing flight. 

Key Purposes and Usage Examples

• Preventing Wandering: Traditionally, hobbles allow horses to graze freely without being tied to a tree, ensuring they don’t wander off.
• Training for Patience:
   Hobble training teaches a horse to remain calm, patient, and still, reducing panic and flightiness.
• Safety on Trails: Used during breaks on long rides, enabling horses to graze while keeping them in a designated area.
• Preventing Damage: Used to stop horses from kicking or escaping during tasks.
• Spinal Decompression: Historically, hobbling by the hind legs forced the horse to stretch fully while eating, which helped decompress the spine.

Common Synonyms and Related Techniques

• Restricting movement: Binding, tying, fettering, restraining.

Specific Hobble Types: Scotch hobble (linking a hind leg to a collar/neck), figure-eight hobbles (ankle-to-ankle), and grazing hobbles (short distance between front feet).

How it is Applied

Hobbles are typically applied around the front pasterns (ankles), allowing the horse to graze but restricting them from running or walking far. It requires training for the horse to remain calm, as panicked movement could lead to injury.

Benjamin Frank Byland (1903-1983) at Findagrave (buried at St. Patricks Cemetery)

Donnelly Names Dr. Byland New Nodaway Coroner  –  Maryville Forum March 26, 1956

Dr. B. F. Byland, 24-year-old Nodaway County physician, today was appointed by Gov. Phil M. Donnelly as Nodaway County coroner to fill the unexpired term of the late Dr. L. E. Dean, Maryville. Dr. Byland had filed his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for county coroner on Feb. 9.

His announcement to run in the August primaries is the first political action by the Maryville doctor. Dr. Byland is chief of the hospital staff at St. Francis Hospital. He served in the Army during World War II as a major.

He is the former president of the Nodaway-Atchison-Gentry Worth Medical Association and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Dr. Byland is president of the Northwest Missouri Horse Show. He has held this office since 1954. Born in Green County, Illinois, the doctor graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a medical degree in 1930. He moved to Nodaway County after working two years in a St. Louis hospital. Dr. Byland and his family live on a farm south of Maryville.