Portable Corrals That Truly Deliver
Article and photos courtesy of Rawhide Portable Corral
Consider this: Only 25 percent of small businesses are still in existence 15 years after being founded. Those that make it 20, 25, or 30 years are driven by continuous innovation, creativity, and the determination to provide customers with solutions-driven products and services. Celebrating more than 22 years in business, Rawhide Portable Corral is one such company.
Driven by the vision of founder John McDonald, who started the company in 2002, Rawhide Portable Corral has exemplified what it means to embrace innovative advancements at every turn. Beginning with the introduction of the first portable hydraulic corral on wheels with multiple pens and 200-head capacity, McDonald has continually modified and improved his invention, resulting in multiple corral options and features that address the corral needs of today’s cattlemen.
“We have found that there is always room for improvement, especially when you are the innovator,” McDonald says. “The reason Rawhide was developed was to help producers soley catch their cattle. Over the years we have evolved to be so much more than that thanks to ingenuity and innovation. We use our products on our ranch and we have listened to feedback from our customers.” 
It has been this feedback that has driven McDonald to incorporate game-changing features to his original corral design, including a patented suspension system, a 32-panel racking system as part of the Rancho Deluxe Corral for large-scale ranching needs, state-of-the-art durable materials and finishes, and a comprehensive dealer network for easy accessibility, to name a few.
Recently, McDonald recognized the need to incorporate a new torsion axle suspension system and brakes to the corral’s original design.
As McDonald explains, Rawhide has added the torsion axle suspension system because the corral is designed to be pulled on the highway at highway speeds, but once it reaches its destination, it must be pulled through pastures and fields.
“These are not always smooth surfaces or even terrain. Our prior corrals had no suspension, so the jarring and bouncing can be hard on the frame of the corral,” McDonald says. “In addition, our corrals have become larger in size, so the weight has also gone up. We felt the need to protect the framework from the jarring. The torsion will also protect the tow vehicle hauling it, which are usually large investments. The addition of brakes, along the torsion axle suspension, will also improve safety when hauling at highway speeds.”
This enhanced feature is indicative of what makes Rawhide truly unique – namely the recognition by the Rawhide team that the continuous innovations further enhance why Rawhide offers standout products that are not only innovative, but also nearly impossible to duplicate.
In fact, it is McDonald and his vision to provide the ultimate portable corral products to consumers that truly sets Rawhide apart. Not only was McDonald the first to develop the flexible pinning system and the use of hydraulics in portable corrals, but he worked diligently through the trials and tribulations that emerged throughout the research and development process.
“The tests of the initial design were on my own rodeo livestock,” McDonald says. “Over the years of listening to our customers and using them ourselves, we have found places for improvement and made necessary changes.”
And while the company’s initial design was unfortunately able to be copied and multiple companies are selling products similar to McDonald’s early design, they have been unable to replicate the continuous improvements, changes and additions that McDonald and his team have continually patented.
“Our new torsion axle suspension system and other patents features will only be on our corrals. These additions make our corrals more user friendly, safer, and easier to operate,” McDonald explains.
Rawhide is also the only portable corral company offering a built-in loading chute with their product. This is another example of how the Rawhide team strives to ensure they provide everything their customers need, and more.
“At Rawhide we are proud to build right here in the heart of the USA. We use only top-notch material to build our corrals and build a heavier main frame than any other corral that has copied our design,” McDonald says. “Also we pride ourselves on our unmatchable customer service. We want our customers satisfied for the lifetime of their corral. If they were to sell to someone else, we will still provide excellent customer service to the new owner, as we are protecting our product for its lifetime.”
At the core of Rawhide’s success is the close-knit team, which consists of several family members. Not surprising, family businesses are often kept intact by a sense of family legacy, a recognition that the family business has an intrinsic value of its own. There is also a sense of pride and determination to make “a name for themselves” that comes with owning a family business. For McDonald and his family members, standing out in the minds of customers is paramount.
“We have been building and selling corrals for 22 years and I started developing the design four to five years prior to that,” McDonald says. “Our entire family has lived and been around the evolution of Rawhide and our products, so they have a head start and great understanding of our corrals. A family member always has the best interest in promoting and educating about our product and we are proud to have so many members of our family involved at Rawhide.”
This focus is evident in the multitude of customers who have been turning to Rawhide for their corral needs repeatedly over the years.
“We love it when customers call back to the office to tell us how much our corrals have improved their operation or allowed them to continue ranching longer than they thought they might be able to,” McDonald says. “Our customers will tag our products on social media and send us messages about how much they love it. One of the best parts about farm shows is having existing customers stop by and say hello. We don’t often get to see our customers after they leave with their corral otherwise.
Connecting with customers to share the latest innovations, customer success stories, and streamlined efficiencies is very important to the Rawhide team. That’s why the company strives to continue to grow its social media platforms in order to connect with more of their customers. 
“Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn and YouTube. We will use these platforms to provide updates, promote farm shows and events, and highlight our customers. We enjoy the tags in videos and pictures with our corrals,” McDonald says. “Our customers all use their corrals differently in their operations across the US and we would like to use our social media pages to highlight them.”
Rawhide is also starting a YouTube mini-series called “Rollin’ with Rawhide” where the company will travel to ranches across the US and highlight customers and their operations. “We are very excited to visit and connect with our customers and help share their stories,” McDonald says.
To learn more about Rawhide Portable Corrals and its array of products, visit www.rawhideportablecorral.com.
You can also visit: https://www.facebook.com/rawhideportablecorral/
https://www.instagram.com/rawhideportablecorral
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