Ever cross a ford?

So here's a cowboy crossing a "ford" (see the spurs on his boots?). In class, I said it was a valley. I was wrong! Here's the definition. (You must forgive me, I'm a city boy - I'd just call it a river crossing).
ford
n.
A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can cross by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle.