Jacobs’ early life on the Chatham Islands was defined by isolation and hard physical labor that forged his exceptional strength and resilience. His father managed a vast cattle station teeming with thousands of sheep and cattle. With no cars or roads on the islands, everything moved by horseback. Young Abe learned to ride extensively, breaking his first horse at age 13, herding 1,200 sheep over three grueling days, and helping train sheep dogs.