Well, this leads to my story.... Yesterday, around 5 in the evening a chariot that was consisting of a truck and trailer and 2 1/2 horses (if you were to see Reed's horse you would see why we only consider him a half a horse) showed up to whisk me away to the mountains. After the 4 mile drive, we unloaded the horses from the trailer and were headed off to "check" on the cows and their calves. The night was beautiful, except for the few dark clouds that threatened to rain on our heads. But the sun won out and we were able to stay dry in the saddle.
At one point we rode to the top of a ridge to look out across the pasture the cows were in and Mike immediately said, that is a bear over there. I, then commented on a moving dark spot not far from where he saw his bear and we determined mine were cows in the wrong pasture. So Mike pipes up and says we must make sure they are our cattle and check on them. Of course our route will take us right by where his bear had been seen. I always enjoy riding my horse next to bears, I am sure I can predict what will happen when the horse I ride encounters one with me on top. I also know for a fact that I am not rider enough to stay on top of that so called horse when he blows up and takes off, but fortunately, I survived another day with out finding out. Mr. Bear stayed away from my very skittish equine!
As we entered the pasture in which the cattle were not to be in, but someone had left the gate open to, Mike pointed to a trail for Reed and I to follow up into the trees while he split off his own way, of course taking the bear dogs with him. Lucky for me, he gave me the loud, somewhat annoying (to a bear I am sure) Reed. Which was my safety measure. Reed and I were riding along looking for cows when Mike hollered out and said he was in need of my help. You know, up in the trees wherever he was, just follow his voice. After only one wrong turn I was able to climb the thickly forested area picking my path carefully as to not have an eye poked out by a random branch (something I tend to worry about while trotting a horse through thick trees).
As I came upon my husband and a herd of bawling cattle, I realized he had a rope around a large steers neck. Well, let me tell you how handy it is not to have a calf roped in densely forested area. After a few attempts at healing this said steer (which was hard due to the fact there was no possible way to even swing a rope without hitting something), my ever so patient husband jumped of his horse with rope in hand and preceded to tie it off to a tree. The first tree he tied off to promptly came out of the ground and began to be drug. Luckily he is swift on his feet and was able to get it to another tree that was rooted much deeper into the ground, and was alive. He then commenced to trying to catch the beasts back feet with his hands so that he could tie a piggin' string around the back legs.
Lets just say this 550+ pound calf was having nothing to do with it. So, being the brave sole that I am (laugh, roll eyes, and shake head here) I decided to get off my horse and join in the tangled mess that was becoming the rope, Mike, and several trees, not to mention the uneven ground. At one point things were looking like we were winning when the calf went down and Mike jumped up to get ropes situated. Then the steer found its fifth wind and jumped up going between Mike's legs giving him a ride until the steer came to the end of his rope. After I got done giggling I decided that I should try and get my rope around his back legs, until he determined to come after me and take me down that is. I need to work on running backwards up hill, with spurs on my boots through the trees I decided. Because before I could get very far, he had me stopped in my tracks stepping on my foot. My poor husband was pulling for all he was worth from the back end trying to dislodge the weight off my foot when at last relief came when the steer decided to charge at me again. As I limped, scampered away to safety, Mike was giving me a kind warning to watch myself.
It was at this moment in time, with the thought of a possible broken foot, twisted knee, that I decided "this is why I need Aflac". Well, it wasn't long until my foot allowed me to walk again and I hobbled over to Mr. Devil Steer and helped Mike get him to the ground. Now mind you, we usually have horse flesh to help with such instances, but due to the trees and safety concerns (obviously not our own) we abandoned the horses and did this by foot. We might reconsider next time. And the steer now has penicillin and sulfa pills to make him healthy once again!
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| The subdued steer taking his medicine! |
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| Reed on Pistol with Emmy |
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| Mike and Reed with Poppy, Bandi, and Emmy |
