Moo Cows

 It was a rather weird morning yesterday as Cooper and I stepped out to enjoy the fresh air.  Actually it was to use our noses and make sure there were no unwelcome visitors.  It almost looked like it might rain.  

I was up early and ready to hit the big box store COSTCO.  That's a dangerous place for me to go.  I'm constantly distracted from my list by all the candy and pre-made yummy dinners.  

But first .... here's some MOO COW etiquette.  If you see any cattle on the road, drive very carefully and slowly around them.  They can be pretty flighty at times, kicking up big piles of green stuff and flinging it onto your vehicle.  They are also really good at kicking the side door of your truck or car.  Ask me how I know that.

Cattle are also VERY curious.  If they see you, they are more than likely to come walking, or sometimes running over to see what you are.  You might have an entire sack of grain hidden in your pocket.  

If there's a lot of nice green grass for them to eat, they may just ignore you completely.  These guys care about one thing.  EATING!  Once the first of their four stomachs is full, they will stand, or most times lay down ... and chew their cud.  

More than you ever wanted to know ... there's no acid so to speak to break down the food, so they regurgitate it back up in small lumps and chew on it some more, called chewing their cud.  Once swallowed, it drops to the bottom of the first stomach and moves on to the rest of the process.  We all know what comes out in the end.

These are all cows with young calves, born in the spring.  They are just learning the ropes.  You've heard of "reading" cattle?  You learn how they react to certain things, you learn what they are going to do by looking at their eyes, their actions and their tails.  Yup ... their tails.  That tail goes up and you are in for the ride of your life.  If it's a big cow, YOU better run because she's mad as a hatter and will mow you down, horse and all.  Been there, done that and it's not fun.

You learn where to put your horse, when to stop, when to move and which direction.  It's not just a bunch of guys out there walking along.  They know exactly when and where to be to keep them moving the right way, or NOT moving if the case requires it. 

Take this guy for example.  He came running right up to the truck.  First that's curiosity, but you can tell by his head and his eyes that he's looking for trouble.  See the difference between the head of the calf above and this one?  Yessirree ... he's telling you HE'S the boss and you just better look out!  He can take you down in a flash.  Not really, he's too small, but that's what he's thinking.  

"I'll take off on the run and you won't catch me (tail high in the air)!  I can run right through that wire fence and keep on going!!  You'll NEVER catch up!"  

So these guys have to be handled with kid gloves.  You never get too close, you always move very slow, and you hope Mom shows up and gives him what for.  Yes ... they do that.  And absolutely every single one has a different personality you learn to deal with.  You just have to read the signs.

By the time I was about ten, I had it down.  Many times I was moving cattle from field to field by myself.  Many times I ended up on the ground for one reason or another, mostly because I thought the calf was going right, but the horse knew he was going left, leaving me sitting in mid air.  Horses learn to read cattle as good as humans do.

It was a fun trip to the refuge, but Costco was calling me.  I just cannot turn down those $5.00 chickens.  Cooper loves them too.  As usual, more came home than what was on my list.  That's the story for tomorrow.