Monday, May 23, 2016

Something Different


The Cow Herd At Dusk


Over the weekend there was a little excitement.   After dinner, a knock came at my daughter's door and a passerby told her that "her" cows had gotten loose.  Well, she doesn't have any cows, so the news was a bit of a shock. But she thanked him all the same for letting her know and then she and her boyfriend ran outside to see what was up. The next-door neighbors breed cattle, and there was a good chance they had escaped from there. The back patio, which overlooks the neighbor’s hay field, gave the best vantage point. Lo and behold, there were a small herd of the neighbor’s cows rummaging around in the field, heading up toward the backyard. 

Now, there are no fences around the hay field and it's bordered by the road, so immediate action was called for.

They drove to the neighbor’s house and knocked on the door, but no one was home.  Then they went to the caretaker’s/manager’ house. And the barns.  No luck there either. Now it was up to them to figure out how to get the cows to safety. She hiked out into the hayfield where there were about 40-50 cows, calves, and steers.  Her boyfriend located the key to the padlock on our now-locked gate that borders the field.  She thought if she could somehow herd them into the lower pasture and contain them in until the owners could be located that might keep them out of trouble for the time being. 

First, though, she would have to move our herd out of that field and lock them in an adjoining pasture.  The horses were slightly excited with their proximity to the cows. They don't get a lot of four-legged visitors around the farm, and they were in a panic. She was able to lead Donnie to the gate, as he seemed the least upset by activities next door, but nobody would follow.  They decided synchronized prancing and snorting were a more appropriate response to their bovine visitors. Ultimately, she had to let Donnie rejoin his friends.  Back to the drawing board…

While over knocking on doors, she had noticed a gate was open to one of the fields. Maybe if she could just herd them towards it maybe that would work?  Easier said than done since she’d never worked with cows. But as luck would have it, with the horses snorting and flailing all over the field, and a strange person coming through the hay field behind them, they seem to have decided to head back toward home anyway. Luckily, just then the caretaker showed up in his pickup truck.  Thinking fast, he drove into the field and hit the sides of the truck with his hands--their version of ringing a dinner bell. That did the trick and the herd followed the truck through the gate where they could be locked safely away.  In the meantime the owners came home, too, and everything turned out all right.

I missed all the excitement. Having no experience with cows I’m actually glad I did.  My daughter lives in the house on the farm that borders the hay field.  I have a house on the corner adjoining the farm.  My view overlooks the pond, the indoor, garage, one paddock, the top-riding arena by the road, and the barn.  So I wouldn't have seen the hayfield or cows from my house.  In this case I’m glad I got the story second hand instead of first hand for once!

Until next time
Quote for Today
Cows are gentle, interesting animals.

24 comments:

  1. Sounds like it might have been time for a stock saddle and some cutting horse moves! Which horse??

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    1. Luckily, we didn't need any horses for this just a pick up truck and some two legged drovers.

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  2. Wow. Lots of excitement in the country!

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    1. It seems it's always something around here.

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  3. Just a little excitement! That was quite a herd, and I'm glad the cows decided to go home. How is your puppy doing????

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    1. Hi Lori,
      I'm glad they decided to head home too. Ginger is doing fine. She's very energetic and keeps me on my toes. I think I'm as tired as she is at the end of the day. She gets to take naps, I don't.

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  4. Glad everything turned out alright

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  5. I've helped herd cattle...can be challenging. Now your daughter knows the trick for that herd ;)

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    1. True, in case they ever get out again there is a trick to get them home. Something new to learn everyday. That's what keeps it interesting.

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  6. Sounds like McLeod's Daughters! :) I have a clearer picture in my head now of your farm and J's proximity - she is always so good in emergencies! Glad she was there to keep those cows in line! I am thinking someone in your herd needs to step up and volunteer for cow herding lessons. :) Or perhaps this is Ginger's new job to train for...

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    1. You know I've never seen McLeod movies or the tv series. J is awesome and a big help. I've never seen anyone so calm in emergencies. She told me Gunnar was going crazy in the house barking and wanted to be out there. He is by nature a sheep herding dog but he settle for watching over our horse herd. Ginger is a little terror right now and all my energies are going into training her to be a solid citizen. She's very stubborn and head strong but we'll get there.

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  7. Man oh man, I'm glad that hasn't happened here. My horses would be going nuts, too. Cows are a whole different ball game. Our neighbors have some, and the land we live on used to be part of a huge dairy farm. You're so lucky to have your daughter living that close. That has always been a dream of mine.

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    1. It's nice to have her close by. She does most of the work with the horses and their care which I am grateful for. Plus she travels to her day job which is over an hour a way each day. It's a big help since I help out with the grand-kids some days.

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  8. What a strange situation. Good thing the cows didn't get to the hay.

    Your daughter must be crazy busy to work, manage a farm and family. Wow!

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    1. She is crazy busy between her job, the farm,her dog and her boyfriend. She's not married and doesn't have kids. My other daughter and son each have two kids,so I have four grand kids. I know it sounds confusing.

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  9. Oh, wonderful that everything resolved without incident! And yes, even some excitement too. Cows are interesting creatures, sometimes they cooperate and then sometimes...well, let's just say things could have gone "western" in a hurry. Glad you shared your story with us. :) Now, I just had a thought - your daughter could have saddled up and rounded them up the old-fashioned way. You could have had some very entertaining photographic fodder!!

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    1. Good photographic opportunities for sure considering that the horses were scared silly of the cows. Then again she could have debuted as an English helmet wearing rodeo rider in an English saddle!

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  10. "They decided synchronized prancing and snorting were a more appropriate response to their bovine visitors."
    _______________________

    I had a retired racehorse who had this very same reaction to cows, they scared the hell out of her.
    Occasionally there will be a neighbours' cow in the ditch or out on the road, my gelding gets very excited at the chance to put them back where they belong! Generally I find it's a younger animal & just the sight of my boy itching to pen them has them crawling back through the loose bit of fence they got out of in the first place.

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    1. Your gelding sounds like he's a big help with lost cows! My herd were definitely not going to be helpful at all.

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  11. I love your photos - so beautiful and captivating. Glad things got sorted out.

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  12. Wow! Exciting stuff! Your daughter is so brave and exceedingly capable, and her boyfriend too. Sound like just the sort of people you want around in an emergency. Any emergency. Glad it all worked out with no harm to people or animals. Or hay.

    'Synchronized prancing and snorting' - ROFL!!!

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    1. They are good to have around in emergencies. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I was there by myself.

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