by Jan Fielden
Running two heifers out of the corral, down through the trap, through the hay pen, out the back pen, and then into the Yearling Pasture is quite a workout; especially if they are not sure they want to leave a secure familiar place. I truly love working with the cows and everything else on the ranch. I have always been a tomboy and getting older never corrected that characteristic in me. My friends think it is a little weird having a friend who gets manure on her boots, would rather wear jeans than a dress, and doesn’t have her nails done every week. Don’t get me wrong, when the occasion calls for it, I can don a dress, wear dress boots, but my nails will not be done. I have my hands in water too much and do too many things outdoors to have one break off…sounds painful to me.
Back to the heifers…I hooped and hollered to get them out of the corral, and they ran into the trap kicking their back legs up. When they got to the one of the corners in the trap, they stopped and palavered awhile. Don’t you love that word, “palavered”! Anyway, they were busy for a little while. Then, it happened, I couldn’t get the gate open to the hay pen. Try as I might it just wouldn’t budge. The Colonel solved it by coming to my rescue and opening the gates. Got the heifers in the hay pen, they ran straight through to the back pen and ran into another corner. The gate to the Yearling Pasture was standing wide open and they were not brave enough to go through it. Fedora is one of the heifers and she had been in that pasture before. Finally, I was able to work them through using my gloves slapping together to get them out of that pen. Quickly closed the gate and another day at the Red Oak Ranch was in the bag!
