by Jan Fielden
Last night I had everything out to fix supper, the table was set, tea was made, etc. Suddenly I heard this rapping on the sun porch door. Rapping as if something was terribly wrong and the person needed in immediately.
I ran to the door and it was The Colonel. He said we’ve got a problem down at the Yearling Pasture, a tree has fallen on the fence, broke it and one heifer is already out. I, responded with I’ll be right there. Rush to put everything up, get my boots on and head out the door to help him.
We were fortunate that only one heifer was out…they were all standing around where the tree had fallen but were busy eating the leaves and not paying attention; for the moment, to the break in the fence.
The heifers, bull, and cows plus calves would not move from that area. While The Colonel went to get his fencing tools and supplies I stayed to make sure no one else took a trip to the “other side”. They were not budging and I couldn’t get them to go away.
Finally, I looked at Sundance and said to her, take these cows off away from here. She looked at me, did some “talking” around to the cows, turned and started to leave with all the cows, calves, and heifers lined up following her!! NO JOKE. Who says animals can’t understand what you say?
The heifer that had gotten out finally went back in when she saw the herd she belonged to walking away. So, as we sat down to supper at 9 p.m.
I told The Colonel he owed Sundance an apology. He had been going on about how horses got in the way most of the time for cow operations. He said he would go the next day and apologize to her and tell her that he had misjudged her. That’s life at the Red Oak Ranch!
