More on Cows!

   The snow stopped, the rain came during the night & by morning the sun was breaking through the clouds.  What was left of the snow in town was melting fast.  Butch went out with me, to the storage where we've parked the trailer.  It's easier than keeping it at the farm where we have Farah.  Parked between two huge - very expensive motor-home's - it's almost totally protected :-)

Did someone say mud?

We'd been invited to a day of cattle penning or sorting.  Friends say we will see more cattle here than what we've been used to.  With more snow on the gravel roads than I'd expected - it was slushy, slippery & nasty.  Farah wasn't as dirty as she could have been - but it took some stiff brushing!  I'd parked up at the top of the driveway & walked her up to the trailer.   She loaded - then - before I could close the door - jumped out!  That happened three times & I was getting madder by the minute.  The fourth time, she pulled the lead out of my hands & ran back into the barn!  Teresa was there & offered to help - which I really appreciated!  No more issues & we slipped & slid our way over the short drive to Rolling Hills farm for a day of cow sorting.

Farah makes a new friend :-)  Tanner!

We sure met a couple super nice boys!  Tanner even went out & brought in a carrot for Farah - so their friendship was solid :-)   Knowing from our last adventure with cattle, how fast Farah can be, we just took it easy today.  I walked her around the large arena & we watched the cattle.

Not those pesky cows again!

Other participants offered a few tips that helped us a lot!  The first was to not actually look at the cows.  Also, to keep her head turned just slightly away from them.  Farah was great on her left side, but when we turned to approach them from the right - it was a brand new game.

Doug on Juanita's mare giving me some pointers :-)

Farah actually did really well, soon she was calm & pretty relaxed.  About the best goal I had for the day.  Iowa riders really have fun & usually combine food with riding!  :-)  We enjoyed hot & yummy chili, potato soup, chocolate/cherry cake & peanut butter bars!  It was your own fault if you went away hungry!

I left early enough I could get Farah back before sundown - the days are getting short!  Once she was brushed & turned out I called Butch.  We met at the car wash in town...  To say the Bronco & trailer were a bit dirty would have been an understatement :-)  Really worth the time though!  I met a lot of really nice people & made contact with riders who belong to the BCHIA group!