CATTLE DRIVE TODAY
Sunday, October 16, 2005
The morning is brisk but the sky when the sun finally comes over the hills to the left out of the ranchhouse window is blue and cloudless. The ranchero family, the guests, and the cowhands (Simon and Dutch) come quietly into the house for a hearty breakfast of beans, fried egg and leftover frittata from last night. And coffee. The kids shiver in the early morning dampness and gravitate to the kitchen where it is warmer.
Breakfast over, people disperse to bring in the horses from the small river meadow close to the house. Simon and Ranchero Bob lasso one of the cows driven in last night and held in the corral for the drive today. They want to milk her but she is very resistant.
After dropping the rope over her horns, Bob grabs the cow's tail while Simon wraps the lasso around a fence post and between the two of them they tether the cow short. Simon then makes several tries at hobbling the hind legs. Meanwhile the cow is bawling and kicking and struggling to get away. She has never ben milked by anything but her calf and is afraid. She is drooling heavily and her huge tongue is hanging out. The other cows and calves stare impassively. Eventually Simon immobilises the cow and starts to milk her into a pan with a handle. Just as he gets it full the brown cow breaks out of her hobble and kicks the pan out of his hand. The hobbling procedure starts again. Eventually, with much bawling and milking, another pan is filled with warm frothy milk and Eli, 6, carefully takes it to the kitchen.
I have taken mega doses of Ibruprofen for the last day and a half and, although I cannot move suddenly and cannot lift things with my right arm, as long as someone saddles my horse, I am going to attempt the cattle drive. Kathleen is staying here to mind the ranch; after all, we are the caretakers. That means that Simon and Dutch can drive cattle too. The ranchero family will all continue on from Yepachic in two trucks, one towing the cattle trailer, to Chihuahua, the cattle market and the agricultural fair. Simon, Dutch and I will ride back leading the spare horses. The whole ride for us will probably last about ten hours.
Time to go.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
The morning is brisk but the sky when the sun finally comes over the hills to the left out of the ranchhouse window is blue and cloudless. The ranchero family, the guests, and the cowhands (Simon and Dutch) come quietly into the house for a hearty breakfast of beans, fried egg and leftover frittata from last night. And coffee. The kids shiver in the early morning dampness and gravitate to the kitchen where it is warmer.
Breakfast over, people disperse to bring in the horses from the small river meadow close to the house. Simon and Ranchero Bob lasso one of the cows driven in last night and held in the corral for the drive today. They want to milk her but she is very resistant.
After dropping the rope over her horns, Bob grabs the cow's tail while Simon wraps the lasso around a fence post and between the two of them they tether the cow short. Simon then makes several tries at hobbling the hind legs. Meanwhile the cow is bawling and kicking and struggling to get away. She has never ben milked by anything but her calf and is afraid. She is drooling heavily and her huge tongue is hanging out. The other cows and calves stare impassively. Eventually Simon immobilises the cow and starts to milk her into a pan with a handle. Just as he gets it full the brown cow breaks out of her hobble and kicks the pan out of his hand. The hobbling procedure starts again. Eventually, with much bawling and milking, another pan is filled with warm frothy milk and Eli, 6, carefully takes it to the kitchen.
The cow is of the bovine ilk. One end is moo, the other milk.Ogden Nash
I have taken mega doses of Ibruprofen for the last day and a half and, although I cannot move suddenly and cannot lift things with my right arm, as long as someone saddles my horse, I am going to attempt the cattle drive. Kathleen is staying here to mind the ranch; after all, we are the caretakers. That means that Simon and Dutch can drive cattle too. The ranchero family will all continue on from Yepachic in two trucks, one towing the cattle trailer, to Chihuahua, the cattle market and the agricultural fair. Simon, Dutch and I will ride back leading the spare horses. The whole ride for us will probably last about ten hours.
Time to go.
posted by rjb @ Sunday, October 16, 2005
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