we are doctoring cows.
Since I am such a great sport, I stayed home and made a nice cold batch of lemonade. So I missed out on some of the fun...but not all of it.
The first step in doctoring cows is to herd them into a small corral.
The shovel really plays an important part in the herding and separating process. I do believe that they were used a lot in ancient times and then one day a dad got fed up with his kid and gave him a wack on the backside.... that was then the spanking stick was born.
Now we have to send them down the run. By now, they are a little leery and know this can't be a good thing. This is where you start whispering sweet nothings and talking kindly. We tell the boys this is good training for finding a wife... which is something that should NOT be done with a shovel in hand.
Finally, after a few went in backwards and finally turned around, everyone is headed the right direction (maybe not in a happy motivated kind of way, but definitely enthusiastic). Coty is using his favorite herding tool.. the pokey stick, or his boot. Either works wonders, and helps relieve stress. Wonder if one of those would motivate my kids to clean their rooms?
Timing is of the essence. You need to keep the shoot open so the cow goes in it, but you need to flip the handle so it closees before he gets out. I am not a fan of this job as the person who runs this station has a tendency to get yelled at a lot. I am definitely better at making lemonade.
The cow gets checked, given any medication she might need (sprayed with wormer that kind of fun stuff). And then let loose.
No problem unless you are a fella. The young fellas gets a little extra special treatment... castration. "instert gasp here". I heard tell that in the old days they use to use their teeth to do this process. I have nothing more to say about that.
If your smart, you sneak through without the above process being performed, but then when someone figures it out, it becomes an exciting cowboying event for all those watching (not so much for those participating).
Blain roped this guy, let's call him Herbert, and then the plan was to pin him down while the master surgeon did his thing.
But I think Herbert was fully aware of the forthcoming procedure and did NOT want to be pinned down.
The 3 tough guys finally got a handle on him. I do remember something about sitting on his head being shouted several times before everything was under control. I am just saying... boys, sweating jeans, sitting on your head. Days like this, makes me glad I am 1. not a boy and 2. not a cow.
In the meantime, mother cows are crowding around, bellering about their babies being manhandled. I am telling you it isn't a pretty sight. Just something you learn to endure when living in the wild, well or on 10 acres in rural Washington.
After finshing our cows and grandpa's, they are all turned back out to pasture. I know, you think it was tramatic. Don't let them fool you. If you look real close like, you can see a whiley old bull over there coddling up to one of the females. If I had not cooth, this is where I would make some commment about men being all the same, but I am not going to say nothing.
Look at this cool cucumber. Through all the excitment, she still has her yellow notepad. She takes her job very seriously. She is to write down the ear tags of each cow and record all procedures done.
You can see that she takes all aspects of the western life seriously. Including hunting with her bb gun with her cousin Jack. Picture was borrowed from my wonderful sister-in-law Kari :)
Talking about cool cucumbers, look how our cow dog is keeping out of the heat (can you say 65 degrees). Someone is a slacker.
All in a days work my friends, all in a days work.
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