Drama on the farm

Yesterday I came home to a mess. When I left, it seemed simple enough--the girls were going to catch 2 of our horses and load them up to take to 4H for their yearly coggins and shots. Then when I got home, we would jump in the truck and go.

NOT

First, I called Emily to let her know I was almost home. Her reply was "can't talk now mom". click. That should have been my first hint....

I pulled into the driveway to discover nothing loaded up and COWS IN MY GARDEN. Why, why, why when stock gets out do they have to go to my garden????? JD and the girls are standing out there, and JD is looking at me shaking his head. At least, no one headed down the driveway and out the entrance.

Rebecca handed me a bucket of grain and I got the cows back in. Ariel (a charlois cow) was easy. She and I have been through this routine before. Too many times before. I pulled her around my her ear tag (she really hates that, but it is effective) and headed her to the gate, while yelling at her to get home where she belongs or she will be in the deepfreeze with her brother....

Elizabeth's Angus heifer was another story. She had different things on her mind and for some reason didn't think she needed back into the pasture, but we finally got her there as well. (You know, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence).

Then I am told we also had a horse that had been out as well, but they did get the horse back in already. (Whew)

Now I think we are ready for the easy part. The horses are already caught, have on halters and lead ropes, so we only need to walk them to the trailer. Well, evidently Bandit was an easy catch, but Double ran them all over the pasture to the extent that they had to use the truck to go back to the very back and get him. (Doubles new nickname name may become "Glue".) We start to take the 2 horses out when horse #3 throws a temper tantrum that far outweighs any that a 2 or 3 year old child could have done. She runs, whinnies, stops her feet, digs a hole (yes horses can dig with their front feed) and carries on. Now I see the problem. Apparently horse #3, Beauty, is in love with Bandit and doesn't want him to leave the farm. Beauty is not broke to the halter or the trailer, so she can't go with us (which would have easily solved this whole mess).

Now I find out that is how the cows got out--she kicked the gate open in an attempt to get out and follow Bandit and her brother Double.

Finally we get them loaded. During the entire process she is pacing the entire front fence whinnying and kicking and he is carrying on from the trailer.

I hope this is just a fast and furious crush that will burn out quickly, and not be a long summers love affair. I don't think we can do this for every 4H practice and show........

And the chickens are mad because the compost/kitchen scraps we are now giving to the hogs instead of to them....

At least the rabbits still love us.

Oh--and when we brought the horses back? Beauty was still at the gate throwing her fit and waiting for her man, or gelding rather.

Elizabeth and Rebecca impressed me at the 4H vet day by drawing their horses blood themselves and giving some of the vaccinations. They both plan on being vets when they are older.