Moving Cattle

We met yesterday morning, in the hills below Copperopolis, to move the cattle form the lower pastures into the upper pastures.  Lanny couldn’t join us so it was just the three girls.  I was joined by Kei and Dee.  We’ve all ridden together over the years but we’ve never moved the cattle without Lanny, so the idea was exhilarating and a little frightening.  We had about 300 head in each pasture.  The terrain is hilly and uneven and we’ve had so much rain lately the ground can also be a little treacherous.  We all joked lightheartedly wondering how the day would go without Lanny there to guide us.  I know that each of us was secretly hoping we wouldn’t let him down.  I was riding my very special gelding Avalonn.  He’s had many careers in his lifetime including limited distance, endurance, jumping, hunt seat, and dressage, but he loves to work cattle.

We started in the lower pasture.  Kei and Dee worked each side of the pasture and I worked up the center.  This gather is mostly downhill and we move them down a draw in the center of the pasture.  We got the cattle gathered up waited until they found the opening in the fence.  Once we got them started, we just waited until they all filtered through.  The lower pasture went smoothly and we were all feeling confident.

I’ve helped Lanny move the cattle over the last few years and I was a little nervous about the upper pasture.  We drive the cattle through a draw and then uphill along the fence line with a long downhill on the open side.  I’ve seen the cattle break and start running down the hill.  I was riding at the front of the herd while Dee and Kei drove them up the fence line.  Just as we got to the top of the hill the cattle started to look for an escape. In just a few seconds about 40 head broke off and started heading back down the pasture.  Avalonn knows his job well, so we were off.  We were at a dead run to turn back the cattle.  We were headed straight for the back of the pasture and it was going to be close.  Avalonn was a little faster.  We beat the cattle to the back fence and got them turned back.  It was exhilarating and I was so proud of my horse.

It was a great day!  We were excited, tired, and a little surprised that the move went so well.  I called Lanny when I got home.  I said that we had a little skill and a lot of luck working for us.  He told me that he knew we could do it.  That was the second time I was feeling proud in one day.