Soapweed
Well-known member
This afternoon we had some hay down, but it was a bit too green to bale. I suggested to Saddletramp that we maybe had time to get a few bulls out before dark. He jumped at the idea, as he'd always rather ride a horse than a tractor. We got in the horses, and picked out our best cutting horses. We loaded up his Chalk-eye and Goose (both are paints) onto the 24' trailer and hauled down to Highway 20 where we are summering quite a few pairs with a neighbor. One pasture right next to the road had five bulls, so we thought we'd be happy to get these out.
As we pulled into a fence corner to park the trailer, we could see that the cattle were just drifting away from the windmill. When we caught up to the vacating bunch, we discovered all five bulls in a fairly close proximity. We headed them back to the windmill, and drove along a few cows and calves to keep them company. At the windmill, we dropped back everything but the five bulls. These we drifted towards the pickup and trailer. We pushed them, but not hard. A couple tried to go back, but with the help of our good horses, we held them. We just pushed easy-like, and didn't make any undue noise. Pretty soon they all wandered between the pickup and the fence, and soon they were all standing in the corner. Saddletramp got off his horse and crawled over the fence, to stand imposing-like in case they tried to jump over. I brought up the rear. Pretty soon the first one jumped onto the trailer, and the rest followed. We shut the gate, grinned at each other, and proclaimed it a successful mission.
The hay was ready to bale when we got back. Saddletramp raked, and I baled. He had time to go unload the bulls and unsaddle the horses while I finished baling about thirty bales. The sun was setting when the last bale was rolled.
View from the porch into our backyard
Saddletramp about to be rescued from tractor duty
King of the Green Machine
Getting the horses in
Shutting the gate
Bulls with very hidden EPDs
Heading towards the pickup
It worked good
The crew
Putting things back together
The end of the day
As we pulled into a fence corner to park the trailer, we could see that the cattle were just drifting away from the windmill. When we caught up to the vacating bunch, we discovered all five bulls in a fairly close proximity. We headed them back to the windmill, and drove along a few cows and calves to keep them company. At the windmill, we dropped back everything but the five bulls. These we drifted towards the pickup and trailer. We pushed them, but not hard. A couple tried to go back, but with the help of our good horses, we held them. We just pushed easy-like, and didn't make any undue noise. Pretty soon they all wandered between the pickup and the fence, and soon they were all standing in the corner. Saddletramp got off his horse and crawled over the fence, to stand imposing-like in case they tried to jump over. I brought up the rear. Pretty soon the first one jumped onto the trailer, and the rest followed. We shut the gate, grinned at each other, and proclaimed it a successful mission.
The hay was ready to bale when we got back. Saddletramp raked, and I baled. He had time to go unload the bulls and unsaddle the horses while I finished baling about thirty bales. The sun was setting when the last bale was rolled.

View from the porch into our backyard

Saddletramp about to be rescued from tractor duty

King of the Green Machine

Getting the horses in

Shutting the gate

Bulls with very hidden EPDs

Heading towards the pickup

It worked good

The crew

Putting things back together

The end of the day