Sunday, January 16, 2011

too weak to walk

the snow was hanging around
the horses sunk well above the top of their hooves..
As they started up a hill at a lope two big doe flipped their tales and ran into the woods..
Steve's Blue Heeler kept up, at times sinking to his belly..
A cow and calf were missing,
Steve felt they might be over by the lake..
The wind had stopped and the temperature was slowly rising,
a perfect day for riding, roping, branding, and vaccinating calves.
When they got to the lake they split up.
Jesse headed left around the east rim and Steve to the west.
The cow was standing in the shallows near the willows stuck in the ice and mud,
the calf was on the bank bawling like a baby..
Jesse dismounted and eased over to the the calf.
Steve rode up about the time Jesse picked up the newly born.
"I am going to carry him, he is too weak to walk."
The cow was worn out from trying to escape the ice and mud.
She must have slipped on the ice when it was frozen and fell in.
Steve roped her and dallied to the horn..
He asked the old gelding to back..
The rope tightened and at first the cow fought against the pressure..
she finally gave in and came toward the bank..
Steve took it slow not wanting her to fall forward and drown right in front of him..
The calf was quiet as Jesse held it across the seat of his saddle..
He had placed his coat over its shivering body..
it's front legs stretched over one side and back legs the other..
The little guy was weary to the bone..
The cow was almost too tired to work with Steve,
the cold water was playing a roll in her weak movements as well..
Finally, she gathered enough strength to move forward with a little burst of desperation,
it freed her back feet from the mud and with the horse pulling,
she walked out of the lake.

wkm
Oxford



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