While the kids have been helping move cows and sort pairs before… I took this time to give them a Pairing 101 class. Sometimes you realize you just expect people to know what to do, and clear instructions aren’t given. They’ve heard all this before, I’m sure. It takes a while to learn to read a cow… where is she looking, where is her calf, does she want to go back to the herd, is this a pair, do we want this pair to go or stay, what’s that cow over there doing, what’s that cowboy over there doing, am I going to be in the way…
Then, when you’re a kid… there’s the… I can’t get my horse over there, I can’t go fast enough, I’m going too fast, my attention span is short, it’s hard to be quiet, this is so fun, my horse stood on my foot, my hat keeps blowing off, and then some random Frozen II lyrics come wafting down the breeze…
They crack me up!
You want them to have fun, you want them to be safe, you want to build their confidence, you want them to learn and be a good hand in a few years, not just a warm body.
I kind of sound a little brusk… but this is *work*. It’s the real deal. We’re not playing, we’re not making work, this job needs to be done. There’s nothing that’s going to replace this… miles on your horse, miles on your brain, miles of watching how a cow works, that’s what will teach you.
Along the way, they’re gonna get mad, frustrated, furious, and feel futile. I know. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. I had to learn this cow stuff at age 22 when I got married. I’m still learning. There’s many different ways to handle cattle, and I’ve changed my approach over the years. Maybe they’ll look back at this and say, “man, she didn’t know what she was doing!”.
But, all I can do is try to help and teach what little I know right now.
So long as they end the day with “Best Day EVA!”, I believe I’m on the right track!
Oh, I love this one! I’m behind on watching your posts with videos, but I’m glad I saved this one to watch when I had more time! Makes me wish I was a kid on the farm again. 🙂 I laughed at the frustration with the calf that wouldn’t get up.
Wonderful. Good teacher Grandma.
Good job, grandma!
Lucky kiddos!
This is prize-winner for us non-ranchers, but Western lovers! Your tutorial for the youngsters was very interesting and fun. I think even the ponies showed patience as well as you and the children. I’m so glad you added a video after yesterday’s pictures.
great video and learning experience.
They are the luckiest children!!♥️♥️♥️♥️
What good hands they will be. They are learning fast. You are a good teacher and a fun one.