Steering lessons

While weaning can be a great time – it’s also a little nerve-wracking. Mostly because… well… if you spend DAYS getting paddocks in and separating their half-grown calves, the very WORST thing that can happen is that they ‘bust out’ of the yards…

On the very odd occasion this has happened, the big sooks usually heading STRAIGHT back to Mum. And if ONE gets out… well, an open gate is magnetic for cattle. They are usually ALL gone!

So when we rocked up at the (very full) yards to start walking weaners out to their new paddocks last weekend… the riding crew were horrified to find a small (man) gate open. It was completely my fault – I had decided (the previous day) that the steers needed a little more room, so opened up their yard to another that I thought was super-secure. I had doubled checked all chains, but one of the weaners got their head underneath the man gate (less than 1 metre wide) and lifted it right off it’s hinges. So even though everything else was securely chained, there was an escape route. And there were escapees….

Incredibly this minor disaster seems to have happened not too long before we arrived on the scene, and most steers hadn’t realized there was an open gate … only a handful got out. However three of the little ‘beggars’ had managed to get a few km under their belts… a quick drive tracked them down, they were spotted and two riders were sent to bring them back.

The three adventurers were soon rounded up by our son’s friend Amy.

She did an absolutely sterling job quietly nudging them back to a fence where a small mob of cows were gathered on the other side (by Jack).

For young cattle that had never been mustered away from their mums before, they behaved pretty well. All arrived safely at the yards, after their unscheduled ‘warmup’ of around 4 km.

*whew!*

So after a quick smoko. and about two hours behind schedule, the 2020 weaner steers walk got underway.

You can see my cousin Bec at the lead on her darling gelding ‘Chatter’, with Amy on ‘Tighe ‘and Jack on ‘Cherokee’ (behind Bec).

Sarah on the 17hh (tall!) Trooper.

My hubby on ‘Waratah‘, with working dogs Maggie and Sparky keeping a close eye on activities…

The steers trip to their new home five paddocks away was actually a very long walk and took around 4 hours… during which I had set up lunch at the destination and hosted the annual ‘Showing of the Weaner Bulls and Heifers’ to Mum and Dad.

The boys and girls all ‘passed muster’ with these particularly tough judges. They do love their Brangus, this pair…

Mum was surprised by this super affectionate heifer – R287 or as she is known in this household: Beyoncé the Poddy. She (the calf) is quite outraged at being put in a yard with all of these PEOPLE she has never met before… nonetheless she is quite content with the hay-on-tap arrangement. As long as she gets her cuddles too…

After a quick lunch with Mum and Dad, I farewelled them and headed back up the paddock to meet the riders and the mob.

Almost there kids!

I bet those cheeky little escapees were wishing they had done a couple less kilometres at the start of the day!

Everyone began to relax as the end was in sight…

I loved snapping these final images as the steers found their watering trough in their new paddock…

Nothing like a windmill in the background to stamp a scene as the Aussie bush. Of course, once the job is done, the shenanigans begins…

Bec and Sarah began pitting their steeds against each other… I suspect they had been talking polocrosse perhaps?

Whose horse is stronger?

Whose horse is faster?

Whose horse has the best ‘stop’?

My family MAY be a little competitive! 😉

Everyone came back friends though…

Some grinning from ear to ear …

And some a little more seriously…

Notice all the horses were happy though… ears forward, truck waiting and the workday done!

They enjoyed a VERY late lunch – and the satisfaction of having ONE mob down, and TWO to go!

Stay tuned for the next exciting instalment…