What would have made for a very long day was cut short when Rook was on his game for me yet again. Over the weekend, the herd had found a means of escape through the fence line which bars them from taking a tour down our long gravel road.
The road is very narrow and branches out in three directions. I raced to open the entrance to the gate as I watched in horror at the herd who decided to go out for a site-seeing venture. With me on my quad and Rook beside me, I got behind the herd in hopes of bypassing them and cutting them off before they took to the crossroads or worse yet, the main highway. There was no room for me to pass the bovine brigade, and the herd started to gallop faster toward the crossroads. I was praying that my young Rookie would be able to take charge and run along the ditch, cut them off and drive the herd back home.
I gave him his command to move up and hopefully position himself in the ditch to the left side of the herd. Like a race horse, he gained the speed to out-run the bovine brigade and head them off at the crossroads. Without hesitation, he moved into position to turn and drive them along the road that would lead them back to safety. My panic was starting to subside as I asked him to walk-up and maintain a steady pace with me following behind him. Along the way, the two bulls decided to stop and have a frolic in the ditch. Rook was quick to stay on them and determined to keep them moving with the heifers. Our next challenge was to ensure that the herd turned to the right at the entrance to the ranch. If we were unsuccessful, then the herd would continue to go straight to the very end of our no exit road. As the herd headed closer to our open gate, Rook managed to move up on the left side of the ditch to block and turn them toward our entrance. As he drove them through, I asked him to "look back" to pick up one miscreant who decided to hang back and snack on the grass in the ditch on the right side of the road. Rook was quick to turn and drive her toward and through the entrance way. Holy cow! Thanks again Buddy!
I was able to snap a few photos from my SLR that was hanging from the post beside the gate. I was lucky my camera was still functioning since I had forgotten to bring it in the previous night.
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| Rook as a wee pupster with his favourite toy - a cow |
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| Rook bringing home the Lulu who decided to languish at the ditch across from our entrance |
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| Rook keeping an eye while I close the gate |
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| Rook stays with the herd |
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| This is what one of the Lulu B's had to say about her eventful day |
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| Lulu B number 17 decided to chuckle |
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| Rook stays with the herd up at the yard while I go inspect the fencing |
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| The bovine brigade has a rest after their rendezvous |
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| After addressing my fencing issue, Rook along with Crew member Ash work to move the herd from our entrance to one of their grazing zones |
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| The team successfully returns the herd to the grazing zones |
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CLICK HERE to View Rook's Sire "Macc" And Crew Member Ash Performing Stock Chores in The Past
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