Departments



Articles

Less

Obituaries: Joe Ricker
November 6th, 2012

Law Enforcement News: Levy County Arrest Report 11/05/2012
November 6th, 2012

Arts and Entertainment: Art Center Hosts Gallery Show
November 5th, 2012

Announcements: Joe Biden in Ocala
November 5th, 2012

Letters to the Editor: Letter to Editor - A Reply to - "Emperor with no Clothes"
November 1st, 2012

Letters to the Editor: Letter to Editor - "Emperor with no Clothes"
November 1st, 2012

Announcements: BOOK BUNCH NEWS
November 1st, 2012

City News: CEDAR KEY COMMISSIONER AND LOCALS WOW STATE VISITORS
October 30th, 2012

Law Enforcement News: Levy County Arrest Report 10/29/2012
October 30th, 2012

Features: Summary of Proposed Constitutional Amendments
October 29th, 2012

School News: Fire Safety Awareness Day comes to Cedar Key School
October 29th, 2012

Announcements: Clam Industry Workshop - November 7, 2012
October 29th, 2012

City News: City Commission Honors Local Teen
October 28th, 2012

Pet of the Week: Pet of The Week - Duncan McCabe
October 28th, 2012

Fishing News: October = Inshore Fishing in Cedar Key
October 27th, 2012

More

If You Are Going to Catch Cattle, You Need a Horse - A Florida Cracker Tale

If You Are Going to Catch Cattle, You Need a Horse - A Florida Cracker Tale

Bill Roberts

Now that my screw worm days were over, after my Mother used the old "I need him at the house" trick, I was back on the ridge, as it was called, which was the old shore line of Lake Okeechobee.

I was 15 years old, and much to my Father`s disappointment, I was more determined than ever to be a cow hand. Where we lived on the ridge, there was a big cow pasture behind our house, with a lane that joined to another pasture.

I knew that to be a good hand, I had to know how to rope and I decided I needed practice. I had managed to get a pretty decent rope, and I had honed my throw on our two milk cows, but it wasn`t the same as a wild cow.

Every evening the cattle came behind our house to get to the other pasture. One evening when nobody was around I got my rope and hid behind a tree, and watched for a little bunch to come along. One old cow was curious and came over to check me out, I made a lucky throw and caught her horns, then all hell broke loose.

When she seen she was caught, the first thing she did was try and catch me! This gave me enough slack in the rope to tie her to a little tree. I backed up a little, she was throwing a fit; and she finally fell over on her side. This was all I needed to get the rope off her horns, and run like the devil.

Well, she seemed happy enough to get rid of me and got up and joined the other cattle that were just standing watching the show. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Don`t bite off more than you can chew, and if you`re going to catch cattle, you need a horse!

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com