12/18/08 In a fog

While working horseback beats just about any other kind of work, there are two times when riding isn't real pleasant. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you about those times. Doing your work from the back of a horse is about as good as it gets since that means you're usually moving cattle or horses out in the open and enjoying all the sights and sounds mother nature provides. The only trouble is "out in the open" can sometimes mean wind or fog. Now, in some areas the wind blows all the time so it's just another day, but in our neck of the woods windy days make young horse edgy and ready to spook at any kind of normally ordinary situations. Windy days can almost take the fun out of horseback work. Fog is a totally different sensation. It's quiet, there no dust but you can't see any critters unless you're right on top of them. Distances are hard to calculate and sight restrictions make hunting livestock really inefficient. Fog days are best used taking advantage of a warm fireplace at home. But sometimes there is no other opportunity to get cattle moved or a fog rolls in unexpected. Our last ride was like that, but we had more riders than normal and a smaller pasture to work so we spaced everyone as far as possible while still having a rider on the left and right in sight and did the best we could. We only missed six head of the cattle we needed. One of the riders said we did so well because Jeff has a lot of experience riding around in a fog. What did he mean by that? I'm Jeff Keane.