02/02/07 Bull power

Bull Power Strong as a bull took on a whole new meaning to me, recently. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you why. I have a whole new regard for the old sayingstrong as a bull. I always knew bulls were powerful and have seen bulls in rodeo arenas accomplish some pretty amazing feats. I've seen rodeo bullfighters and bull riders thrown like plastic Frisbees from either end of their muscular bodies. Bull fights for dominance in range pastures are quite a sight, but their true power is not as evident as the adversaries are usually pretty well matched. Most younger, smaller bulls generally know their place and only talk a good fight a safe distance from the older larger bulls. Bulls can be a pain in the neck to work in the corrals while giving them their annual vaccination boosters and treating them for external and internal parasites with a liquid pesticide that needs to be spread on their backs. Since our cattle handling and working chutes are a little narrow and inadequate strength for bulls, I have been working the bulls in a small pen from a saddle horse. The job was going just like it should until I made the wrong move, got in front of an older bull, and he got his head under my horse. That bull was throwing 1600 pounds of horse, saddle, and petrified person in the air like a beach ball. My horse finally lost his footing and we became one with Mother Earth. Thank goodness the bull wasn't mad and just backed off, my horse wasn't hurt, and my bruises will heal. Oh, a new bull-working chute is in the plans for next year. I'm Jeff Keane.