"charlieb" wrote

Only when I had to move the little chinese lantern with the
red silk fringe out of the way to clean the middle of the
windshield - did I realize this wasn't my van. Hadn't even
noticed that THIS aerostar didn't have the kayak roof rack
that's on my van.

Used to have a passion, and, being relatively young, newly single, and just
out of the service, the time, for steer roping.

AAMOF, had one of the best "heeling" horses around this part of the country,
Rusty, who, being a King Ranch bred "Leo" offspring, had a number of almost
identical cousins (Leo being known to "throw" his type, color and
confirmation, one of the traits which made him a famous sire of cow saavy
quarter horses).

Also had just bought a brand new "Barry Burke" roping saddle, the steer
roping "pay once, cry once" equivalent of a Unisaw to a woodworker ... that
saddle cost me a fortune (no telling how many horses I had to shoe to buy
it, and being newly single of course, didn't have to justify to anyone
.... ).

One Saturday night, the second of a two day rodeo, my roping partner
(header) and I (heeler) drew to rope in the show instead of the after show
"slack" we'd roped in the night before. Turns out that another cowboy from
out of town also had a Leo bred "heading" horse, and, to complicate matters
further, an identical, brand new, BB roping saddle.

Said combination he proceeded to park in the exact same spot on the fence
I'd tied Rusty the night before.

Yep ... in the course of human failings, things have apparently stayed the
same when it comes to getting in/on the wrong "ride".

To shorten the story considerably, I don't know who was more surprised that
night; the horse - who'd never heeled a steer in his life; or me - when that
big Mexican steer hit the end of the rope in a manner new and surprising to
"Rusty", who promptly crow hopped twice and fell over sideways, still 'hard
and fast' to the steer, in front of god and the crowd.

Took us 20 minutes to get that horse and steer loose of each other, and that
brand new saddle (now well broke in) off him so he could get up, and another
two weeks to get the red off my face ... they're probably still laughing in
Bellville.

.... and if DG can find that on snopes, this old fart will kiss his butt.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/14/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)