Hook 'Em

You'd think with my agricultural-y upbringing I would love all animals equally. Not so. I am not a fan at all of pigs (thankfully we never had them!) and until very, very recently, I was terrified of cattle.

I had always been a little frightened by cattle because they are big, they can kick, and I wasn't too sure I could control one as well as I could control a lamb. I remember as a tiny human when either my horse or one of our cows got kicked in the face by the other, and in my mind it was probably the cow's fault because they we big scary blobs. The horse turned out to be pretty mean though, so maybe I had it all wrong. Update: apparently my memory of this event is completely wrong, but I was like five and there were horse and cows involved in face breaking somehow. Thanks dad :)

Anyway, as I grew up my fear didn't go away. My senior year of high school, it only got worse - and I could not for the life of me remember why, until today, when a friend posted something about their cattle.

Once upon a time, the Vizza family, who I think the world of, by the way, convinced a brave little sheep showman to show one of their cattle. They said I had the calmest, sweetest one and would be just fine.

When you have a sweet, calm lamb, they tend to snuggle close and almost fall asleep while you're showing them. Apparently a sweet, calm bovine (I have no idea if it was a male of female) likes to show its affection for the individual showing it by awarding kisses...To the face and hair...With a rough, gigantic cow tongue.

I forgot to add something important. This wasn't just any kind of bovine. The Vizza family raises longhorns.


{That's Bevo, for those of you wondering}

So, when I tried to escape from the kiss bath I was about to receive, not only did the animal try to follow me...so did the gigantic horns hanging out on either side of its head!

I survived being trampled by a lamb at 9 and consistently showed sheep twice my size, but I was not so sure that I would be able to handle whatever this animal's horns were about to deliver to my face!

Thankfully, as I was climbing backward over the show ring fence, I was rescued from the sweet animal. Don't worry, we made up, and I think I even took it back in the show ring later.

Since that exciting experience, I have learned (most) show cattle are not out to hurt me and now I happily will go work with my brothers' steers living in the barn. Most of the time. Until one tries to kiss me...then it's game over. :)