“God is not done with me yet!” was the clear message I (Connie) got while on a routine horseback ride to the top of the hill for the morning cattle feeding. Rain makes our Grieb Ranch hillside roads almost impassable because they are so steep. Since rain was in the forecast (yippee), we moved the red trailer to the top of the hill to store the cattle feed. Access to the red trailer, after and during a rain storm, is via horseback.
Feeding the Cattle In the Rain via Horseback
It is my job to feed the cattle in the early morning hours so I saddled up good ol’ Joe the horse and encouraged him up the hill, while rain fell. Our morning routine changed in a split second as on our way up the hill, Joe slipped and the ground gave way. We ended with Joe falling to the ground with me on his back.
Fortunately, this was not my first rodeo and I was able to quickly slip my mud-covered rubber boots from the stirrups and slide off his back and out of the way, but I did not land on my feet! Thankfully, I was off before he struggled back onto his feet. Once standing, Joe was off back down the hill – free from the control of a rider. In the meantime, I struggled to a standing position and trudged through the mud to get him so we could head back up the hill to feed the cattle.
I lead him for some time to both steady my nerves and to find a steep bank that would make mounting easier. Once back up in the saddle we made our way to the red trailer at the top of the hill. I dragged hay from the trailer to the feed bunks and headed for home, mounted.
Home and Off Again
Once home, unsaddled, rid of the rain-soaked clothes then on my way to my “real job” in town, I was hit with what had just transpired and became a limp noodle. My mind was filled with the recent memory of watching the Louis L’amour movie, Conagher which depicted a scene where a cowboy and his horse both slipped, fell and died. This similar event of my day caused a mild shock to my system.
So the day closes with the knowledge of “God is Good” and I am grateful for one more day. I even planned to take the evening horseback trip up the hill before the expected rain storm the next morning. Papa, who is 89, said I could saddle a horse for him to feed. He is just that kind of amazing man to offer. I thanked him and said, “I will do it.”