El Toro

We had an interesting morning all due to the bull pictured above...My Mother in law (MIL) called this morning at 8am and asked if we would come over to their ranch and help catch their bull. It seems their bull was fighting with the neighbors bull and got over in the neighbors pasture. I told her we'd be right over and off we went.

I asked Michael to stay with Grandma at the house but he wouldn't...grrr....

We got over to where my Father in law (FIL) was and tried to push the bull back over to the hole in the fence...I stood at a gate-way to the neighbors cattle pens with Michael to keep the neighbors cows out of the pasture and to keep the bull from coming back into the pens....Fred and FIL pushed the bull from pasture to pasture then the bull came back into the pasture Michael and I were in...So I picked up a large tree limb, told Michael to stay on the fence and stood my ground about 20 ft from the gate....Well here comes the bull right down the fence row headed for me...I thought with all my hollering, jumping up and down and arm waving he'd turn and go away from us, NOT!! That blasted bull kept coming, there was a certain point that I realized I was in trouble and that bull didn't see me as a threat, ugh!! He kept coming, charging straight for me...and mind you this ain't no little bull....At the last minute I turned sideways the bull threw his head my way and kept going missing me by inches...That is when I turned and Michael was standing right in the middle of the gate-way....I had no time to react...talk about having a coronary....That bull was running right for Michael....2,500 + lbs of beef on the hoof...Michael glanced at me and gave me that "HELP" look and I just gasped, no time to do anything....Michael let out a little squeel and ran to the right to the fence...that bull swiped his head at him but kept going, missing Michael by inches....I think at that moment I said thank you GOD!!

We were all scared and upset but so truly glad that bull didn't trample us...Fred and FIL were further out in the pasture screaming and running....I scooped Michael up and told him next time I tell you to stay on the fence you do it...he didn't answer as he knew he'd messed up and was still a bit shaken up as we all were....I told Fred and FIL enough!! I am taking Michael and we are going back to the 4 wheel mule...I'll stand at the gate-way between the properties and wait for them to push the bull back over on to the property but I am not chasing him anymore!!

So we were back at the property gate, Michael sitting in the 4 wheel mule, me standing back out of the way ready to shut the gate when the bull comes through...I hear my FIL yell...and here comes the bull with the neighbors donkey right on his rear....I was shocked....that donkey was chasing and biting that bull...They ran through the gate-way and out into the pasture....bull and donkey fighting...that bull was head butting the donkey, the donkey was rearing up and kicking the bull...stomping all over his head...then they were head to head...it was unreal...that donkey was totally ticked off and wouldn't stop and the bull wasn't giving in either...

My FIL came running, I grabbed Michael...and off my FIL went on the 4 wheel mule to break the fight up...he actually had to hit the donkey with the 4 wheel mule to get him off the bull...then we ended up chasing the donkey for a bit before being able to get him back through the gate-way....WOW what a morning and very scary!! I've decided from now on (until Michael is older) he will be staying with Grandma at the house when there is cow or bull chasing to do...I don't care how much he screams and carries on...that was just to close for comfort...

I do have to say that I believe God was watching out for my son and I am soo thankful...

My FIL also said that Michael has brains and common sense...as most kids would have stood there and cried but Michael knew he had to do something to get out of harms way and he did it, RAN and RAN FAST!!!

Fred and I were discussing what happened tonight. We were very thankful that no one was hurt but realized that maybe now Michael will understand WHY when we tell him to stay away from the cattle here at the house property. He is really bad about running out into the pasture when the cattle are up here at the house and not showing the least little bit of fear. But we think after his close call today he'll be a little more careful.