I Guarantee You Will Fall In Love With This Cow

What’s more fun than riding in a carriage pulled by a horse? How about a cart pulled by a Scottish Highland steer? Most people think horses are the only draft animals, but maybe they should think about it again. Something as insignificant as a flapping flag or a wind-blown sheet of paper can spook a horse that will gallop away. And that can be a big problem if he’s pulling a carriage or wagon. In the same situation, a steer probably won’t even get scared, but if he does, his natural laziness will limit his response to walking away or maybe trotting for a few steps. A runaway horse is a wreck. A runaway steer is a minor setback.

Owen, my fluffy yearling Scottish Highland steer, was confused when I first put a harness on him and attached him to a cart. Owen spent two summers working with my summer camp kids here in Loudon, and now he’s the star of the 4H group, the Katama Cowpokes on Martha’s Vineyard, where he’s comfortable with children leading him or sitting on his back. Even so, this cart thing that moved along behind him was new.

Before taking him to Martha’s Vineyard, I led him around our barnyard here in New Hampshire with the cart attached to his harness. I attached the reins to his halter and walked behind the cart. When I pulled the left rein, he turned left. When I pulled the right rein, he turned right. I said, “Whoa,” and he stopped. On command, he walked ahead like he’d always pulled a cart. Then, a small child put on a helmet and got into the cart, and even with the extra weight, he pulled the cart without complaint.

So far, Owen has not taken a wrong step, and I trust him to pull his little cart loaded with happy children. Even so, I require that his passengers all wear helmets. No matter how good Owen is, preparing for any accident is wise.

As a 4H leader, I’ve learned that size matters no matter how well-behaved the horses or cattle are. An 11-year-old child is way more confident working with a 200-pound steer or heifer than an 800-pound cow or horse, no matter how docile. Large animals can be intimidating, but Owen is the right size for children to drive, and 4H is all about helping children become confident. If an 80-pound child can control a 200-pound steer, imagine how confident she’ll feel in the schoolyard, classroom, and, eventually, the workplace!

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Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, where she sells beef, pork, eggs, and other local products. She can be reached at carole@soulecoaching.com. Carole is also now a certified Life Coach who helps humans and K-9s achieve the impossible a little at a time.