Cattle Drive from Breakaway Creek

Above: Laddie ridden by Brendon Bell

Above: Leggs dairy cows heading homeward

Above: Donna

Right: Laddie trotting on

Left: Laddie preparing to trot

Right:Donna Rowland on Claude

Above: Ella and Karen Mizzi with cattle ahead

Liz on Laddie with Karen on Reno

Sunday, 20th April 2008

We picked up my horse, Laddie, from Brendon Bell's, on Saturday, after four weeks away at Frank's place. Brendon tacked up, mounted and showed us how he was going. He cantered and halted him a few times and said he was always going to be a little arrogant and going to have a mind of his own. I planned to ride him the next day on a long ride to see how we would get on.

Karen Mizzi let us know about a cattle drive of about one hundred dairy cows from Breakaway Creek to Haines Lane at Heywood, a distance of some twenty three kilometres for a dairy farmer called Andrew Legg. Our day began early when Donna and I met everyone who participated at the Shell service station at Heywood at 7.30 am. We arrived at a property bordered on one side by a a creek with running water. Karen and Ella Mizzi, Donna Rowland and I rounded up the cows while the other riders and two carts waited for us. With the cows on the move and through the gate we set off on the long journey back to Heywood.

What a beautiful day with no wind and not a cloud in the sky!

As midday approached the weather grew warmer and Donna, Chris and I had our lunch on the side of the road. We remounted and caught up to the mob, settling in for the second half of the journey taking in the lovely scenery. It was uneventful and the cows made good time and Laddie, though green, went very well. Though a quiet horse, he has a real personality and needs a little patience.

We arrived back at the the Legg's farm at around 2.30 pm. I pulled up remarkably fit but Donna had a few aches and a shocking headache because of her neck which otherwise spoilt a perfect day.