Monday, August 23, 2010

DON'T BELIEVE THEM!!!

You know how your parents always told you, when you were camped out in the backyard and could hear the coyotees howling, that "those coyotes are more afraid of you than you are of them." Don't believe them! Today, I saw first hand that I am definatly more afraid of them than they are of me!!

I was out at "the farm," where I keep Dirt Face, riding with my friend, Jamie. Scout was with us, ofcourse having a ball swimming in all the sloughs, leaping through the tall grass and chasing dear. We were almost back at the barn when I saw him...the mangy, scruffy old coyote. The trick with Scout is to make sure I see all chasable things before she does and this one I saw. He was stalking closer and closer to us, making no sound at all. The horses didn't even notice him. I, made a bad decision just then, it turned out. I decided to ride towards him, hoping to scare him off before Scout would notice....oh, I scared him off alright, I scared him off into a dead run that before I could distract her, caught Scout's attention. She was off like a shot, practically riding that coyotes heels. I screamed after her, "NO, SCOUT, NO!!!!" Scout, clearly on a mission, she thought was all in good fun, didn't even flicker an ear in my direction. To my horror, she dissapeared into the bush.
Jamie and I looked at each other booted our horses into gallops, hollering for Scout. Galloping, it turned out was a great decision. Scout, unable to resist a good horse race, came bolting out of the bush to see if she could beat Dirt Face and Panda, who we swung in the direction of the barn. We got the horses stopped, and feeling sooo lucky that my dog was back, I dismounted to close the gate and hug Scouter. I had barely stepped to the ground when we heard it. The creepiest sound filled the silence between the animal's heavy breathing and my panicked heart. It was the coyote! He was back and he was "calling Scout out!" He continued to beckon for her, trying desperatly to lour her towards him and probably his pack. I managed to snag Scout's collar just as she figured out she was being challenged. With Jamie's help, I got one of Dirt's reins untied, secured it to Scout's leash and led her strait to the house where the owner of the Farm was frantically locking up her own dogs!
Those coyotes are NOT afraid of you!

1 comment:

Country Girl said...

Ooooh!!! I've always known that - refused to believe that tale they tell us to lull us into false feelings of safety.

Once I got surrounded while I was out in the field working dogs. Scared!!! Had the dog hustling the sheep back to the corral while I ran - charged the coyotes with my stock cane - trying to give Bella some back up!


Sooooo scarey! Glad all is okay!