Around here the saying is:
"LIFE IS LIKE A GOAT'S HEAD CAUGHT IN A FENCE"
For those who have the privilege to live with goats or sheep you will know what I am talking about, but for those who are deprived of that honor here is what that looks like.
Your in the house and you hear a sad cry from the fence line - you look out and there is (fill in the name) in my case it is Maggie. Yes, for the billion and two times she has decided that the blade of grass on the other side of the fence must be better then the two trillion in her pasture... So for those of us who thought we where smart and spent a small fortune of graduated fencing just to keep this type of problem from happening you see yet again she has placed her head through the smallest of openings. It is always amazing to me how easy it is to go through but coming back their heads must have gotten bigger. Now, we give her a bit of time to figure it out - who are we kidding she is not going to figure it out... All the other sweet ones do but Maggie is one of those that once her head is through she believes it is there forever and she is determined to make it so.... Sound like anyone you know???
So, after a fair amount of time I know that I will have to go out there. This is not a happy task because unlike my other smart goats Maggie will now fight me tooth and nail to make sure I can not get her head out.. Smart Girl!!! Again does this remind you of anyone???
Well, today she managed to put her head through an additional fence panel I put up hoping to train the little goat kids not to do what this adult did - Great Roll Model! After struggling with her for nearly 45 minutes trying all the tricks I have learned over the years - none of them working with this Wise One - I had to start undoing the fence line. Yep, you read that right - boy was I pissed... Once getting it all undone now I had to deal with this heavy panel and the silly goat. After looking like some poorly written slapstick movie with every goat girl trying to get involved, a few even got there heads in the openings (personally I think they where just trying to show Maggie that they are smarter and could get their own heads out)but stopped it once I yelled at them. Finally, after another half hour I managed to free her. She did not even thank me - rather she gave me that look like "I could have done it myself Mom if you only gave me two days and a bunch of hair missing".. Now this surely must remind you of someone who is very close to you, perhaps even dare I say the person looking back at you in the mirror!!
So, after all that I had to rewire the fence panel and walk back to the house dripping wet. I HATE being outside in this heat and then having to do rodeo goat work is even worse. I would love to say she has learned her lesson but we all know that is not true. I admit this is her one flaw - I love her dearly but do you have someone in your life like Maggie?
Here is how I apply Maggie's reasoning to my own: Have you ever done something over and over and over again - only to get the same results. You can not quite let yourself try something new or let someone else help you through it because you keep thinking this time the results will be different? Think about it!!! I sure do... That is why I tell folks that I learn so much from my sweet four legged family members if I just give myself a chance... Yes, I too can be very much like Maggie - that is why I have such understanding for her ways - really she believe the next time will be different...
So, WHAT IS YOUR HEAD IN THE FENCE ISSUE ?????
5 comments:
What, no pics?! We used to have a llama that would do that, over and over and over. He would push his head through and then just stand there and whine about his predicament. I finally just started using the opportunity to put his halter on and off, on and off, on and off, then would snap a lead rope on the halter, run it back through the hole in the fence, go to the other side and pull him back through. It did two things, he learned to not be head shy and he learned that putting the halter on is no big deal. He did not, however, learn not to put his head through the fence. He did, however, finally figure out how to pull it out on his own. Fortunately llamas don't have horns to get in the way and prevent an easy extrication!
Grace, I think i can be just a stubborn over the wrong things just like Maggie sometimes! Then again with the girls, they are a lot like Maggie! I can't tell you how many times I tell them to put their shoes on before they go outside so they don't get a splinter or something in their foot and how many times I am pulling a thorn or sticker out of those bare feet! We need pics next time!
Hi Grace! You make me laugh so hard! I have to say I am probably as stubborn as a goat, even though I've never really thought of myself that way until today...I think my curiousity gets me stuck sometimes...down the same old road. We all need someone determined like you in our lives to pull us out!
great story Grace!
I should get pictures but when you are in the throws of dealing with silly things I completely forget. Besides I worry the camera might get broken with all the whirling about - you know this Graceful Grace.
I am as guilty as Maggie - I keep thinking if I just press on even when it is not working that with sheer might it will work out... Silly Grace!!
I love Brenda the halter training - I have been known to do toenails before I get you out. I never have to worry about the goats who have the big horns it is the one's with the little horns that can slip their heads thru.
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