Bovine Quadraped

Well you may have thought that April was a bit quiet, but May has started with a bang. Jackie, my wife decided I needed a bit of exercise, now that the sciatica has subsided. So off we trotted on a 5 mile country run. After about 2 miles we sere heading uphill through a field of cattle. Jackie was in front, as usual, and was nearly at the top of the hill when one of the cows made a dash for her. Gasping and puffing as I was I couldn't make the ground up to intervene and had to watch as Jackie ran backwards with the cow getting closer. A wildly aimed kick and a scream were all that she could manage before falling backwards into a thorn hedge, and the cow backing off.

What provoked this attack from the normally docile cows of our parish? As she was running I could see that Jackie had inadvertently outflanked the grass muncher and had got between it and it's calf. Mothers and their children, how often we have heard it. Cows are no different, and fearing that Jackie had intentions of turning her youngest into a nice juicy steak to be served with onion rings and chips she made her move.

Mother and calf are doing well, with only mild shock. As for Jackie, she has badly bruised her thigh muscle and deeply scratched both legs. A lesson well learned though about how quick a cow can move, or should it be moo-ve, when provoked. I think she wants me to go back to the indoor treadmill next week.