Summer Rain

15: Just Alike.

I pail fed Whiskey while Malt was being pail fed by Axel. We milk the mother to get some of the milk. We did milk her for the nutrients in the twenty four hour colostrum milk to split between the two and some added antibiotic shots to try and keep these two guys healthy. I tried to convince Axel to stay and help me with the twins.

He didn't want to. Axel leaves right after he finishes with Malt today. I scratched Whiskey behind the ears before letting him go. It's been three months since their birth and I've seen certain personalities pop out at me. Both Memphis and Rome asked me the morning after their birth if I would like to be their girlfriend. Why not?

I got a call from them last night that they were not going to be rodeoing for the rest of the season to help my grandparents around the ranch while my main focus will be these foals. Their mother is perfectly fine. A month ago they took me to a rodeo hoping for me to see them compete, it started raining an hour before the rodeo and never let up. Only poured harder.

We stayed in the trailer for the most part. It was an absolute thunder and hail storm and I was snug between the two of them as they held me as close as they could. Yesterday both foals experienced their first downpour. Their mother kept them inside knowing they didn't need to be out in it. I finished up with the twin colts before giving the mare fresh water and cleaned the straw.

I then opened the door letting them out to explore. In less than ten minutes Axel was gone. Rome and Memphis will be here this afternoon. I went down the isle checking water buckets for those in their stalls and making sure they were cool. The sweet scent after an earth cleansing rain was heaven. I scratched Twist before going to the three year olds. My alarm was set for the next feeding.

I got my three year old and tacked him up. Then led him out of the barn. He's done good for me. This cowpony is ready to be introduced to cattle. I tied him to the arena fence before shoved some weened calves into the ring. He looked intrigued. I untied him leading him in. That gave me an idea. When I was done with him for the day, I checked on the twins before haltering some of the yearlings.

I took them out to the herd we had closest to the barn. They loved it. I got a brilliant idea for training. Get the horse used to cattle, he'll respond well instead of being curious about them. My three year old proved that. I put them up before went to find Grandpa. I told him about the idea. He agreed to it and said the hands can get started on a cattle ring. "We'd need the metal for it won't we?" I asked.

"You know what you want to do, plan it out, how big it needs to be, the openings, any water troughs, where the posts need to go, everything." He said. "Yes sir." I said before going to the area I wanted to do it. It was right by the arena. I walked a few paces stopping roughly fifty feet from the fence line. I pulled a flag from my pocket before going about the same distance from that flag. I flagged it before going for the tape measure. I spotted one of the hands asking him for help.

He followed and held the tape as I went to the flag. "Fifty two feet even." I said. "Whatcha thinking bout?" He asked. "A pen for yearlings to get used to cattle." I said. He nodded. I went to the other flag. "Sixty feet even." I said. He then went to the fence letting me measure. "Fifty two again." I said. "Think it should be moved farther out?" He asked. "We put a water trough up here on the cattle side, heifers and the cows will come up. We put a head hole for the yearlings, they'll get used to the cattle and the cattle won't care as much for them." I said. He nodded.

"I'll head into town for what we need. Boss said we're running low on feed." He said. "Go. Thank you for your help." I said. He nodded before leaving me to my thoughts. After a few minutes I went up to the barn to work with the twin foals. I put a halter on both of them before leading them. They're both eleven hands high already. I let them free out into the arena to run around. Jeez. They are muscular and gaining weight like it's nothing. I saw my boyfriends' truck pull in with their trailer in tow.

Knowing them, they'll be wondering where the foals and I have gone. I whistled to the two colts before clipping their leads on. I led them around letting them stretch their legs. I stopped in the shade to let them get a drink and graze a bit. I sat down among them. Whiskey's take to personality and Malt's sweet temperament. They're so similar to Rome and Memphis that I laugh, chuckle and shake my head at it.

I have no clue what they have in store for me. We haven't seen each other for a month and have barely been able to talk on the phone. I've been working to try and play catch up since the twins were born that I'm two weeks behind what I'm supposed to do. I guess the extra help will be worth it.