Chore time. Eager to help, Kate, the young dog, was attentive to my every move. Just reaching toward a gate assured me of a vibrant blue and tan dog at-the-ready, anxious to put crowding sheep and calves to the back of the stall so I could feed.

I dragged the heavy 10’ steel gate, off one hinge, open just enough to slip in with hay for the cow and calf. The Simmental cow started crowding me. Suddenly, there was Kate. The 1000 pound cow backed off.

As the cow lowered her head Kate met her charge. In giving ground for the second round she had to back out the narrow gate opening - no where else to go. Just inside, I, too, had no where to go. Stepping quickly toward the gate I was caught by the cow's second charge. A body slam against the wall, my kidney area just missing the iron latch protrusion.

Crucial to the situation, the dog stayed back when told. The cow backed off. I was lucky. Not because I made the right moves, but because I had only taken two off-center hits from a cow that was only warning the dog. There are several worse scenarios that come to mind.

It was a solid-sided stall except for the gate which was off it's hinges. Once inside there was no where to go. How easily myself or the dog could have been seriously or fatally injured because of carelessness or lack of foresight on my part.