A (very long) True Traditional Knife Story

I don't want to steal Sacto's thread or thunder, but I was redirected here by the boss. I thought to tell knife stories.
I will echo Sacto's remark above about "getting the job done quickly, and wasn't being smart or safe"
The reason I blame myself for my Ranger story above, and this next one.
I'll also note that the standard joke among my farrier buddies, when relating a horse wreck story
"It was a gentle horse, right?" You see, when the horses are gentle, human nature lets your guard down, and you get in a hurry.
I get a call from a new person, who just moved her horse to a private residence down the street.
It was a cold frosty morning, I met her there about 7:30am. I always insist that with first time new horses, the owner meets me there so I can scope out the situation.
I arrive, and the "squatty body" quarter horse is tied to the hitching rail. He looks heavy muscled, short, and hard to get under. Ugh.
Hitching rail is two railroad ties as posts, and about a 12' long, 3" metal pipe between them.
The owner wants to take off on her bicycle. I tell her to wait until I get a read on this horse, in case I need her to hold it for me.
Some horses just need a security blanket of a person standing by their head.
I do the front end, he's as "gentle" as can be, doesn't move; although I was right about being heavy. She's freezing her ass off standing there, and asks again if she can take off on her bike.
I say ok, she writes me a check, and leaves.
Mind you, I never checked out the hitching rail closely, or how he was tied. Dumb, and in a hurry. It's cold.
I get under the right hind, he's leaning on me. I kind of readjust my stance, as does he. He leans back a bit, and CRACK! Loud noise.
Spooked, he flies back with the pipe. Pipe hits me in the mid section ribs, knocks me down, and he takes off down the driveway with the pipe.
I get up and check out the situation. He's tied fairly short to the pipe, near the center, but not quite, so the pipe is not totally on the ground. Only one end at a time is.
As he swings the pipe around, it bounces end to end, up and down. Spooking himself more and more, he heads for the cars and trucks that line the driveway.
Heading for the street.
That pipe is looking like a big can opener.
I take off after him pulling my knife out of my pocket as I go. I talk to him. He's snorting, eyes bugging out of his head.
I have to get close enough to cut the rope, but in doing so, I'm in range of "the pipe"
There is a lot of tension on the rope, because the pipe is heavy. I slash, and it's over.
I go back up, tie him to a fence post and finish him. He's gentle.
I get the pipe, dump it by the split railroad tie post.
You see, the pipe did not go all the way through the railroad tie, It was just notched. Couple inches at most. I should have checked it. Also should not have had him tied, just looped.
The railroad tie was fairly old, so had started to split. His weight, leaning back, cracked it off.
Dumb, and in a hurry.
Next time the horse is due, the gal calls, and the first thing she says to me..
"What happened to the hitching rail? LOL!
I had a hard time taking a deep breath for a couple months after that.
Coulda been worse. I was lucky.
 
Not only, always carry a knife, but also, ensure it's a sharp one :D

I don't have much experience with farm animals as such but I have wary respect for them after being charged by what seemed to be a docile Sow. She suddenly changed and put on remarkable speed for her size :eek: I do keep a knife about me and one in the car, cars are potentially very dangerous and you never know when a knife could be a life-saver there.

Thanks, Will
 
@315 and @5K Qs - luckily not too many hazards in this field, just rolling grassland and some thistles here and there, not even any trees in this field. I hadn’t thought about it before your comments, but there are some powerline towers in the field. I suppose it could have ended a lot different.

The difference with dairy cows and beef cows is that dairy cows have a lot more regular, close contact with people, beef cows, not so much. So when you start getting close to beef cows it’s typically fight or flight for them. Especially if they’re in a vulnerable position like calving.

H HopalongCassidy - good stories, thanks for sharing. Definitely not stealing my thunder or the thread. I asked for people to share any similar experiences. I’ve found the key to getting out of some of these crazy situations with animals is staying calm, and it sounds like that’s your strategy also. Helps to have a knife in your pocket, too.
 
I may have jinxed myself telling this story. I had to pull a calf yesterday. That’s the heifer in the background cleaning off the calf a couple hours later.
PZG5e9r.jpg
 
I've never been in a situation where a knife has saved my life. I prefer to carry around a Leatherman when exploring the great outdoors, which tends to help saving myself from infections, by cutting long nails whilst in the bush, et cetera. It also helps with setting up tents and more. I can't justify bringing many different tools when I can have twenty-one tools in one piece. It's also better to say I'm carrying a tool and not a weapon.

There are some great stories in here. I had to look up many words because I'm a city kid! Due to the fact that I am a city kid, knives are mainly used for show-and-tell, and not for what they're meant for. Some kids who think they're cool threaten people with x-actos!
 
A great life’s story to tell the younger ones in time - that could have got real bad real quick and I am glad you and the Animals came out ok!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top