Horns and Hammocks Don't Mix!

Okay, let me back up for a minute to infill the story.  Looked out the window one day to see two equines in the back pasture.  Normally not a bad thing, since we have two horses here.  Unfortunately, these two weren't ours as our Arabs were in the front pasture at that time.

The interlopers - one mule and one gray horse.

I just love watching mules' gaits!

Well, crapola!  I had to figure out to whom they belonged and how to get them back!  I went for a drive, hoping to locate the property that backs up to the rear of our place (woods, fences and a creek do not make for well-known neighbors).  After going into some remote places from the other side of things, leaving notes, talking to some folks, I returned home without success.  By this time, our Neighbor Across the Street hollered to me and asked whether we had added a mule and a horse to our stock.  Seems the scamps had made it all the way around the pond to the front pasture and had been tearing it up with our two horses.  I explained the situation to him, saying I didn't feel comfortable meandering through the woods to see if I could find their proper home.  He volunteered to go with me (after collecting his handgun, I might add.  This is Texas, after all...)

We went back through the brush and woods, crossed the mostly-dry creek where we found their tracks, and could tell from whence they came.  By the time we crossed into their property, we were greeted by several other mules, horses, foals, hogs and cattle.  Well, heckfire!  How are we going to get the other two back over to rejoin this mess of animals in an overgrazed, junked-up area when they've just crossed over into 'the promised land' of green grass?

While looking things over (and seeing no sign of an actual residence or person), we noticed a longhorn bull up close to a fence.  He was hog-tied between two trees - horn-tied, actually.  Seems these folks decided a hammock in the woods would make a nice place to rest.  Unfortunately, Mr. Longhorn had gotten his horns looped into the ropes, then wound around until the hammock support stick was lashed to his forehead.  Well, dangitalltohell!

I was ever-so-grateful for my Neighbor Across the Street.  We fetched a few cutting tools from the barn, then returned to the longhorn (and all of his equine, bovine, and porcine friends).  After a few very worried snorts, head-tosses, and wild-eyed panicked looks, Mr. Longhorn agreed to let Neighbor approach and cut one of the ropes from one tree.

Sensing freedom, he immediately backed away from the fence and started yanking away at his remaining tether.

Neighbor leaned half-way through the fence (while Mr. Dancing Bull moved around) and was able to cut the remaining rope from the second tree.

Once that rope was cut, Mr. Longhorn took off like a batouttahell, towing that hammock behind him like a sail!  This, of course, riled up ALL the other livestock.  As he ran, all the others joined in with neighs, brays, moos and squeals, all running around like possessed creatures!  Lo and behold, who couldn't resist the excitement?  The two interlopers came back through the woods, crossed the creek, up into their area and rejoined their homies!  Hallelujah!

Neighbor and I did our best to set the fence upright and repair some of the wiring to the posts propped across the creek.  But something tells me, it won't be the last time we have uninvited visitors from across the creek.  But hopefully it'll be the last of horns and hammocks...