It had been a long process getting some corrals rebuilt after tearing them out and changing the design. I’d worked on the project every time I had some time and was making progress, though it was slow. All of the railroad ties were set and the west side of the leadup alley to the squeeze chute was done, leaving the east side to be completed and the alley gates built and hung. The ties were set four feet apart in the alley, so getting the 16 foot, 2 x 8 roughcut planks inside the alley posts was quite a job by myself. I’d drag one in lengthwise, then lay it on the ground and start my wood screws into the ends. Holding the plank up to get the plank screwed to the post was challenging to say the least and occasionally I had been talking to myself a little about it. It was an unseasonably hot September day as I was working on the alley. Sweat was running in my eyes as I crouched in that alley with the sun blazing down on me and no breeze to cool me off. I was muttering to myself about the situation and wishing I had my grownup son home for a day to help me, but that was wishful thinking as he was hundreds of miles away at his job in the oilfield. The dogs had even abandoned me and were shaded up over by the hay shed. Some help they were. Working dogs indeed, I wasn’t seeing them hit a lick on this project. It was me and my cordless driver drill sweating alone in that alley. Due to the project being in the building stage, it had three corrals opened up with no gates hung. It wasn’t any big deal as the only thing in the corrals was the stud and he was over on the other side of the barn eating hay at a manger. Kind of like the dogs, he wasn’t any help either. I was down on my knees, straddling the plank as I was driving the long wood screws into it. Sweat kept dripping onto my glasses, so I was having to look hard as I drove in the screws. Suddenly, it got a whole bunch warmer. Like there was a heater on my back.Then, much to my surprise, a big black head was between my head and the driver drill. It was the stud, Boston. A big black horse radiates heat like a hot coal fire, and boy he was sure radiating. His chest was right above and a bit behind my head, his neck nearly pressing on my head, as he examined what I was doing with his nose. I stopped what I was doing, seeing as he was in the way, and wiped the sweat off my face. He looked the box of screws over, nibbled at the drill, sniffed everything, then lifted his head and breathed his very warm breath on my face. I couldn’t get up as he had me kind of trapped, with his feet against the soles of my shoes and his head in my face. Finally, someone had come to see if I needed any help. Too bad he didn’t have thumbs and fingers so I could put him to work! Apparently he’d come into the corrals behind me to get a drink and saw me. Always friendlier than a wet dog, Boston just knew I needed his companionship. So he’d stepped over the stack of 2 x 8s and straddled the one in the alley to come and see what I was up to. I crawled forward and stood up despite his head being totally in the way. Turning, I backed him out of the alley. After some petting, I tied a halter rope across the alley so he wouldn’t be quite as much help. Boston stayed and made sure he was in the way as I had to get planks and drag them in until I was done. He proved that there’s some difference between good help and willing help. I sure had to admire his willing attitude though. It sure beat working alone.
Jan was raised on a ranch in far western South Dakota. She grew up horseback working all descriptions of cattle, plus sheep and horses. After leaving home she pursued a post-graduate study of cowboying and dayworking in Nebraska, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota....
