Did you ever want to ride a cow?
My mom wants to ride one—or really a steer, that is.
She’s raising two calves to ride: Aiah (he’s a Jersey-Holstein) and Ludo (Ludo is a water buffalo). Other cattle breeds>>
They both already know how to stand tied and to lead and Aiah will be old enough to train ride this fall. Mom plans to start ground training Aiah soon.
Riding cows (and steers) is nothing new.
Mom has antique photos of people riding them, like this postcard picture of Bobby, the famous trick-trained steer.
She’s also inspired by other people who ride cattle like Texas Longhorn steers and Hazel, the Swiss riding cow (watch video below).
Cows can do all kinds of neat things beside give milk and get make into beef for folks who eat meat.
In Japan, at Ebino City’s annual Cow Jumping Festival, cows jump 20-inch hurtles while wearing traditional regalia and they’ve been doing it for 300 years!
According to Wikipedia, “Participants pray that the gods will notice this display of [the jumping cows’] energy and health and protect their livestock.”
Cattle owners in Japan and Switzerland hold events where specially trained cattle shove and push each other around an area without drawing blood.
In the Swiss combats de reines ("queen fights"), Eringer cows have been doing it since 1923. In Japanese Togyu contests, bulls do the pushing and shoving.
Everybody knows about oxen but did you know you can drive just one cow or steer to a cart or buggy?
Yes, you can!
Cattle are smart. You just need to know what makes cows tick. And they’re affectionate too—just ask my mom and dad—at least as affectionate as horses.
When Aiah and Ludo are happy, they like to lick my mom. They also lick visitors who come to see them.
Hazel, the Swiss riding cow
So stick around. As mom trains Aiah, I’ll blog about it.
You can go along for the ride!
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