You may remember that we got a new window for the RV, under warranty, a couple of months ago. At the same time, a problem with a second window was realized, but Newmar (the company that made the coach) said it could be fixed by banging the window with a hammer and a couple of 2x4's. I am not kidding. Well, needless to say, banging with a hammer didn't work. (Why am I not surprised?)
The result was - we ordered a new window, also under warranty, and had it sent to Paso Robles for installation. Paso Robles is inland from Morro Bay, about 20 minutes away. We spent the greater part of a day at the service department while the window was installed, but had free time in the evening.
Lee likes to scope things out ahead of time, so after dinner we drove to Atascadero to make sure the Chevron station there, with diesel pumps, would be accessible for the RV. We drove through so Lee could figure out the easiest way to enter and exit the station. Yes, he does this whenever the opportunity presents itself. He likes to plan ahead as much as possible.
On the way back to the RV park, we decided to stop, at the spur of the moment, at the county fairgrounds where some kind of horse show was going on. We discovered it was a Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association Derby. There were very few people in the stands, possibly because the big night will be Friday night, when the best of the best compete. We watched for quite awhile - so unexpected and so much fun! I love serendipity.
In the photo below, the white cow towards the left is being "cut" from the herd by the horseman and horse in the middle. The cows on the right are saying, "What the ???"
The horses are amazingly attuned to the cattle, and do a sort of dance, back and forth, following the cow's every move. The rider and horse start by approaching the cattle slowly:
The cow that is to be cut from the herd is selected and separated from the others:
And finally, the dance begins:
The rider guides the horse in choosing which cow to separate from the herd, but once a single cow is "cut", it is up to the horse to keep it singled out. The rider drops the reins, and lets the horse go to work. The best horses anticipate the cow's next move, and respond instantly. These horses are very athletic - they get low to the ground and move with an amazing quickness. It is fascinating to watch.
I took a video with my iPhone, but unfortunately, after numerous attempts, could not upload it to YouTube. ~sigh~ When I figure it out, I may add it to another post.
