Forget World Cup Cat Show Jumping, Now We're Jumping Cows...

Recently I wrote a post about my daughter trying to teach our cats to jump her Breyer jumps after being inspired by a video on You Tube.  Forget cats, they're yesterday's news.  Actually, since you've probably already seen the You Tube video of Luna, the Jumping Cow, this may be yesterday's news! However, in case you've been living under a rock, or on vacation like yours truly, here's the backstory: When Bavarian teenager Regina Mayer's parents told her what many parents tell their little girls (To my way of thinking, No, you may NOT have a horse sounds worse in a Sgt. Schultz-style German accent) she resourcefully did the next best thing and taught one of their cows how to act like a horse.  She grooms the cow, rides the cow, and even jumps the cow over fences made out of beer crates and logs.

There were those who were surprised that cows could jump.  Not me. I knew cows could jump.  I knew this because one day while I was hiking out with two friends who were on horseback, we inadvertently (I swear!) annoyed a very large cow who decided to teach the impudent young humans a lesson.  She let out a bellow, a pissed off snort and with about two steps cleared a three foot wire fence and set off after us.  My one friend's horse went straight up in the air, swapped ends while airborne, came down and lit out for home like his tail was on fire.  Thankfully the other horse was less nimble and much slower, which gave me enough time to do something I'd never done before and have not been able to manage since, mount a horse without aid of stirrup, mounting block, or leg up.  I think I got a hand on the saddle and foot on his hock, somehow dragged my terrified butt up behind my friend and held on for dear life as we took off for bovine-free environs.

So, I knew cows could jump, but not that they could be ridden.  Bull riding does not seem to count, as the bulls clearly object to the whole process and the riding rarely lasts more than the 8 seconds required for the ride to be official.  I'd thought Regina had a pretty darn unique idea.  I mean, heck, as a child I'd desperately wanted a horse, but despite being surrounded by farms full of dairy cows, never thought to saddle one up.  However, it seems quite a few folks have had similar notions, although none seem to have executed as well as Rachel and Luna.

This one seems a wee bit young to be backed...

Would You Believe A Rising Trot, No Less!

Bovine Barrel Racing

(I had to watch this one twice before I realized they were going around barrels

not just wandering around the ring.)

I think we should introduce Luna and Jackson.  We could start a whole new breed of riding cows.