James
and Kevin had just chased a steer to the end of the arena in a
fruitless attempt to head and heel the crafty critter. James had lost
his hat during the run so Kevin stopped to pick it up for his heeler. He
hung his loop and coils over the horn and swang off. Well, not quite
off. As his right boot cleared the cantle, it hooked the loop.
As
in a lot of near-death experiences, Kevin remembered very distinctly
seeing the rope around his ankle as he neared the ground. He kicked,
meaning to shed the snare, but instead, he stuck his toe into Buck’s
flank!
In
that split second he thought to himself, “It’s a good thing I’m on ol’
Buck. A less seasoned horse would spook.” Buck, of course, was
thinkin’, “Whoa! What was that!” He spooked and was goin’ flat out in
three jumps!
Down the arena they went! Kevin
did a couple of half gainers and managed to put a nice figger eight
between his boot and the saddle horn!
He
sat like a man on a sled tryin’ to pry the loop off his foot as he
bounced along on his pockets, feet in the air, hands on the rope,
leaving a trail through the arena dirt like someone draggin’ a sack of
watermelons down a sand dune!
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