Ropes an Ox

But Reb held his ground. He had his Stetson pulled down firmly over his forehead, and his light blue eyes gleamed with excitement. As the small herd thundered toward him, Reb spotted what he wanted—two yearlings, big enough for trouble but not monstrous like the fullgrown animals.

The four adults charged past. Reb sidestepped neatly and let them go, but he kept his eye on the two younger animals. When they were even with him, he swung the vine rope over his head, and when the larger of the two flashed by, he let fly with his lariat.

The loop spread wide. It opened up in front of the animal’s legs.

Reb knew there would be a hard jolt, so when the loop closed, he dug in his heels. If he’d gotten the animal around the neck, he would have been dragged along, but the noose closed on the yearling’s front legs. Although it jerked Reb to the ground, the animal fell, uttering a series of piercing snorts.

Reb was pulled along several feet, but he let out a wild, “Yippee, I got him!” and scrambled to his feet.

He ran to the ox, which was struggling to get up, and sat on its head. “You just set there, young feller,” he said. “I got plans for you.”