Funny but not so funny story

[Cross-7]

My cousin backed up to the barn to load out calves. He slid the back gate on the trailer open.
He loaded up a group of calves and slid the gate closed, but the handle hit the gate post and he couldn't pin it, so he was going to pull-up and close it.
He pulled up and went to close and pin it, but the horses came up and got out.
He caught them and put them back but forgot about the gate on the trailer.
He took off and was doing about 65 mph and looked in the mirror and a calf had his head out the gate looking out.
He stomped the brakes but it was too late one bailed out at 65 mph.
He said he hit the pavement and slide forever and finally come to a stop, then took off running.
He turned around and went back and saddled up a horse and gathered and roped the calf.
He said he didn't have to pull the calf in, he just ran and jumped in the trailer
He got to the sale barn and unloaded and the guy tagging them came to the one with no hair on one side and looked at him funny.
My cousin said don't ask !
The guy said OK and went on tagging

I haven't heard what he brought but a calf bald on one side probably didn't sell well ;-)

 

[Jogeephus]

He should have gone back and loaded the horses and carried them to the barn.

 

[Brute 23]

Glad it wasn't that bad.

A couple years ago I had to put a couple cattle down on the side of the highway for some people. It was a mess. Simular situation with the gate but theirs broke. Dumped some out that weren't going to make it. It was sale day. Another tuck stopped and had room on their trailer so they loaded the couple remainders. Neither had a gun.

I take a piece of rope and tie every gate shut before I take off. One, there aren't any gate latches that I trust. Two, it's a check off to show that each gate has been secured. I always do a check before I hit pavement also... gate latches, tow chains, hitch, tires ect.

Between having a couple trailers come off when I was younger and that other deal it's had a lasting impression.

 

[Lazy M]

A guy I know that hauls for folks actually developed a check off form for his loads. He keeps a clip board in his glove box. Seems kind of silly until you hear of stories like this.

 

[Craig Miller]

I always stop just as soon as I'm out of the pasture to check everything too. That's how I found the trailer floor had fell out. I'm always afraid the gate won't be latched. A buddy did the same thing when he was hauling some goats. Luckily none of them bailed out on him. He made it all the way to the sale and another guy was pulling in behind and stopped him to close the gate before they got out.

 

[skyhightree1]

He should have gone back and loaded the horses and carried them to the barn.

\

I definitely agree with that Jo.. However, I did the same this year but was just moving them to pastures locally and something told me to stop and check the trailer sure enough a calf was looking out the gate slid all the way open but I guess he didn't mind riding and never tried to get out. Talk about your heart dropping that would have been a mess.

 

[farmerjan]

Had a similiar experience, my son worked at one of the local stockyards and it was late getting done and coming home. He found one gate opened and one of 3 cows he was hauling missing. Got a call from a friend at the stockyard, state police had called with a report of a loose cow along the interstate. Turned around went 45 min back up there; it was the cow he had bought. They finally got it cornered with a couple of gates he had taken with him; got her loaded and brought home. She had several large bare spots on her side and hip. Three days later she calved and it was live and she raised it. We called her roadburn and it was a real wakeup to me to be extra careful of making sure the gates are secured. We were lucky on that one.

 

[Bigfoot]

A guy I know that hauls for folks actually developed a check off form for his loads. He keeps a clip board in his glove box. Seems kind of silly until you hear of stories like this.

Doesn't sound silly to me.

 

[Lazy M]

A guy I know that hauls for folks actually developed a check off form for his loads. He keeps a clip board in his glove box. Seems kind of silly until you hear of stories like this.

Doesn't sound silly to me.

Me either.
As I recall his sheet covers everything down to double checking all the tire pressures after the trailer is loaded. He reviews the sheet with the person that he is hauling for before he takes off and asks them to initial it. I've heard others razz him about it, but when I need help hauling he's the first one I call.

 

[Brute 23]

A guy I know that hauls for folks actually developed a check off form for his loads. He keeps a clip board in his glove box. Seems kind of silly until you hear of stories like this.

Doesn't sound silly to me.

Me either.
As I recall his sheet covers everything down to double checking all the tire pressures after the trailer is loaded. He reviews the sheet with the person that he is hauling for before he takes off and asks them to initial it. I've heard others razz him about it, but when I need help hauling he's the first one I call.

:nod: That's who I would call.

For those of us that do it at work all the time it's second nature.

 

[Dave]

I had an over grown roping steer somehow get turned around and jump out of a two horse trailer. I had his head tied to the front of the trailer but he broke the rope. I was doing about 50 when he jumped. He had hide missing on all four corners. He was dazed enough that I pulled the trailer up to him and just pushed him back in.
A couple years ago a cattle trailer pulled out of one of the neighbors ahead of me. As I caught up to it seemed like the door was partially open. As I got closer I realized a black steer was standing there looking at me. I started flashing my lights. They stopped at a stop sign and I raced up along side the truck and yelled at them that the back door was open. Amazing how fast that old gal jumped out and ran to the back of the trailer. She got there in time before anyone decided to jump out. Another mile and she would have been on the freeway.