As I was out in the back field helping to set up, I saw the cutest goat.
A little girl who belonged to one of the rodeo hands was dancing around and playing with the goat.
Me: "What is the goat's name?"
Dancing Girl: "He don't gots no name."
Me: "Awww. Poor goat. Everyone deserves a name."
Dancing Girl: "Well, I call him Goaty. You can call him Goaty, too."
During the rodeo, the trainer explained specifics about rodeo life. Suddenly, I noticed someone running to poor Goaty.
I watched in horror
Holy Goat Roping! I think I would be scared to death if someone four times bigger than me were running up to me (while I was already tied to a tether) to flip me to the ground and tie my legs together. Several thoughts went rolling through my head.
Who would want that job of getting tied up? Did Goaty audition for the part? Does Goaty get *special* feed to compensate for the humiliation??
I'm going to put a picture of Goaty in my office to remind me to be thankful of everything my job has to offer. At least no one is knocking me to the ground with a rope clenched between their teeth.
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34 comments:
Oh Beth. You just articulated the horror. I grew up in Montana - and was not so rodeo-ey- anyway, in college, I dated a pro-rodeo guy - and had to actually GO to a rodeo. I was horrified for the poor animals - they have GOT to be scared. I plotted to set them all free.
I'm not cut out for a farm.
That is one beautiful goat!
While reading this, the image that instantly came to my mind was the scene in Jurassic Park where they staked a goat out for bait. I KNOW! What an awful thought on my part. But as I've gotten older, I've just turned against exploiting animals... period. Poor Goaty.
some days you are the goat...some days you are the cowboy...i try tokeep this in mind when i work with employees too...i can either release them and equip them, or keep them tied up...great post.
Poor, poor, goaty! Maybe they should name him ropey????
I think he SO needs a name.
More than the getting knocked down, for me it would be hell to be tied down all the time. Live with a rope tied to my neck?
Seems sorta sad for the little girl, sounds like she doesn't get to school much.
I like the way Brian Miller commented.
Poor, poor Goaty!!
But girl, I bet you've met a parent or two you wouldn't mind doing that to - come on - admit it.
I won't tell :-)
And when kids get sent to your office for being lil' sh*ts, you can picture THEM as Goaty!!!
Oh, my - PETA's going to be all over this like a, er, rope on a goat.
Michel - My grandparents have a farm but they never roped up goats. Instead they raised cattle. For beef. I don't even want to think about how the poor cows ended up. At least they weren't knocked down and roped up when they were living.
Gaston Studios - I totally forgot about the sacrificial goat in Jurassic Park! How awful! We should start a world wide campaign for goat rights.
Brian - Great analogy! Personally, I prefer being the cowboy.
Mom on a Spin - Ropey?! I was thinking more along the lines of Free Bird.
Vodka Mom - I agree! How about Mimosa? Something good for you, something fun, and you can have it before 5 pm and no one points and laughs.
Techno Babe - The little girl told me she was in 1st grade and she was home schooled. Come to think of it, all the rodeo folk had some grammar issues.
Em - Actually, I took copious notes...
Jules - Ha! I'd rather rope up some of the parents. :)
Jan - Good one! Actually, by the end of the rodeo, Goaty was almost laying down before the wranglers got to him. I was waiting for him to hold his legs up for the rope. He must be a smart goat.
Kinda makes me want to rope the wranglers and free Goaty.
I've seen this done to calves and felt so sorry for them.
Aw, poor Goaty! We should get him into the Witness Goatection Program. We'll change his name (because, really, is he married to the idea of "Goaty"?) and set him up in a place where the buffalo roam and those goat rustlers will never find him.
"someone four times bigger than me were running up to me (while I was already tied to a tether) to flip me to the ground and tie my legs together."
Do you realize what I could say???!!! hahahahaha!(perverted grin)
Poor Goaty! I feel sorry for him and his companion goats.
blognut - I KNOW! We should totally tie up the wranglers.
Psuedo - It was sad to watch. I wonder who had this sick idea in the first place.
Nanny Goats in Panties - I knew I could count on you for the rights of goats.
otin - Uh, um... pervert.
K13 - I KNOW! I felt sorry for Goaty, too. But I could think of a few grown ups that I would like to see in Goaty's place.
Isn't there a way we could stack the deck in Goaty's favor somehow? Maybe grease the rope?
Uh-oh...don't tell Nanny Goats in Panties that...
:)
I never did understand the whole rodeo thing. I grew up in Vegas and the rodeo is there every year and I could never watch the ropings.
Well that's a whole new way to look at my job. I'll have to remember that tomorrow. I may have to come back here to remind myself.
Your picture of Goaty will have the caption "Don't let anyone get your goat", right?
I have rodeo issues in general. It seems cruel to me.
I know a rodeo has its place in farm life, but to rope an animal that is TETHERED - that's just cruel. There oughta be a law.
My memory may be getting bad, but I'm pretty sure I've had some days in the office where there WAS someone knocking me to the ground with a rope clenched between their teeth.
And none of them looked at cute as the cowboy in your picture
Comedy Goddess - Or perhaps we could cut the rope...
Braja - Nanny Goats in Panties and I are going to join forces to campaign for the rights of all the goats in the land.
Funny Girl - The ropings are a cruel way to show power over another creature.
Smart Mouth Broad - That's what I thought!
Chris - You are very clever. Are you sure you and my husband are related? This sounds just like him.
Jason - It IS cruel! Maybe this could be the new test to use to judge our friends.
Leslie - I KNOW! Where is the sport in that?
Rita - Wow! Where do you work? Remind me NOT to apply there.
So true. Plus, your name is better than Goaty's.
Poor goatie. Where's PETA when you need them? ;)
Holy Goat Roping! You've just introduced me to a new swear!
I scanned the comments...
I can not believe PETA is not onto this whole goat show!! Too funny.
You do live in Georgia, don't you! Goat rodeos and all.
I had goat curry the other night. It was...goaty.
Thrilled to hear that your step-daughters are at my alma mater, by the way. Finest university in the South.
should that last sentence end with the word "yet"?? Sounds like a tough crew ya got there :D
Did you have a counselor on hand as a therapeutic intervention for the traumatized kids?
You love your job, right?
Oh, my. Poor goat. All that abuse and without even a name...
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