Memories of Riverside Ranch

The Bull Pen

Bev

On the ranch there was a pen back of all the other corrals we called the bull pen because all the new bulls were put there to become accustomed to the ranch. In the pen was a lean-to shed with an open front and a hay crib three-fourths of the way around it. The roof was sloped and covered with aluminum and was a great place to slide down into the hay that was stacked in the crib for the bulls. Mom and daddy told all of us kids repeatedly to stay away from the bull pen because you couldn't trust a bull. They are unpredictable and could easily hurt a little kid. Of course, we didn't listen to them and spent many hours sliding and rolling off that roof.
One time nobody wanted to go to the shed, so I went by myself. I thought I would slide and roll for a time and get out before the bulls came back to eat. Boy, was I ever wrong. After hours of playing, I finally decided it was time to leave. When I looked around, all the bulls were standing around the crib eating. They chewed and looked at me and chewed some more. Boy, was I scared. It looked like every bull in the world was there. How was I going to get out of there without a bull chasing and trampling me? I crept over to the south side so that when I was ready I could climb out of the crib and run as fast as I could to the corral fence and over into the lane. It took me several tries to work up the courage. I finally steeled myself and then before I knew it I was out of the crib and running like the wind. I scrambled up over the corral fence and into the lane where I stood panting and shaky. I looked at the bulls. A few of them were looking at me curiously but the rest were still eating. I guess they were more interested in filling their bellies than trampling a naughty little girl who wouldn't mind her parents. I never went to that bull pen alone again.