Teamwork in fencing

There is no doubt that work can be so fun when individuals team up to be productive together.

A neighbor called me to see if I would share the cost of a new ¼-mile fence and go in half on labor and materials. I suggested that we do it the old-fashioned way and sweat together on it like people used to do. Between our modern schedules, we were actually able to pull it off and get it done together. We took down various parts of the old fence separately a few days earlier. I tied a horse I was training to nearby trees and took fencing pliers from a saddlebag to help dismantle the fence.

I used my mare, Holly, to toboggan a post pounder and a modified lawnmower handle (two handles together to make it long enough to unroll barbed wire on horseback) to the fence site. After I unrolled the first wire with Holly, Neighbor and I pounded posts in with two post drivers. Neighbor’s wife marked out the 12-foot spacing for the posts by laying six-foot posts out and had posts ready to pound to keep two post pounders busy. I had Holly with me the whole time, so she was able to give me a ride back while the others walked when we were done.

It was close to dark when we started the posts so we thought we would not get very far, but we finished them while we could still see. Mid-morning the next day, Holly and I unrolled wire while everyone else stretched and clipped it to the posts – Neighbor and his wife, her father and their kids and my wife, April, all worked together. April made lunch for everyone, and I relayed out my Holly for my gelding, Buddy, for the after lunch finale.

We felt so rich with this experience together. Teamwork between neighbors and teamwork between horses and humans is sure a taste of heaven on earth. Especially after hearing so many horror stories of freeloading, selfish, too-busy neighbors not caring about the other neighbor.

Last month my column talked about problems stopping horses. I should mention that the mentor I gave credit to, really bothered me when he demoted me in the class I was in because I was not aware of the position of my horse’s feet. I was not only bothered, I was down right depressed, and angry. A few years later I thanked him for motivating me to learn what I now call the “Jesus Christ principle.” That is to be so aware of where my horse’s feet are, it is as though I have become a horse, thinking about  how God himself came down and became a man – that is the man Jesus Christ.   

The true Christian is so much more empowered because they do not blame others for their problems as we humans are so prone to doing. The true horseman is so much more empowered because they realize it is them who needs fixing. Therefore they can actually spend more time learning and growing, rather than pointing fingers and complaining.

Mike Daniels is a horsemanship trainer and barefoot trimming specialist from Raymondville. Email: rlhorse58@yahoo.com.