Nelly is a standard size Jersey heifer. This picture of her was taken in early summer. She has grown a lot since then.
Today, Nelly was really naughty. Actually, Nelly started being naughty Sunday!
Mike had left a truck parked just out of reach of the cows in the front pasture with beautiful, green hay stacked on it. Nelly quickly learned how easy it was to step over the electric wire and help herself to the the hay! Once she found out how easy it was, we have not been able to keep her inside the fence in the front pasture. I can't put her in the back pasture because the bull is there and I don't want her to get bred yet.
Every chance Nelly could get, she would go outside the fence and eat the grass in the yard or the pears from the tree. During the day, rather than chase her all day, I have been keeping her locked in a smaller area and working with her to try to train her a bit. She has been doing really well and has been very responsive and gentle.
When I woke up this morning, naughty Nelly was walking around the house eating the grass in the yard. Mike and I drove her into a little fenced in area at the water trough while I milked the cows. Nelly was not happy to be put by herself, but by the time I finished milking and mucking the barns she had got over it. I put the lead on her and walked her over to her daytime paddock. She was as nice as can be.
After milking this evening, I thought I would just put Nelly in our new little stable for the night and then turn her out in the morning. She went in nicely and ate her hay but when she finished eating she turned around and just hopped right over the bottom section of the Dutch door and suspended herself midway. She sat there for what seemed like an eternity with her frontside out and her backside in! I couldn't move! I was trying to figure out how I was going to get her off the door when she just pushed with her back legs and on over she went!
What a naughty, naughty girl!