Horn weights for Polled Herefords

Have you ever had fun at someone else's expense?  Someone did on me.

black, brown, mixed up

 Notice two cows have no horns but they probably were born with horns and were de-horned at an early age.  The Holstein cow on the right has short stubby horns, no horn weights needed.

Horned Hereford - notice the horns

When I was about 10 or 11we went to Ponca (Ponca City, Oklahoma for those who just don't know where Ponca is) where my mom sent me to a store where you could purchase horn weights.  Now for you who are stupid enough not to know what that is (actually I don't expect 1 in 100 to know) horn weights are used to train horns on a bull or cow (do I need to explain boy or girl?) so that when the horns grow they have an appropriate curve so they will look nice and not be as dangerous.  That is kinda like you getting a hair cut to make you look good if that is possible.  Ask your other.

Now when I went into the store I asked the person who seemed in charge where I could find the horn weights.  He told me that depends on whether the bull or cow was polled.  I did not want to seem stupid so I said they were polled.  There were about three other men watching from a distance and they were having a good time of which I did not know why.  Anyway he took me to the back of the store and showed me the weights and I picked some up and went to the front of the store and paid.  When I got home I asked dad about those polled Herefords and he informed me polled meant that they were bred to not have horns at all. Not even when they were born did they have even the nubs for horns.  I was humiliated.  I wish I could say this is the first and last time I said or did something stupid but it was and is NOT.

What did I learn from this:
a. don't be prideful
b. laugh at yourself and don't take yourself so seriously
c. get even, just kidding.

Have a great day.
Thanks for  your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com