By Lee Ross
Mountain View Telegraph
A young man riding a longhorn steer on Old Route 66 is a sight worthy of a double take.
According to his owner, Cathy White, taking the passenger's seat on the steer, Hershel, is like riding a beach ball. Her son, Michael, said the steer's gait is about as smooth as that of a person trying to run on their hands and feet. In other words, not very smooth at all.
Unlike a horse, which is reined in using a bit in the mouth, the 2-year-old, 1,100 pound longhorn steer is led by reins attached to a bar pierced through his nose.
But Hershel is more than just a novel beast of burden. Cathy said he will also carry a message of cancer awareness.
In fact, Hershel may even be part of the lineup at the annual Moriarty Pinto Bean Fiesta Parade this fall. Cathy has pink ribbons made out of leather ready to attach to him and has been "despooking" Hershel using cap guns, sirens and other sights and sounds he might encounter a the parade.
"I want him to have a good experience," Cathy said. "Cows don't forget."
The reason Hershel will be a harbinger of Cathy's cancer awareness message is, about two years ago, Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to close up her small retail shop, Cathy's Closet.
"I had to have something to do," she said.
She solicited donations and scraped together some of her own money to buy Hershel, her new project. It was a tough sell for some in the family, however.
Her son, Torrance County Undersheriff Heath White, called her the "black sheep" of the family, Cathy said. While everyone else in the family rides horses, Heath gave his mother some grief for being the only one to ride a steer. He isn't just any steer, though.
"About one in 50 (longhorns) is good to ride," Cathy's husband, Bill said. "(Hershel) makes a good riding steer because he wants to go."
Bill said it's a matter of personality. Some steers are "lawn ornaments" and simply can not be motivated to carry a person anywhere, while others may be too unruly.
Cathy said she chose Hershel because of his gentle eyes, generally a good indicator of a horse's disposition, but at the time of the purchase no one could be sure he would be ridable.
Bill warned Cathy not to name him or get too attached until they knew, telling her, "If he doesn't work out, we'll eat him," Cathy said.
Instead, Cathy gave the young steer the only name that could seal the deal. On the ride home with the new calf she named him Hershel, after her father who died when Cathy was in fifth grade.
Fortunately, Hershel will carry people, and even break into a lope with a rider, although that makes him even more difficult to ride.
For now Michael, 15, rides the steer to help his mother train him. That's because the animal is not yet strong enough to carry heavier riders for very long. Cathy said she will eventually take over riding Hershel and even hopes to teach the animal tricks like jumping through a ring of fire.
Hershel is ridden three times a week and Cathy works with him for hours every day, has his own indoor and outdoor stables and is completely spoiled, she said.
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