25/04/2026
We were doing so well on our mission to build up togo up the Harefield Beacon. It's a long steep hill to go up and we haven't done that kind of work for years as we stopped going up the golf course with his second tendon flare up (the track had loose stones) but we regularly went up a short steep hill before he had his 7 month holiday.
Then we saw a cow behind a mound which he was going to pass... until her calf popped out from behind the mound just as the cows in a nearby field ran down the hill! So Moley's anti-cow instinct went into overdrive🤦♀️Eventually, mummy cow decided she'd help by going to the other end of the field. But Moley still wouldn't move forwards. We had moved to the lay-by behind us to allow cars and a milk tanker to pass (all separately) but each time, he refused to even go level with the edge of the field, let alone to the point we got to when the fear kicked in! Eventually, Moley realised I wasn't giving in and the threat had moved away, so we went forwards. I had readjusted my goal to just going to the first lay-by but he marched past that to get to my original (pre-cow) goal of the turning to the farm and village hall (by the other end of mummy cow's field) - where you can see the solid silver gate glinting in the video.
We will work on the road to the Beacon, one cow field at a time! He had coped so well with all the other fields of cows to that point!
Luckily, it was a lovely warm evening to be out working on his cow phobia. Mummy cow did come to the gate to say hi but obviously didn't try to get him near her - I think touching noses with a cow would be a step too far!
