Cinnamon suddenly stopped and stood, alert to something in front of us. She looked right, then left, then right again. I looked over Cinnamon’s ears to see what she was watching. In front and slightly to our right was a white-faced black cow with a calf that looked to be only a few hours old. As we stood and watched the new calf toddled over to its mother and began nursing. The mother cow didn’t seem to notice because her attention was focused on something to our left.

Cinnamon and I looked left and saw two coyotes silently approaching from the west. One coyote began making a circle as if to go around or in front of the cow while the other coyote walked straight toward us along the power line right of way. Both coyotes had their eyes on the newborn calf, apparently wanting fresh veal for dinner.

I did not hear any sound from any of the animals but suddenly, all of the cattle that were east of the cow and calf came to full attention, looking west. The cattle that were lying down stood up. Then all of them began very purposefully but unhurriedly walking toward the cow with the new calf, who stood perfectly still where she was. One cow walked between us and the new cow/calf pair with only a brief glance at us on her purposeful march toward the coyotes. As the cow walked past us, all the cattle on the north side of the pasture suddenly came to attention. They began walking purposefully southwest down the field toward us.

Just then, the cattle at the far west end of the pasture got the silent message. All of them turned their full attention to the unfolding drama. Then they also began walking purposefully southeast toward the other cattle and the coyotes. By this time, most of the cattle on the east were between the coyotes and the new calf and its mother who had not moved but were now at the back of the herd.

The two coyotes stopped. They looked around at the ranks of cattle approaching from the east, north and west. They glanced at Cinnamon and me to the south. The coyotes looked at each other. The coyotes took a second look around at the steadily advancing ranks of cattle. They looked at each other a second time. Then both coyotes turned tail and trotted southwest into the junipers where they would have to settle for trying to catch a jack rabbit for dinner. As soon as the coyotes were out of sight, all of the cattle stopped where they were and began grazing as if nothing had happened. My horse and I resumed walking east and north to the Osprey Connector Trail.

I have seen coyotes in the Scott Reservoir Recreation Area many times. Cinnamon is a trail horse -- not a cow horse -- but we have occasionally herded cattle for very short distances when they were standing in the middle of the trail. We have sometimes seen the cowboys herding the cattle in this pasture. But that was the first time I have ever seen the cattle herding the coyotes.