Entry Posted November 22, 2008
The Gower Peninsula is famous for its wandering ponies. But these are not the only large animals which can often be found roaming around its villages and attractions.
The Gower Peninsula is famous for its wandering ponies. But these are not the only large animals which can often be found roaming around its villages and attractions.
Grazing Cows, Southgate
For some reason though, cows just don't seem to be loved as much as horses - probably because they are still seen by many as a food source (and who would want to befriend something which will soon be found in their burger or served up as their Sunday Roast?). I have, for instance, yet to see children trying to hand field the animals like they do when horses are around. Oh well.
Anyway, I have a soft spot for cows - they were the reason why I turned vegetarian some quarter of a century ago now. I will always remember the cows in the field near Hermon Chapel, Crofty as I was returning from my walk that early Sunday afternoon. They were hanging their heads over the barbed wire fence as I made my way along the narrow path which neighboured the field and they were actually jostling for my attention. As I scratched their snouts (not quite sure of their technical name but its that furry bit between their eyes and their nose) and talked to them, my perception of the animals changed - forever. These were tender, sensitive animals - no different to horses or dogs or cats for that matter in their ability to love and enjoy their lives. I felt ashamed that I had parts of one of their cousins roasting away in the oven back home, waiting to be dished up as soon as I got back from my walk. And when I left those poor animals I vowed to become a vegetarian. I knew that very soon, these poor animals would be driven off to the slaughter house so someone could taste their cooked flesh on their tongues for a few moments and I found that idea to be repellent. But I would no longer be one of those people and that moment of epiphany - when I no longer divided animals into those that could be loved and those that could be eaten - has always lived on in me.
So, next time you are out exploring the wonders of the Gower countryside, spare a moment for these wonderful animals. They really aren't as scary as they look - no scarier than horses that is (with their gnashing teeth and heavy, kicking feets), but that's another story.
