Stan..I thought about running that fat off also but the owner(an old Texas A&M cavalryman) was never there so I basically had the place to myself.A gorgeous mountaineous 3,000 acre ranch the Tumblen T in Bosque County,Texas near the Meridian State Park back in 1972.Back then you could check out all the rare books in Colonel H.B.Simpson's Confederate Research Center at Hillsboro and I recollect reading an original Campaigns of Forrest's Cavalry on top of the old barn and living the life of a cavalryman in the afternoon.

Learned quite a lot about the old horse soldiers.A few examples:If a horse balks on crossing a bridge or going anywhere.Get off and wrap your shirt around his eyes and he will follow you anywhere.Be carefull when 1st fireing a rifle off a horse.Some go nutts.They have to get used to it.A quarter horse will chase deer just like cows.Watch out for low tree limbs.The horse can go under but he does not realize you cannot.When a large group of horses panic and run they are all difficult to control.This may explain some routes by cavalry units in the war.The Navy 36s and Army 44s were not powerfull weapons.Had to "parole to Jesus" a lot of sick sheep and the balls do easily deflect and ricochet.Very dangerous.Large caliber 45-70 rifle slugs sound like bees when you hear them pass.

Is interesting you mention the cows parting around you.I believe cows and horses will go to great lengths to avoid stepping on or jostling a human.