The signs and dehorning

We had been waiting for all "the signs" to be right to dehorn Weir and it looked like Friday was the day. The signs are something I want to try and explain if I can. Older people believe in performing many farming tasks according to the signs. Raymond's Calendar is an "old timey" calendar that list the signs during each month. According to the signs Friday was a day that blood would be in the knee and foot. Since dehorning is such a bloody procedure, blood being lower in the body meant less bleeding and a quicker recovery. After Friday I am a believer in the signs.
This county is full of wonderful people and we had three of them offer to come and do the dehorning for us. Weir was so brave and trotted right through the path of temporary fencing that took him behind the barn. Finally we got to use the head gate and it was not a day too soon. His horns were really getting big and it would have been so much easier for him if we had done it sooner. The clippers look like pruning clippers for a small tree limb but they have a circular end with a blade. The horn goes through circle, the handles are pulled apart and the blade cuts the horn away from the cow's head. Weir just stood there with his head in the head gate and never made a sound. Once the horns were gone an antiseptic spray was applied which we continued to do for a few days afterwards. Blood spurted everywhere but soon the blood flow slowed and he was released from the gate. He seemed a little dazed but immediately started to eat grass. The cows in the adjoining pasture  observed the entire process and came over to "talk to him" and that was so interesting to watch.  There was a lot of mooing and stomping at the ground by one of the Dexter steers and then they moved on. Wished I could have know what was said, I tend to think it was just a few words of encouragement from a fellow cow that had been through the same thing. Weir trotted right back over to the pasture with Jerry who was so happy to have his buddy back with him. Now Weir looks like he has a purple mohawk (because of the spray) but seems absolutely back to his old self.
Honestly, dehorning is very unpleasant to watch but for a middle aged woman trying to find her way in the world of cattle farming, I was right there with Weir, I watched it, I rinsed the blood off of the barn and I spray medicine on his head. I am learning that if animals are involved there are going to be yucky moments and you must be respectful of the situation and move on.