The calf plopped to the ground, looking as grumpy as she felt. She had energy to spare, but nowhere to run and no one to play with. She was trapped! Her mom let out an amused snort, and then licked her little snout clean.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the barn, and a loud braying sent her scurrying under her mother, cowering and shaking.

“What’s that noise?”

The sound grew louder. Raffy peered through a gap in the wooden fence and saw a huge brown beast with shiny fur and black trimmings on his feet and face. “It’s a horse, honey,” replied Momma. Here at the Lazy M Rodeo Company, stories were passed from pen to pen about how the horses helped the humans rope baby cows for “fun and entertainment”; but it sure wasn’t fun for the calves or their mothers who lowed in frustration as their babies were pulled from their sides.

Over the next few days, Raffy Calfy, Momma, and Serge the horse developed a friendship, even making up silly jokes and playing tricks on one another. Finally, the time came for Serge to tell Rhonda and Raffy all about the rodeo and the dangers it held for cows and calves.

Was all hope lost? Would Raffy and Momma ever make it to the meadow? Find out in Raffy Calfy’s Rescue, the third book in the Animal Protector Series. It is perfect for ages eight and up and includes a vocablary builder and lesson starter questions, too.