Rancher Dave To The Rescue

All week long, The Early Show's anchors have been coming to the rescue of viewers in distress. Now, it's Dave Price's turn.

He remarked to his fellow anchors, "While you guys have been busy babysitting and sorting through basements, I wanted to really get my hands dirty, and practically everything else, too. I literally rode to the rescue -- helping a couple in Southern California."

Then he told his story:

Talk about getting "saddled" with a tough chore. I had no idea what I was getting into at the Bennett Family ranch in California.

The only one to still talk to was the horse. "All right. Now listen. Stay here. If there is any breaking news, come and get me. I love you too, buddy," I tell my new friend.

Mark and Tami Bennett own 18 acres. It's quiet. It's peaceful. It's beautiful. They have no traffic, no neighbors. And they get to ride whenever they want, right outside their back door.

But they rarely have time to enjoy the peace and quiet. In addition to raising four kids, both work full-time: Mark as a sanitary district supervisor, Tami as a dental assistant.

"I've always loved horses," Tami says as she brushes hers. "I've had one since I was five."

For Tami, this is the fun part of ranch living. But horses leave "Happy Trails," shall we say, and that's where my job came in.

"I have the dirtiest barn in town, and I thought you could help me clean it," she says.

Well, I can give it a whirl.

Giving instructions, Mark notes, "The muck that's in the stalls -- that needs to go and it needs to go now.

What is muck?

"Muck is a combination of straw, mud, manure," he explains.

Just one whiff and I knew. This job was going to take me above and beyond the call of "doody."

As I put on the hip-high boots, I realize I picked the wrong day to wear white.

But I had a plan: wear a surgical mask and gloves.

Before I knew it, I was up to my ankles in trouble. And this is just one of many chores involved in keeping a ranch going.

Tami says, "Cleaning the hay area, hauling in hay, riding horses…" Mark adds, "We just got behind."

Well, "behind" would be the operative word.

"Do you know that horses go to the bathroom ten times a day?" Tami asks.

Well, next to the manure, all I could say is: This portion sponsored by "Senokot."

I couldn't delay the dirty work any longer. You know, after a little while of this, you start doing tricks. Backhand!

I asked for a bigger shovel, and I decided I needed a better pitchfork.

I threw the pitchfork out the door, but it bounced right back into the stall. I guess I can't even do that right.

Poking his head around the corner Mark asks, "Is the bucket full yet?"

"Nope, but I'm having a great time," I answer.

Spraying the dung with air freshener, it is now fresh as a daisy.

My work here is done. It is time to get back on my horse and hand Tami the air freshener.

She is thankful for my work. Mark wishes me well.

"Come on, we've got work to do, people to help," I tell my horse. "And I only rented you by the hour."

I got to tell you, I now have a new profound respect for "muck." And I'm thinking of recording a new "country" tune: "Take This Job and Shovel It."