Ethnic Tibetans greet guests with traditional scarves. [Photo by Erik Nilsson and Tseringbum/China Daily]

Like I said, they buck.

Its hoof blasted forward. So did my arm.

I snapped the container out of the way－just in time.

Nomads tie the creatures' front legs during milking. But their back appendages remain free to flail.

The creatures are also leashed to ropes that organize them into three rows－one of females with calves, one of females without calves and one of calves without mothers.

The night before, I towed a yak to its line.

It tugged back. I tugged harder.

It thrashed its horns. The jolting movements caused the peg at the end of its leash to snap off in my hand.

I grabbed the rope with my other hand. I apologized to my hosts.

They laughed.

Then, they tethered the yak for me.

We went inside once the livestock were in place.

Dub Tsering apologized.