I have to admit....with Crawford on my mom's side and Vincent on my dad's side...I have some serious Scottish blood flowing through these veins. Then add in a mix of Terry English and a wee splash of Conley Irish and well, that probably sums up the contrite nature that makes up me! I've already confessed I am an over-thinker...but I am a perfectionist and list maker. I bring all this to clinics....and have an agenda for what I want to learn, solve, take-away. Yes, dear Jack, I am always looking for answers! I guess I am sort of frugal too...lessons and clinics are expensive so I make sure I do my homework and come to the clinic with assessments of what went well and what needs help since the last face time.
The Hopland Sheep Research Center was in the beginning of lambing out their Targhee cross flock. I was excited that the same fine-wooled sheep were being used for the clinic. I just love seeing how my girls sort out these range sheep.
THE clinic started each morning up by the lambing barns...using a round pen. This pen was amazingly big compared to my 60 footer at home. I'm thinking it was at least 100 ft and was perfect for starting dogs and cleaning up understanding in even the most advanced dogs. The sheep were sorted first thing, and then taken in groups through a bigger field to the round pen standing smack in the middle. In other words, the sheep could escape around the round pen if the dog did not handle them well through the gate.
I got the opportunity to help with sheep management....and I grabbed Sally to be my go to girl. She did not have a go in the clinic, mostly because we are working together very nicely and I want to stay true to that journey. When help was needed, I was excited to see how Sally would do....we have been working and looking for challenging sheep: pushing, covering, and working as a team....exactly what was needed to put the sheep in the free-standing round pen. Sometimes, when I start giving a bunch of commands, Sally leans back and tells me.."hey, you want to micromanage...go girl"! So we have been working on me giving whistles and then having her take them but continue to do her instinctual job as well. I'm not sure I have written that well, but that is the dance Sally and I have going. The task of moving sheep around gave me the opportunity to use my whistles and yet be still close enough to shoosh her on when I felt her going into her "fine tell me what to do mode". When driving got crazy, I just stepped into the round pen making it a big fetch, or stepping to the gate of the round pen creating the feel of penning.....and Sally did some very nice work. I just love little gifts.....it felt like a link in our continuation of working as a team with better understanding improves each time we work together on sheep.
Little Gyp had a couple of round pen go's. She certainly is fun and I like her. Now that I am home...I see the work that Jack did with Gyp and me paying off as Gyp's flanks are opening up and she is feeling her sheep nicely.
And now, let me show you what made me smile every morning...like a good cup of coffee:
That is a little guard dog in training....he had his own flock of lambs to hang with. He did not particularly care for the fact that we stole them to work our dogs on....but he sure was cute!
So here is part of what I learned...summed up in a text to my husband.
1) I am seeing things and understanding things better and I need to trust myself.
2) Some of what I seek can only be found with time, miles and experience!
3) Part of my journey is to know my dogs.....know what they will be likely to do in a given situation. That is very personal and no other person can know my dogs like I know them. One slice of this idea is for me to assess situations accurately and see my dogs crystal.
4) I am ME!
Seize the Day!!!!!!
My lovely Lassie,
ReplyDeleteAMEN to YOU being YOU!
Wonderful journey you are IN!
Blanca Estela ;O)