When The Shepherd's Away....

...this mouse gets to play! Yep that's right.....now that I'm slowing down on trialing....the shepherd went on vacation and the Sheep Boss has figured out I'm his huckleberry.  Well, me, Nell, Bella and Gyp.....we work for sheep. It was nice to get back in the saddle....and working ewes that move, makes for a very splendid day indeed.  Nell gathered about 600 ewes and lambs and helped run them through the footbath.

Nell watches the sheep as they exit the footbath stage right

Bella got picked to help find sheep grazing a big, tall hill covered with tree groves; perfect hiding places for naughty sheep. With the help of the Sheep Boss we found about 40 of them. The temperature was rising, I was tickled with Bella and her attitude of good work....walking the sheep in. The Sheep Boss rode a 4-wheeler off to the left keeping the draw back to the shady woods from beckoning. The rest of the sheep can wait for another day to be hauled.

I love real work...I love listening to the Sheep Boss as he talks to me about how to efficiently get 600+ sheep into the Prately Pen.....whirlpooling them to the right.  Last winter I got my hinny handed to me as I tried to "drive" that many sheep through a gate.  This time it was only half a hinny, as I whirlpooled to the left.  The whirlpool strategy really worked but I needed a drawn diagram as to why right was better than left...and I am still not sold on that idea. I think I need another go!

At the many shedding clinics and shedding lessons I have attended....okay...so while working with Scott Glen....he has tried to get me to understand how to string out sheep, letting them want to go and then making the cut.  As I watched the Sheep Boss and the shepherdess......their work felt much like the beginning of a good thesis about the international shed. 



I love watching all the details...pressure, which way they face, what makes the sheep want to go, what stops the flow and prevents any back flow.  There is so much to learn...all while not working a dog and paying close attention to the teaching from the sheep! 

A hard day's work with my dogs feels so dang good.....I've missed it!

Bella finds refuge from the heat in my shade

Seize the Day!

ps. I got a call from the Sheep Boss last night.  He went for a late evening drive and found 120 sheep by the water tank at the foot of the hill where we played hide and seek all afternoon.  I'm thinking we either need to become better seekers or we might want to do an evening haul out....just sayin.