Trailing of the Sheep

After my dogs had finished running on Saturday, I ended up working the exhaust.  I heard whispers in the wheat stubble.....could they be true?  I found one of the trial hosts and, indeed, the next day we would be running on 8 sheep....split in the shed ring taking four to the pen and leaving four.  I started in on my happy dance again, eight sheep.....some the size of ponies!  Maybe those eight sheep could work with me in getting Bella to realise I really do have her best interest in mind as I give commands on the trial field.  As I thought over my run with Bella, and runs from trials past, I remembered this was exactly why I had come to Trailing of the Sheep.  To experiment, try new ideas on for size, stop the insanity of doing what was not working again....I was excited to work eight sheep.

Sunday was cooler.....Bella drew up late morning.  I got a hold of her early on with a dandy stop at the top and a few on the top end of her fetch.  She reacted to the handling with a little bit of "tell me what to do then" and I tried to convey that this was not either 100% her way or a 100% my way...team work was in order. By the third leg of the drive she had settled in and was feeling her sheep ever so nicely, rating herself a bit and allowing me to run her stop-less.  It was so amazing to watch her sort it all out on her run, looking for answers and beginning to work with me.....felt a bit like the makings of my own personal MasterCard commercial "Priceless".

Nell drew up at 2:30, that dreaded time of day where the sheep are wanting a nap and extra hungry.  As her sheep were escorted onto the field, there came the black pony!  The one with the gray birthmark arrow on  her side.....I thought, "bring it on, baby!  Let's see what we are made of, Nellie girl!"  Nell was ever so good....working hard to hit the fetch panel as the black pony-ewe tried everything to not go through and her seven dwarfs were waiting to follow.  The run was not all perfect and pretty, but man oh man, Nell gave me her all.  As a good friend texted me, she is becoming quiet consistent....the journey continues.

Miss Gyp got the opportunity to exhaust sheep a bit.  I was excited but nervous...the four by four split creating an interesting gather for my baby girl but she rose to the occasion and my fellow handler friends never left me hanging.  After about 7 runs, Gyp actually told me she had everything under control and I could go sit in the truck....I found another person to exhaust but was glad to see the confidence in my Gypsy!

The sheep were set by the same men who set for Meeker. They did a fabulous job!

Here Rob Miller's Jen takes her sheep around Rob....the sheep are most definitely the size of ponies!

Rob and Jen get their 4/4 split

Rob was raised right here on this very piece of land.  It was a bitter/sweet trial for him with memories of his father and retiring his good dog Jen.  It was a beautiful final run for her...she has always had a sweet spot in my heart for sure.

The whole trial was just darn right amazing for me.  The sheep gave me a glimpse into myself and my dogs......and together we made improvements thanks to those honest sheep.  The majesty of the land was breathtaking in a rugged way.  I've never seen mountains without evergreen trees, instead covered with sagebrush and giving the impression that winters are bitter cold, wind whipped.....not for the faint of heart. Trailing of the Sheep goes into my book as one of those really fabulous trials.....a not-to-miss trial if one can muster the courage to see what can be done in the high dessert mountains on sheep the size of ponies!

Seize the Day!